Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken made with corn, black beans, tomatoes and seasonings – no pre-cooking, and made with pantry staples.
Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken
This recipe has been one of the most popular recipes on Skinnytaste since I started this little blog. It’s the perfect dump and go slow cooker recipe – no pre-cooking, and made with pantry staples. It’s also healthy, inexpensive and can be enjoyed so many ways. Instant Pot directions are now included!
And if you’re on Weight Watchers it’s now 0 Freestyle Smart Points (minus the toppings and rice).
You can top this with a little sour cream and reduced fat cheddar cheese and call it a meal, but I often serve this over cilantro lime rice or cauliflower rice. And don’t forget the toppings – chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free yogurt or sour cream and cheddar are my favorites. Leftovers are great over baked nachos with reduced fat cheese and jalapeños or served over greens for a Santa Fe Taco Salad. It’s even great used as filling for enchiladas. Here’s the basic recipe, how you use it is completely up to you!
It’s also kid-friendly, freezer friendly and gluten-free. In its’ honor I decided to revive it from the archives and give it some love.
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken Freezer and Meal Prep Tips:
- To meal prep, place in microwave safe plastic or glass containers with rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice and toppings and refrigerate to reheat for the week.
- To freeze, divide and freeze in 1 cup portions in freezer safe containers for homemade freezer meals, ready anytime. Reheat by thawing overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.
How To Make Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!
More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes:
- Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
- Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken
- Slow Cooker Harrisa Chicken
- Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
on in the morning for an easy weeknight meal.Ingredients
- 24 oz (1-1/2 lbs) chicken breast
- 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 oz frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine chicken broth, beans (drained), corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot.
- Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.
- Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred.
- Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
- Serve over rice or tortillas and with your favorite toppings.
Instant Pot:
- Cook high pressure 25 minutes, quick or natural release.
4-6 hours is a big gap of time. I’m worried about overcooking it. What’s the actual recommended time?
How would one adjust the recipe if using dried beans (out of canned beans). I am thinking 1/2 amount of beans. Could I put the beans in uncooked or do I need to cook them in advance?
This was fantastic. The only thing I did differently was add a half of a chopped red onion in with everything at the beginning. I served it over cilantro lime rice. Topped it with sharp cheddar, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Yum! Truth is it didn’t need any of that on top it was so good on its own.
My family loves this recipe and it is so easy to cook. Not only is it easy, and taste delicious alone or with the cilantro like rice, my picky eater ask me to make this all the time. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Smelled and tasted amazing! So easy, the chicken was so tender. Served with brown rice. A definite repeat recipe.
This was delicious! It was easy to make. I will make it again.
This was so good. I put it over tortilla chips and made nachos out of it. The whole family liked it!
Hi!! I currently have this in my crock pot, I have it cooking on high for 6 hours, how will I know it should be less so it doesn’t over cook? Thanks!!
I had mine cooking for 6 hours also. The chicken was so tender, shredded so easily. It was delicious! Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious
I loved this and based on comments did a few revisions, also made in Instant Pot. Since the tomatoes were undrained I cut way back on broth, 1/2 cup. Added fresh one chopped onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Sprinkled the top with 2 tsp. taco seasoning. Pressure cooked on high for 18 minutes with full natural release.
why was this so soupy? i feel like it should have been chunky if we are to put it on rice.
The chicken will give off a good amount of juices, then there are the tomatoes, and chick broth. You could add more chick broth and call it soup!
I would like to make this into soup. Any suggestions on how to best do this without compromising the wonderful taste?
Agree, while it was delicious, I will cut back on the liquids next time
I have made this many times and love it!
Hello,
I chopped onions and fresh garlic. I added garlic powder. This was really easy in the instant pot. Thank you for your recipes.
My family is obsessed with this recipe!! It is constantly asked for dinner! Out of curiosity, would this recipe also work with ground beef? I feel like it would, but I was curious if anyone had tried it?
One, of very few recipes, everyone in my family loves & asks for time and time again!
I used to make this when we hosted athletes from different counties and cultures, when my kids were in school. Always a favorite. Just came across it again a d still a crowd favorite and so easy.
What are some good sides to serve with it in addition to rice
I want to make this in the Instant Pot and use frozen chicken. How long do I cook it for? So I do a quick release? Do any of the ingredients need to be tweaked for this way of cooking?
Thank you!!
Made this in quesadillas tonight. So good!
This is just simple & absolutely fantastic! I added sliced fresh mushrooms & a full Tetra pack of Chicken broth to make an amazing soup. Total keeper!!!
For many years, Skinnytaste was my go to the website and this was one of my favorite recipes-I cooked it in the instant pot and my only addition was a green pepper. But two years ago I decided to change my diet to a whole food plant-based diet and sadly, this was no longer in the rotation. But after coming across the recipe again, I decided to try to adapt it. I switched out veggie broth for the chicken broth, and used soy curls for the “chicken.” (Seitan chicken would likely work too). I am very happy to report that is just as good plant-based and it will be going back into the rotation in my home
Glad to hear it!!!
What was the quantity of soy curls pls?
10 hours is way too long to do chicken in the crockpot. 4 hours on low is plenty.
I’m new to Insta pots. Can y ok double most of these recipes and say cook 3 pound of chicken breasts in a 6 quart insta pot ? Or does that not work?
What does 24oz 1 1/2 lb chicken breast mean? Does it mean 24 oz total?
Yes, 24 oz.
This was the first recipe I discovered on your site, and it is one of our very favorites! – @alime917
Thanks Alison!
I absolutely love this recipe. Question: when I tracked in WW purple as building a meal, it came up as 3 points but everything in it is 0 points. How should I track it?
A friend of mine shared this recipe with me as I am newer to cooking and needed to find an easy slow cooker recipe. Let me tell you, I have made this several times now. I am in love with this recipe! I have a large slow cooker, so I usually end up getting a little bit more of chicken and adding a little bit more seasoning (mostly the cumin and cayenne pepper). Also, I do add the green onion on the top paired with cheese and add rice to go underneath. Either way, this recipe is delicious, easy to follow, and produced a good amount. For me and my husband, this can give us each about an extra two day’s worth of leftovers.
Served over rice…it was dry, tasteless and very boring.
This Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken is absolutely delicious. I was amazed and wanted to eat a ton of it but listened to my tummy. I had it on a tortilla with a little bit of low fat sour cream. I’m so excited that there are leftovers and I can have it again tomorrow.
First – I love your recipes! When I plug this recipe into My Fitness Pal – they say it is 657 calories per serving? I put 4 servings. Any thoughts on what is making it such a big difference?
Are you plugging the ingredients in?
The recipe says it is 8 servings.
What a delicious meal!! Love slow cooker meals during the week especially!! Made my week a little easier. Thank you! And I lost weight this week planning my meals and preparing ahead of time. I have really enjoyed the weekly meal plan.
Love this!!!! How much chicken to how much rice or is it 3/4 cup of both combined?
3/4 of the chicken stew is 1 serving
Do you think chicken thighs would me an OK swap out for the chicken breast? If so how would that effect my cook time?
Look NO further for a recipe to knock your socks off. I used my InstantPot with 1/2 the amount of chicken broth, just added the veg bullion cube and doubled the spices for a bullseye! This recipe is packed with flavor and a match made in heaven when paired with the cilantro lime rice.
Real simple and delicious. I added red bell peppers and black olives. They added just a bit more flavor. I will definitely make this again.
This was a hit with my family! I made it on the stove top. Used 2 breasts and 2 thighs. I doubled the spices and used a little water instead of broth (didn’t have any). It took about 1 hour stewing. The meat was perfect to shredded between 2 forks. Served as a rice bowl with brown rice, shredded lettuce, and salsa (shredded cheese and sour cream was optional) Yum!
I made this yesterday (and enjoyed leftovers today). I used only 3/4 can of broth, otherwise followed instructions exactly. Cooked 4 hours on high, served over brown rice and topped with shredded cheese. Sooooo good!!!
How can I make this on the stove instead of in a crockpot or Instapot?
This was excellent. I doubled everything but the chicken and the broth. Next time, I will add a chopped red pepper. I added the cilantro and some avocado as toppings. Yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
We have this on our lunch meal prep rotation and love it! It does freeze well, too.
This is a go-to meal for us. Perfect for a weeknight. I usually cook this in my crockpot, but forgot about it this last time, so I tried it out in my InstantPot and it turned out great. Hubby, kids, and I all love this simple, flavorful dish. I recently threw in some of the left-over toppings I had from pizza night: bell peppers, black olives and diced white onion. It all worked out great. Thank you, Skinny Taste, for sharing this tried and true recipe. Per @Terri Yunker, I will have to try this with pork next time.
Hi I used the instapot & it was so watery. What did I do wrong? Any ideas?
Nothing wrong. Same soupy result in the instant pot here. I will reduce the chicken broth next time to 3/4 cup. To save the flavors from the broth, I boiled the liquid down on saute while I shredded the chicken and made a corn starch thickener with 1 Tbsp corn starch and some of the cooking liquid. It worked well!
I was wondering whether the slow cooker time would change if I didn’t add beans. My son doesn’t like black beans:(. But I think he would love the dish without them. Love your recipes!
Absolutely the best ever! I can substitute pulled pork or shrimp (both added in after sauce has simmered). A big hit with elderly and young. I doubled the corn and also add cheese.
I put it over rice with some melted cheese and added sour cream!! It was perfect. Oh, I also added a half packet of hot chilli seasoning in as well.
I’ll be making this tomorrow and wondering if anyone has used a packet of taco seasoning instead? Thank you!
Making this now for dinner tonight and it already smells so good!
This was really easy and good but more like a soup than taco/enchilada filling. When I make it again I’ll decrease some of the liquid. My chicken was frozen when I started the crock pot- maybe that’s why I had soup. MDH won’t eat chunks of tomato or green things so I did puree the diced tomato & chili can-again might have made too much liquid.
Hey there – just saw you comment and want to warn you and others to NEVER cook frozen foods in a crock pot (even though it would be so much more convenient!)- it spends too long a time in the danger zone as far as temperatures.
I always use frozen chicken and I am 52 and so far still Kicking! It has never gotten my family sick
What could You replace the scallions with?
I make this so often it’s so good! I serve over rice and add cheese, green onion, sour cream and avocado topping. 10/10 would recommend. Good for meal prepping. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t think you need it if you don’t have it.
This recipe was delicious. I left out the cumin and cilantro and instead added more cayenne. Spicy, warm, juicy. Definitely recommend!
My S.O. and I both lived this dish! As others suggested, I omitted the chicken broth and added two chicken bullion cubes. I also doubled all
of the spices except for the Cayenne pepper. I browned the chicken a bit before adding to the crockpot. I felt like 8 hours was a long time, even if the chicken breasts had been raw. The Rotel cooked way down…almost too much. I could’ve stopped cooking at 4 hrs. I did add a little chicken broth at the end. My S.O. Has it over tortilla chips with cheese and salsa and I had mine over ST Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. I will definitely make this again and maybe add another 1/2 to full can of Rotel…just because we love tomatoes & green chilis.
I made this for the fourth time a few days ago. I basically doubled the recipe, but used only a single can of chicken broth. The perfect amount of liquid! Topped with diced Avocado and a dollop of sour cream, with Tostidos as dippers. Love it!
This is probably one of my favorite Skinnytaste dishes ever! I’ve been making this for years because it is soo easy. Sometimes I add it to a bowl of quinoa, sometimes I strain the liquid out and make tacos. So many options and I always have plenty of left overs which is the 2nd best part.
This is tasty,but you won’t need the chicken broth, the canned tomatoes give enough sauce, excellent over rice. I sliced the chicken breast into three pieces, and browned before adding.
Easy prep and delcious!
Love this recipe. It is so convenient and easy yet it is a dish with complex flavors and it is even suitable for a dinner party. You can alter the spiciness if you wish – we like spicy food so will often add a little heat in the form of red chili powder or some extra jalapenos. I usually give the chicken breasts a blast on the skillet just to brown them a little, The browning of the chicken is a matter of preference and not necessary to the success of the recipes as I have cooked it both ways.
Idk what happened. We followed all the instructions and this looks more like a soup than it does in the picture. There’d be no way to put this over nachos. Anyone else have this issue?
I omitted the rice.
Then added plain 10 Crushed Doritos
Great Vale Queso queso quesadilla cheese grated cheese!
This is wonderful
I love your meals but I always have the worst time calculating points! When I put the nutrition facts in the calculator it says 4 pts but it’s listed here as zero. What am I doing wrong?!
Hi Emory! The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
how many servings does this make??
8.
This recipe is gold! I made it as recipe stated except I drizzled 2 T olive oil on the chicken breasts( frozen) and added all other ingredients on top of that in my instant pot, processed 12 minutes with natural release and it was perfect. Super tender chicken with flavor all the way through.
Correction:
I actually decreased the Cayenne to 1/4 t. and that was plenty for me!
The timing seemed very off…I can cook raw pork at low in 4 hours. Sure enough, the chicken is fully cooked after two hours on high. No where near dinner time. I guess I will shred the chicken and keep it on warm for now. I have the same crock pot.
Turned out great. Boyfriend loved it and we are getting three meals out of it over cilantro lime rice. Next time I’ll use less chicken broth and cook it on low for four hours or so.
Super delicious! I used chicken breast with bone meat & a little onion. I also made your cilantro lime rice. Everything turned out great & my family loved it! Thank you for sharing!
This was absolutely delicious, and zero points! I use Greek yogurt for sour cream, also 0 points. Fill a healthy tortilla, top with salad greens, tomatoes and onions, Greek yogurt and a bit of taco sauce. This will fill you up for houra!
I used rotisserie chicken to make it a 30 minute meal.
I just made this (with a few modifications- I doubled the spice; instead of broth I used 1 tbsp chicken bouillon; I also used A tiny can of tomato sauce {in addition to the tomatoes}) SO F’N GOOD.
Can I double this recipe @ low 8- 10 hrs? Or do I need to add time.
So good and flavorful! We arent really spicy people in my house so we halved the cayenne and it was perfect! We made tacos the first night and added sour cream when serving and the next night ate it over rice.
I’ve made this several times… We like things really spicy, so I use a jar of our favorite hot salsa in place of diced tomatoes. Yum! Easy peasy
OMG! This came out so good last night! I added so mushrooms to it and it came out fantastic! Thank you for giving me this fine recipe!
Made this recipe, it was good but I have to agree with previous comments….cut the liquid in half and double the spices. Made mine in the crockpot.
Just made this for the first time and my husband and I both really liked it!!! I cooked in my Instant Pot for 29 minutes and then after I removed the chicken and shredded it I cooked it down a little more on stove. Served over brown rice and topped it with lite sour cream. My husband said I need to be sure to put this in my favorite recipes book…yummy!!
I made this as directed, but forgot to add toppings when serving. I served it on top of Jasmine rice. We found it surprisingly bland. Next time, I will follow the tips of the previous reviewers to use less liquid (and/or remove the lid, after shredding) and add more spices. One reviewer used Chile powder, instead of cayenne, and I think that might be a good idea. I WILL try this, at least one more time, because it’s easy, and we liked the texture of it. That’s also why it gets a two star rating, instead of only one.
My sister shared this recipe with me, and now I’ve made it for years. I love more spice in it, too. My preference is 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin, about 1 TB garlic powder, and oregano, some chili powder or cayenne – to taste. If I have cilantro, that’s good, too. Today I made it with double the tomatoes and no broth, but added about a cup of water.
Awesome, easy and nutritious
Can the recipe be prepared the day before serving it?
Sure!
If I prepare it the day before, Should I just refrigerate it? And then put it back into the crock pot the next day.
Sure, that would be fine.
This recipe was delicious and so easy. At zero points, I will definitely be making it again! Thank you for posting.
How much of each spice ingredient do you put in?
The measurements are in the recipe.
Totally awesome!!
Love this recipe! I read the reviews and doubled the spices. I used 5 scallions and half a cup of cilantro because I love the taste of both. I did use a whole can of broth and took the lid off the crock pot after I shredded the chicken. Next time I am going to use a full bag of frozen corn. I served it over zatarains cilantro rice. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this recipe at least 30 times, it’s one of my all-time favorites and is always a hit! The first time I made it, it was overly soupy as mentioned by numerous other reviewers. To avoid excess liquid, I use either 1 tablespoon chicken broth powder, or 1 chicken stock cube instead of the canned chicken broth. This adds the same chickeny flavor to the sauce without all the extra liquid.
Is there an easy way to retrieve recipes from this site when I’ve selected to save them? I love them all and make so many recipes from this site but find it wasteful to print them all. I’ve selected save but just want to retrieve the “saved” recipe quickly. how do I do that?
Do you have the Pinterest app? That’s the easiest way to save recipes in one place.
I have made this in the slow cooker and enjoyed it. I wanted to make it again in the Instant Pot. I made a few changes and it came out GREAT!
I doubled the spices as many reviewers noted before me. I subbed chili powder for cayenne pepper since that’s what I had on hand. I only used 1 cup of chicken broth and I drained all of the canned vegetables. I mixed the chicken, broth, spices, corn, beans, and tomatoes in the Instant Pot and then laid the chicken on top. I had 4 chicken breasts, probably about 7 oz each. I used the High Pressure manual setting for 8 minutes. When it was done cooking, I used the quick release button. I shredded the chicken, returned it to the pot and used the saute setting for a couple minutes to boil off some of the extra liquid. I served the chicken over brown rice and quinoa and used Greek yogurt, salsa, and shredded cheese as a topping. YUM!
Did you use frozen chicken?
When do you shred the chicken, half way through or the last hour of cooking?
Can you cook it a day before serving it to your guests?
I omitted the rice.
Then added plain 10 Crushed Doritos
Great Vale Queso queso quesadilla cheese grated cheese!
This is wonderful
I read it in recipe. I believe is said in the last hour of cooking
This is an all time favorite! I have made this recipe countless times. Comes out great in the instapot as well as the crockpot.
Can I use Frozen Chicken Breasts or do I need to thaw?
Thank you!
throw it in frozen, 8 hrs on low heat. always comes out cooked. dont cook the cilantro tho, add it fresh!
Some of Gina’s recipes are my favorite in the world, this recipe being one of them, but please heed my warning here! DO NOT USE THE INSTANT POT for this recipe. This recipe when slow cooked is flavorful and delicious. I have made it about 25 times in the Crock Pot, it is always a hit! I tried to save time yesterday, due to some procrastination, and decided to make it in the Instant Pot. It turned out so incredibly soupy, the chicken was chewy and hard to shred and there was no flavor…NONE. I don’t even know how to salvage this and think I will just toss it. If you are running short on time, find something else to make and save this for when you can make it in the Crock Pot, you won’t be disappointed.
I disagree… i’ve made it over 20 times in a slow cooker and made it in my instant pot when i got it, Its equally delish – altho i omit the broth and only cook for 12 min. I now only make in the instant pot..
I agree with Jody. I’ve made it both ways and find it equally good, but use the Instant Pot because it is so fast, I actually was making it in the instant pot prior to IP directions being added to the recipe. I cook it for 17 minutes (random guess on time that seems to work well). We like it more soup like as we serve it over rice or farro, so still use the broth.
It turned out watery in IP on high for 25 minutes; had t add some cornstarch. Is it better to use slow cook?
Definitely make it using the crock pot and not the IP. Complete world of difference in taste and texture.
This is a favorite for my wife and I. So easy to freeze and pull out for a meal during the week.
Hi! Thank you SO MUCH for posting this recipe. I’ve made this multiple times before and my boyfriend and I loved it every single time. It’s so quick, easy, and full of flavors! 🙂
My daughter was totally out of points for the day so I told her I would make a Zero Point dinner. I made this. I was out of cumin so I subbed Southwest spice blend for all the spices. I served it with a cucumber tomato salad (also zero points). We loved it, but found it a little on the soupy side. We agreed that next time we don’t need as much chicken broth – maybe half what is called for.
This is such an awesome recipe! I’ve even king it for a couple of years now & it still impresses me every time! It’s flavorful, easy and super inexpensive & always a crowd pleaser- LOVE IT!!!
This is so easy make! I made my own tortilla chips and topped the Santa Fe chicken with shredded lettuce and a little Colby jack cheese. Felt like I was totally cheating on my diet. When I make it again, I’ll decrease the amount of chicken broth by 1/2 cup or so. And, because of the kids, I only put in 1/2 the amount of cayenne pepper. Thanks for doing the legwork to make this recipe low in calories.
Can I use frozen chicken breasts or do I need to thaw?
Thanks!!
Your own tortilla chips? Do tell!
This recipe has been a favorite in our household. Though each time I have made it, it comes out incredible watery/too much liquid. Has anyone else had this issue? Is there a way to thicken this up?
I just made it for the first time last night. I came on here to see if I didn’t something wrong because, like you, it’s very watery. I think next time I will leave out the chicken broth and not drain the black beans.
I’ve made this many times & my family loves it. However,, I completely leave out the chicken broth & add a 6 oz. can of tomato sauce to give more body & richness. I use b/s thighs (8-12) which hold up beautifully for a 7 hour cook, drain & rinse the corn & beans, add a small can of drained & rinsed black olives & sometimes add a small onion, slice. If I have no Rotel, I use a 14.5 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, half drained, & a small can of rinsed & drained mild green chilis. If I have them, I also add about 3 cups of sliced red, yellow & orange bell peppers. I add mild chili powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, taco seasoning & a mere flick of cayenne & salt & pepper the chicken. I serve this over plain steamed rice with sour cream, guacamole & tortillas.
I FORGOT to say that the bell peppers are added at the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
I just made it for the first time and wondered what to do with all the extra liquid. I finally just sort of drained each portion as I scooped it out. It was okay over rice but made tortilla chips soggy. It tasted great, though!
I had the same problem with the watery sauce. I add a small can of tomato paste to give it body. I also add about a teaspoon of sugar to cut the acidity. For anyone wondering about how much salt to use – for me, about 1 1/4 teaspoons is about right. I made this today in a Wonder Bag in four hours. It’s a great alternative to a slow cooker.
Hi Gina!
I’m new to your recipes but am in love 😍
As far as this recipe goes, are there any differences when using the instantpot? I love my slow-cocker, but my instantpot is new so I’m trying to try it as much as I can! Thank you for for all of your recipes & all the work you obviously put into developing them 😊
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m wondering though, doesn’t cooking this in the crockpot for so long make the black beans mushy?
Love this! Did as others suggested and doubled the spices – I tend to up the spices anyway! I also added a dried pepper…serano I think- added some nice smoky heat, also added half an onion chopped since I had it handy.. Added a little extra chicken as I wasn’t sure this would make enough for the hungry fellas but of course the shredded chicken goes a long way! Have used this on tostadas, a salad and some nachos and it worked great on all. So glad I found this!
I make this recipe several times a year. My family loves it and it is VERY easy to make!!
I make this meal on weekly basis!! Love it so much. It’s healthy, cheap and quick! I use can corn instead of frozen and fire roasted tomatoes & a separate can of green chili’s.
Absolutely delicious! The recipe was inexpensive and easy to throw together. We found it to be incredibly satisfying and flavorful which is not always the case with healthy meals. This is going in our regular rotations. Two thumbs way way up!
i love this recipe. But i work for a non-profit that feeds over 400 women and children three times daily, so i need recipes that serve large crowds.
If you want to actually taste anything I rocommend you double each seasonings and and salt. Original recipe was incredibly bland.
Not thrilled.
I love this recipe! However I’m on a new strict diet that must be gluten free AND low cholesterol. For the life of me I can’t figure out why the cholesterol is so high, can anyone help?
My husband lowered his cholesterol 40 points by eating ST recipes. Check out her vegetarian and gluten free recipes. Those categories are located in the right hand side of this page.
I want to double this recipe in the instant pot… does anyone know if I just double each ingredient or just add more chicken w same amount of liquid? Thanks
Double everything.
Has anyone tried putting in enchilada sauce?
I made this to put over baked potatoes. It was too soup-like so I took the lid off the crockpot to reduce liquid….then I forgot I did that! So I reduced it a bit too much and to remedy that I just tossed in a can of Rotel tomatoes and added hot mexican chile powder and more cumin. I like it hot. Delicious!
I still do pointsplus. How many points is it for that method? Thank you.
5
If one made only 6 servings at 1 cup apiece, would the points still be 0, or what would it be? Thanks, Jill
Yes
This is definitely a keeper!! I liked it with wheat rice, my husband liked it with tortillas so either way it was the bomb!! Thank you for sharing.
This has been a go-to as a crockpot recipe … I got an InstantPot for Christmas and can’t wait to try it there. It is perfect for a WW friendly lunch with some fat free refried beans.
Hello! This was my first slow cooker meal ever. Thanks for making it such a great one! I altered slightly by first sautéing onion, a sweet pepper, and garlic in olive oil. I used home cooked black beans. Otherwise I followed the recipe! The flavors really melded in this dish and the chicken came out tender and delicious. I had enough to serve now plus freeze for later. Win win! Exceeded my expectations. Will definitely cook this again.
I’ve made this recipe before using an old crock pot about 3 years ago and it was delicious. (I had to follow step by step due to my very limited kitchen skills) this is why I am asking how do you use the instapot with this recipe without everything getting mushy?
I have made this one many times before but now that I have an instant pot, Gina can I make this in the insta pot?
It seems a little too soupy. Can I reduce the chicken broth?
I have no cumin, any sub? Will the recipe be ruined without it? To late to go to the store.
This was very good. I served it over riced cauliflower. As some of the others mentioned, the consistency was more like soup. I will definitely make again, but I may use half the amount of broth. Otherwise, it was very tadty.
I was really hopeful with this one per all the great reviews, but it was just okay. It was lacking in flavor, and the broth made it too soupy. I guess doubling the spices would help, which by the way, I used chili powder in place of cayenne as I can’t handle cayenne.
How do I adjust for frozen chicken in the Instapot?
I love this meal. I make it for lunch prep. I use my Instant Pot and In 2 hours from start to finish I have about 12 meals in the freezer. I serve with TJ organic brown rice. In mornings I will get one out and pack it with as much fresh spinach as will fit. I also like mine spicy so I add about a half of a small can of diced jalapeños. Yummy.
Made this on Monday and it’s now a favourite in our house; thank you! Once I shredded the chicken and mixed it back in and left it for a bit (about 20 more minutes), it was not too soupy like many others have commented.
We put it on the cilantro lime rice the first time (YUM!!), then in a burrito with leftover rice and extra fixings, and then as a open faced pulled chicken sandwich. All have been winners. Any recommendations on making the remaining leftovers into a pasta???
This recipe is seriously 5 star. I made it last week and my husband and I ate it 4 days in a row – 2 days as crunchy tacos and 2 days with brown rice. It’s hard to decide which way was better. I left out the cilantro (I’m one of those cilantro-is-the-worst people) and used 2x the spices since I had extra chicken, used a full 12 oz. bag of frozen corn (why not?), and hid 2 green bell peppers in there for some extra hidden veggies. Topped with green onions, avocado, and cheddar. This recipe is definitely going to become a regular!
Any thoughts on how long to cook the ingredients if I already have the shredded chicken?
Do you have instapot instructions for this?
Yes! You can find this at the bottom of the instructions. “Cook high pressure 25 minutes, quick or natural release.”
Fresh or frozen chicken? Just trying to get the timing right!
To those who thought it was watery or liquify- I thought so at first until I saw the video. It shows that the food is spooned out. Therefore, most of the liquid will be left out. (I drained mine and it was perfect.)
I love this recipe and so does my husband! I have a question – would this be suitable as a freezer meal? i.e. prep/combine ahead, freeze everything in a ziploc, use/cook later? I am pregnant and wanting to stock up on freezer meals, would love to include this one.
Today will be the 2nd time that I’ve made this. I didn’t use broth, cilantro or cayenne. I used a drained can of corn instead of frozen, some squeezes of fresh lime & crushed pepper flakes instead of cayenne. I also chopped up half of a small onion. The cooking time is a major issue; if you cook boneless, skinless breasts for as long as stated in the recipe, you’ll have dry, cardboard chicken! I’ve cook b/s chicken breasts many times in my 7 quart, original Crockpot for no more than 51/2 hours on LOW.
well if you dont use broth, its gonna get dry lol
No. The diced tomatoes or Rotel have liquid as you don’t drain them & as it cooks, liquid comes out of corn, etc. I’ve never had an issue. I’ve also made this with b/s thighs, which you can cook for 7 or 7 1/2 hours if you need to. I’d do b/s thighs for 6 1/2, always on low.
I goofed and didn’t drain the beans; I just dumped it all in. I was having a brain fart:/ is not draining the black beans a bad thing for this recipe?
Its ok
This is a great tasty recipe and what makes me happy is that my picky husband likes it too!
Double all four seasonings, substitute spicy black beans for the standard black beans, and you can skip the cilantro. I make my modified style weekly for meal prep and it’s fantastic.
Could you use kindey beans instead or would that ruin it?
Can the chicken be frozen?
yes
EXCELLENT! I used ground coriander (1/2 tsp) and ground cumin (1/2 tsp). The combo makes an excellent Mexican spice. My husband loved this recipe. Served over cilantro lime rice. Another yummy recipe.
Thanks Marci!
I make this all the time. So delicious. When I shred the chicken, I also ad a block of cream cheese to crockpot. So creamy. Serve with Mexican cornbread or tortilla chips.
I love this recipe. I do find it soupy so I’ve actually eaten it as a soup and it is delicious with a little WW shredded cheese and fat free sour cream. Also freezes great. Such an easy lunch to bring to work. I do leave out cilantro because I’m not a fan. And I only used diced tomatoes without Chile’s because I like more of a mild heat.
I made this for Taco Tuesday. Instead of putting over rice we put on a tortilla with avocado and cheese. It was awesome
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I made it in the crock pot and have been eating it for dinner (I added a little more broth to make it a tortilla soup) and then at lunch time over lettuce, (tastes like a taco salad)! I do not think I will ever tired of it!
Excited to try this – it’s in the crockpot now! I’m just wondering though, I imported my ingredients to my fitness pal and the nutrition facts are significantly different with no additional toppings.. It’s coming up as over 300cals and over 50gC, I matched the exact ingredients and amounts..
Okay I just redid it and the nutrition facts pretty much match yours. I don’t know what I did wrong the first time! I’m sorry for the unnecessary comment!
Hi!! I need to make this for a large group. Do you think it would turn out ok if I doubled the recipe?
Yes, should be fine.
I can’t find black beans that have 0 smart points. Is there a particular brand that is used? BTW! I love this recipe!
This has become a favorite in my home!! I always make a large batch and freeze the leftovers in meal-sized portions. Thank you!
This was great added a little more seasoning and broth
This is by far the best meal to serve for a casual dinner…everyone loves it. I serve it over rice but my grandkids love to drain the liquid and serve over nacho chips with cheese, salsa and sour cream as the toppings. Plus it is extremely easy! Two thumbs up!
I just purchased my first ever slow cooker a few months ago, and I’m kicking myself because the one I bought doesn’t have a timer, the only options it has are 4 or 6 hours on high, and 8 or 10 hours on low. So a lot of recipes I can’t do on work days because I would be gone for too long, but this would be perfect since I could do it for 10 hours while at work. However, I wake up at 4 AM for work, and no way am I getting up any earlier to make dinner in the morning! Your recipe says: “Prep this the night before and turn your crock pot on in the morning for an easy weeknight meal.” Can I really just throw everything into the Crock Pot the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight? Even the chicken? Or should I add the chicken separately in the morning?
yes it will be fine!
You can buy a timer to plug your slow cooker into. Then you can set it to come on when you need it!
This recipe as is turns out very liquidy. So if you want to use it as burrito filling, it won’t really work unless you drain. The liquidy aspect would complement serving over rice.
I don’t have a crockpot, but I do have a Dutch oven, how long should I leave it in the Dutch oven (if this is even possible)? Thanks!
This really is GOOD. I was bored of our weeknight dinners and luckily stumbled upon this gem. It’s SO EASY (made while dealing with my one year old son!) and delicious! I was nervous it would have that Heat-up frozen meal sort of taste, but the fresh ingredients are just enough to make it perfect. I used yellow rice with it. Will be keeping this in the rotation for sure!
Can this be made with shrimp instead? How long do you think it would take to cook on the instant pot?
Shrimp cooks fast, like 2 min on the stove so I think it would overcook in the instant pot
You could cook everything in the crockpot and add pre-cooked shrimp for the last 3-4minutes or raw shrimp might need 7-10 minutes depending on the temperature of your crock pot. Shrimp would probably taste great in there as well but I would just add it at the end instead to avoid over cooking.
so good & easy!
This Santa Fe Chicken is really awesome I can just eat it right as soup and it fills me up. I love it I didn’t change a thing very very good.
It is delicious
I dont have a slow cooker. Is there a way I can make this in my rice cooker? Should I add more broth? Thanks!
Super easy and delicious!!
I tried to sign up for your emails & it is telling me my email is invalid ???? could you please sign me up on your end? ????
Done!
Great. recipe! It was a little juicy so I added some rice near the end. However to keep it 0 Weight Watchers points I’d just cut back on the liquid.
I have tried to sign up for emails it keeps saying my email is wrong
I just signed you up. 🙂
This was a big hit in our house last night! I didn’t have any tomatoes on hand so I used homemade salsa and cut the broth way back. It was still a little soupy for us after cooking so I added a little cornstarch to thicken it up and get a nice sauce. It was awesome on a wrap for lunch today. Will definitely make again!!
Great!
Thanks for adding the pressure cooker specifics!! I’ve been making this with my crock pot for years, it’s one of my faves!! I wanted to try it in the Instant Pot.
I just entered this in to my macro tracker and my carb count is way higher than yours? I used a smaller can of black beans and tomatoes so I am not too sure what I am doing wrong?
On a seperate note this reciis really great! Perfect for meal prep for the week. Another amazing recipe Gina!
Very interested in making this…where’s the cilantro rice recipe? Thanks.
https://www.skinnytaste.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice-4-pts/
Looks awesome & cant wait to make. . I will not be addinng extra salt. Enough salt from the broth & can foods. Thanks for sharing wonderful recipes.
This is so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I accidently only added one cup of broth (I was on the phone) and I’m glad I did. I also left out cilantro and scallions, because I don’t like them. Tried this on salad and corn tortillas, going to try cauliflower rice next! Yum!
Made this last night in the Instant Pot and it was delicious! I used Goya low sodium petite black beans and the beans did not get mushy. At first it looked a bit soupy to me, but after I shredded the chicken I let the dish cook on sauté for about 5 minutes and it let it cook down a bit. Served it with the Lime Cilantro Cauliflower Rice which absorbed some of the liquid. Will definitely make this again, only next time will make a double batch and pop some in the freezer.
How long in the instant pot?
Gina has it in the recipe above. 25 minutes. Then either natural or quick release. I did natural release. I made it tonight for dinner. It came out a bit soupy but I put it on saute for a bit and the cauliflower rice absorbed. You can always ladle it out but it tastes so good.
That’s a great idea, to let it saute a bit. I love this recipe and made it for the first time in my instant pot and thought it was more soupy than when i did it in the crock pot. I’ll remember that next time i make it. It was great for my meal prep though!
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Can I use frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot? Does that add additional time?
No never use frozen meat in a crock pot
All I ever use (for the most part) is frozen chicken.
The IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) chicken breast, thighs, tenderlions, ect… That are sold in big bags in the freezer section, are absolutely fine to use in a Crock-Pot. They do not contain bones, so t In fact, I usually check on them about. 2/3 of the way thru the recipe recomendation, and pull them out of the potright when they’re done, so as not to over cook them. Also, if I am cooking something in the crock and I find that there is too much liquid at the end after removing the protein, I simply let the remaining crock ingredients cook longer to concentrate and reduce the liquid until it is the consistently I’m looking for. Or…if you’re short on time…place the crock contents into a sauce pan and reduce on the stove top….
Despite what some other comments say, you should NOT ever use frozen chicken in a crockpot. Yes, it will work, and you’ll *probably* be okay, but it’s not considered a safe method so I wouldn’t take the risk, especially if you are cooking for kids or elderly people with compromised immune systems. A crockpot cannot reliably get the chicken up to temperature quickly and evenly enough, which means bacteria can grow.
I second Angela M.’s comment. That is the only type of frozen chicken I use in crockpots. It has worked totally fine for my family without anyone ever getting sick.
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Great taste. Love it! I added a little extra cayenne And zero pints on free style
When I use my Weight Watchers app to enter the nutritional information, it comes up at 4 freestyle points. Any idea why this may be happening?
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting 0 points foods such as eggs, chicken, fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, that is why.
The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”)
Too watery in the instant pot. Need to tweak the ratios.
I’d love to try in the instant pot!! But not sure how I would go about altering the recipe… ideas?
You don’t have to alter the recipe at all…. we had this as our first meal in our new InstantPot & it was DELICIOUS!
Super super easy! I used onion because I forgot to buy scallions then at the end when I adjusted seasoning I added a little Mexican hot chili powder to give it a kick. It was really good! We ate it over brown rice and topped it with cilantro, avocado, and cheese. I made a double batch so we could use the leftovers for other meals this week! There was a lot of liquid leftover so I just ladled some extra out which was no big deal. I also did not drain my tomatoes and my chicken was partially frozen still so that could be why it had so much liquid. It’s a very versatile recipe/flavor combination!
We was very tasty but it had to much liquid … I had to drain it before I served it.
I had the same problem with too much liquid, husband thought it was soup. Still very tasty and added brown rice to help with all the juice. For those asking; a 1/2 cup of brown rice is 4 pts. 7 for a cup.
My family and I really enjoyed this meal????
Unfortunately this was a big fail in my house, so bad that my husband didn’t eat it! Now I skipped the cayenne because I was worried it would be too hot and that was my problem I think. But without the pepper it was totally bland and really hard to eat. Don’t make without the cayenne!
I used a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead of cayenne, and it was perfect!
I didn’t have cayenne pepper, so I substituted chili powder and red pepper flakes! I served with brown/quinoa rice and topped with cheddar cheese. Yummy! I just started weight watchers this week, and this recipe (along with skinny cow ice cream bars) has given me hope that I can do this!
Did you give this recipe 1 star despite not having followed it correctly?
Hello, when I enter the nutrition info into the WW app, it gives me 4 points. Is the rice included in the nutrition info?
No rice is not included. Also, you have to use WW recipe builder to get accurate points.
This was really good. It was soupy though. I think next time I make it, I’ll leave the chicken broth out altogether, then add a cup or so of salsa. I’ll definitely make this again. I served it over rice and it was a hit with my company.
Frozen or thawed chicken?
Thawed
Will make again!
Another one of my favorites! Love the flavors of this dish. I add a little lime juice at the end and serve over cauliflower or brown cilantro lime rice. Winner Winner Chicken dinner!
Great meal for the family with plenty of leftovers for my lunch for the week!! Plus, it’s super easy to put together before you leave for the day.
This is probably my husband’s favorite recipe ever! He keeps saying I could eat this all day everday!
Really enjoyed this tonight. Husband said “do-over”. Not exactly a tortilla soup, but similar. Made cilantro lime rice and made bowls. DH commented that he didn’t have to salt or pepper it. Highly unlike him!
Could this work with a pork loin as well?
I bet it would be delicious.
I’m not sure pork is 0 points
Do the canned black beans get mushy in the instant pot? I’ve heard this can happen but have never tried a recipe with them yet.
I would think they would get mushy, yes. Maybe we could add the beans and corn after the chicken is done and shredded, then put it on simmer to warm everything up.
My beans and corn did not get mushy at all.
they absolutely never get mushy. Black beans have been in crockpot recipes on Gina’s site since the dawn of time lol.
No, they did not get mushy for me. It was a bit more liquidy than I was hoping for, so I may drain the tomatoes or half the broth next time.
Do you just dump it all in the instant pot. New to the I.p. please help!
Wondering how it is 0 smart points with rice?
the rice is not part of the recipe
How can it be 0 points with the rice
On the Santa Fe Chicken recipe is 0…
Rice is extra
I have made this a million times and it has become a staple in our recipe rotations. Today I did not have any corn so I tossed in about 1 1/2 cups of fresh spinach and some additional chopped onions. It looks and smells great! Can’t wait to see if it is as good (or better).
How did it work with the spinach instead of corn?
This recipe is delicious! I altered a little because of available ingredients at home.
I used half a small oniuon instead of 3 green onions. And served over quinoa.
Flavor was great as is but could garnish with sour cream or avocado. Also would be great topped on a green salad.
Forgot to say, I used boneless chicken thighs. So if you don’t have breasts on hand, thighs work just as well.
I don’t eat chicken. Is there something I could sub for it? More black beans?
My family and I love this meal!!! First, it is so easy to make…basically dump the ingredients and forget about It! Second, and most importantly, this is sooo DELICIOUS!!!!!!!
LOVE this recipe!! So simple with limited and basic ingredients so I know I’ll always have the spices and canned/frozen goods on hand… even frozen chicken breast can be used! The fact that I can make this without taking a trip to the grocery store for various fresh produce, etc. is a lifesaver. The icing on the cake, my fiance LOVES it!
It was a real hit with the family, I loved it. I cant wait to try more of your recipes, it is real hard to work full time have little ones and find ways to eat healthy. I appreciate your website and instagram posts because they inspire me.
This was delicious!
I’m new to Instant Pot but planning on this being my first meal! Is there a preferred method for this meal: quick release vs natural release? And if I do natural release, how long? Thanks!!
My family really liked this recipe!
My family LOVED this recipe! It’s definitely going to be a staple in my dinner recipes. But I’m having trouble figuring out the calorie count. When I added the recipe in my calorie counter the number tripled. Also I think I’m measuring servings wrong. I did the 3/4 cup but I did not end up with 8 servings. Help please!
hi,
i have been scouring your site looking and noting all the delcious recipes i want to try! This one is high on my list,… but being in N.Ireland, I am unsure if you mean Chicken soup or stock when you describe 1 can of chicken broth. If you could help me out with this small query I would be very grateful.
Thanks, Carla
You can use stock.
So … this sounds amazing to me, But, in n.ireland – broth is soup- is that the same that calls for this recipe ? A tin of chixken soup added or does it mean stock ?
Thanks Carla
Use stock
This is fabulous. I’d love to have Instant Pot instructions fir making it
If I double this recipe, do I need to up the cook time?
No, same time should be fine.
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Gina – were the points based on Smart points? Now that Weight Watchers has changed to Freestyle, have the points been refigured? Your recipes sound delicious.
Yes!
Thank you for already changing the smart points to freestyle. You rock! LOVE your recipes and both your cookbooks!!!
How could this be made in an instant pot? 🙂
Someone previously said they did 30 min in the IP and natural release, or the chili setting.
How might I use ground chicken in this recipe?
Love this recipe! Any way to modify for instant pot?
I Would love to have instant pot instructions for this!
One of my favorite dishes of yours! I would love to see an electric pressure cooker version! ?
Hi Gina,
With the new WW Freestyle recipe, every ingredient in this recipe is now 0 Smart Points. I built this is the recipe builder and it’s a 0SP meal! Will you be updating your recipes to reflect the new program?
I’ve been making your recipes since a 2012!! Love them!
Thank you so much!
Yes working my way through 2017, and down!
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Hello,
Could I make this in my Instant Pot?
This is soooooo good. I don’t understand the people talking about being bland and watery. It’s really simple. If it’s too watery, strain your tomatoes, cook it down longer to get rid of the liquid or simply scoop out everything and keep the liquid (or don’t) to put over rice. As far as bland, use your imagination, put in what you like to not make it so “bland”. I added some fresh habaneros and jalapenos to give it a bit of a kick.
I actually used wild cottontail rabbit and left a bit in the sauce to keep moister; literally fell off the bone after 6 hours on high. Like anything else, check it every so often and see what works for you. I used rabbit hind legs and back loins on the bone with no issues whatsoever.
People like to complain. I’ve made this many times, following the directions, and served with rice. Never disappointed, very flavorful and liquid absorbs into the rice,
Recipe was a bit bland, so I sautéed a white onion and 5 garlic cloves and added to crock pot mix. Also, added 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of McCormick taco seasoning and black pepper. Loved it!!!
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HELP! I can’t find the diced tomatoes with mild green chilies through my grocery delivery service. Can I use the diced tomatoes with medium green chilies and just leave out the cayenne? I don’t like things to be TOO spicy but I do like when something has a bit of kick. Do you think this would be an acceptable sub or are the medium chilies really that much more spicy than the mild?
I just thought of something – can I used 1 can of plain diced tomatoes plus the 4oz can of diced green chilies? Would that be a better substitute than the diced tomatoes with medium green chilies?
Absolutely! I do that all the time. I usually just eyeball how many green chilies to add in.
Read the comments before making it! I ended up draining my tomatoes before adding them to the mix and taking out a little bit of broth (I wanted mine a little dryer) and it came out perfect! Great recipe!
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I just made this and I wish I would have read the comments beforehand. It is liquidy and bland. It took a lot to doctor it up. I chose this recipe over the Slow-Cooker Enchilada Soup recipe but I think I should have tried that first. The picture of the Enchilada Soup in the ST cookbook looks very hearty. Better luck next time.
Also, luckily, I checked on it after 6 hours (on low) otherwise, it would have been very dry. Six hours (on low) is perfect, the chicken was falling apart and it took very little effort to shred.
How can you accurately measure a serving? I always have trouble with recipes since I’m counting calories.
Gina – I don’t have my crock pot with me. Could I bake this instead? 350 for an hour?
I would make it on the stove for an hour.
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Hi
Love your recipes! Just a note that when I calculated the WW points per your nutritional info they come of as 4 SP.
Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
Thanks for this explanation. I always wondered why sometimes things came out higher, whether it be from here or other websites.
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Can this be converted to an Instant Pot recipe?? It’s one of my favorites!!
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Hi can I use a taco seasoning packet instead of the spices? Would one packet comport? Also any suggestions to avoid watery? Drain tomatoes ? Corn? Less chicken broth ??
I want to make this as a freezer meal for my best friend who just had a baby. Should I cook it first and then freeze, or assemble it all, freeze it and put instructions on how to cook it? Thanks! Love this recipe so much!
I would cook and freeze.
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6 hours seems like a long time to cook chicken breast on higher. Is this correct?
6 hours on high is way too long. I used thawed out chicken and cooked it on high for 6 hours and the chicken was dry. If using frozen chicken it might be okay, otherwise I would do high for 3-4 hours.
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I’ve seen a few comments that the result was liquidy. I had the same thing happen. I think it might be the addition of the chicken broth. I have made the slow cooker chicken black bean tacos from this site MANY times and did not have the same problem. Comparing the 2 recipes they appear to be essentially the same with the exception of the broth. Just a thought.
Just cook it longer after putting in the chicken to cook off more of the liquid.
Hello Gina. I love this meal! Is there a way you’d recommend to make in the instant pot?
In a previous post, Gina recommended using the chili setting. That equates to 30 minutes. I prepared this today, did a natural pressure release [this took another 30 minutes], and it is perfect. Enjoy!
This recipe was mentioned at our Weight Watchers meeting this week. I would like to make it but onion and garlic powder don’t agree with my gut. Can I substitute fresh? If so, should they be sautéed before adding to the crockpot? And how much fresh would be an equivalent?
Wanted to love this… I wish it had more flavor… I have another recipe with less work (more sodium, as it includes salsa and taco seasoning) that I prefer it. My husband wasn’t a fan, but if I was single I might still do this recipe bc it’s a little bit healthier.
So many people love this recipe though! So it’s worth trying.
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This truly is a family favorite served as suggested over rice. It is great for family gatherings. I have a large crock and always double the recipe. I have three hungry kids under 8 and they love having the leftovers as Santa Fe Chicken Quesadillas. My wife likes my Santa Fe Chicken Omelet on Sunday morning with sour cream and avocado.
Awesome!!
Can you use canned corn instead of frozen?
Sure.
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This turned out with a lot of liquid, but I scooped the chicken mixture and put it on Spanish rice, topped with scallions and sour cream. Flavors together were great!
It smells great but I cooked it on low for 10 hours and it’s a little dry and most of the liquid is gone. Next time I won’t cook it so long. Looking forward to eating it…it smells divine!
I generally wont do chicken in the crock for more than 6 hours. If you must, use smaller chicken(organic) breasts and freeze them first. I have tried this trick with this recipe and in turned out great.
Could this recipe be done in the Instant pot? I know you use it a lot. Have you tried this yet? I would be curious how much time it would need, as chicken cooks super fast in the Instant pot.
Yes use the chili button.
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I am allergic to chicken so I would like to use a turkey London broil. Will that change the cooking time or amount of liquid needed?
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I don’t have a crockpot. Can I make this on the stovetop?
Is there a way to do this over the stove top when you want to be make it more quickly??
You could probably use cooked shredded chicken heated with all the other ingredients on the stove top and it come out fine. it just may not be as good since the flavors don’t have as long to really get into the chicken.
Sure, simmer low about 1 hr.
This has been a regular staple in my house for over a year now. The only thing I do different is not add the corn until about 30-60 minutes before serving because we like it to have a little texture. My husband and teenager love it in burritos with all the fixins and I usually eat it on baked tostadas for less calories topped with light sour cream and sliced avocado. We’ve also eaten it on nachos and in lettuce wraps. You really can’t go wrong. I love that the cook time is longer so I can make it while I’m gone at work all day, but my absolute FAVORITE part about this recipe is that it freezes so well! We only eat about half of it so I freeze the other half and label it for an even easier dinner in the upcoming weeks!
I MADE THIS IN MY ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER SET PRESSURE COOKER FOR 15 MIN TURNED OUT GREAT
How would you adapt this to the instant pot?
Hi Gina! Any idea on converting this recipe to IP? Thanks!!!
I have an allergy to legumes. Is there something else I can substitute for the beans? Thank you so much!!
Sure just add more corn
Delicious meal..I served over wheat spaghetti because I do not like rice.The kids loved it!!!!
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Can i use frozen chicken?
I have not ever tried it with frozen chicken, sorry.
I make frozen chicken in the crock pot all the time and by hour 6 on high, it cooks perfectly.
It would be helpful to have guidance for the size of the crock-pot!!
I always use 6-quart, but this one shouldn’t matter
No one else asked this, but are the chicken breasts boneless or with bones left in? Hoping to get a quick response since I want to do the prep tomorrow. Thanks, Gina, or anyone!
boneless, but either would work!
Hi Gina ! Is there any easy way to convert this for instant pot ?
I bought one a month ago and I’ve been scared to use it but I bought it because your lentil recipe convinced me ! Hahah. Thank you !
I did this for 17 mnutes in the Instant Pot
Made this tonight and it was delish! Just started WW and it’s nice to know there are yummy things and not a ton of points!
🙂
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For those of you complaining of it being watery, once I shredded the chicken I found the excess liquid got soaked up..just shred it and let the chicken hang out in it for a few minutes..problem solved! 🙂
I add a pouch of Frontera red enchilada sauce to this and it’s delicious. Adds a silliness and also even more Mexican flavor. This is one of our family’s go-to dinners.
Does adding the red enchilada sauce affect the amount of liquid which seems to be of concern to some of the people who posted comments. Also, Brian, if you see this – are the chicken breasts boneless or are the bones left it? Also, what size crock-pot did you use?
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Hi, not sure if this question was asked but is it possible to freeze leftovers?
Made this tonight…it was delicious!…it said it made 8-1 cup serving…but I made it per the recipe and got 5 1/2 cups…so hubby got one serving with some tortilla chips and sides of sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa…I used the 1/2 cup in a soft flour tortilla with some shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa…yummy…I froze the rest in 2 cup servings for later…I love going in my freezer and just taking out a quick dinner…made for "What's on the Menu" tag game…
gina! i got the same crockpot as you and i love it! now i'm going to start blowing through all of your crock pot recipes. this was such a fun recipe and it's going to make my dieting so much less painful 🙂
Hey Gina! I tried making this last night for the Superbowl and had an epic fail. Mine turned out VERY watery. I just double checked all ingredients and the amounts I used were right – any thoughts?? I'd love to try this the "right" way!
To could either use the liquid to cook with rice or add the whole bag of frozen corn (usually 16oz instead of 8) and a bit more chicken.. I’ve done both and it works out great ! Hope this helped 🙂
There was a lot of liquid but i used it to make the rice!
I made this in the morning, and i only had a 2lb pack of chicken, so i used 25% more of everything else….Is that a good way to do it? Also, for the diced tomatoes, should those be drained?
I made this today, and it is oh so yummy! I topped with avocado and a sprinkle of cheese. Soooo good! And thank you, Gina! ?
OMG… This was amazing!! I substituted red onion for the scallions and it worked perfectly. My hubby loves spicy food and since we cut out red meat a month ago this works great! It is so awesome to be able to throw it in the crock pot before I go to school and have it for dinner !! Thank you so much Gina you have changed our lives for the better in so many ways!!
Hi Gina, Mine has so much liquid in it, should I depose of some?
Mine too! It was like soup.
Just use a strainer spoon and strain the liquid off the chicken when serving. Easy peasy.
If you drape a tea towel over the pot doubled and sideways and then put the lid on it will absorb a lot of the extra liquid.
Hi, Can the chicken breasts be frozen?
Yes – no issue at all!
I cannot believe how delicious this is. I've been a fan of this website for years and feel totally dumb for not making it sooner! I made a burrito bowl with the Chipotle rice (one of my favorites of yours!) – which, by the way, totally works without the cilantro, for fellow cilantro haters :). This was phenomenal and truly better than anything I've ever had at Chipotle. For anyone else who is sensitive to heat, the chicken is a bit spicy with the full tsp of cayenne pepper, but once I added rice, sour cream, and cheese, I didn't notice it. Gina, you are the greatest!
I have always been partial to slow cooked shredded chicken. My girlfriend and I have started replacing pulled chicken instead of pork for pretty much everything. Pulled pork is now pulled chicken and there really is no difference. This looks so good and extra points for being a crock pot recipe!
Chicken and vegetables together present a good taste with some spice.Thanks.
Have made this several times – serve as it is, over tortillas or top a salad. So good, even my teenager loves it! Now in heavy rotation. Thanks Gina!
Great recipe with the addition of more spices…maybe even some salsa. It's kind of bland, as it.
Gina, how do you think this would be with pork tenderloin? Would there be any cooking variations?
Is there a substitute for cilantro?
I made this today and it was a great recipe! I used half of the chicken broth and even that was still a little too much, so I would probably use 1/4 next time. I put the chicken on taco shells with a little mexican cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Excellent!
Is the cilantro and green intended to just be a topping or should they also go in the crock pot?
This is a favorite at my house. We love it served over cilantro lime rice with a little guac and sour cream!
-Kristen from accidentallydomesticated.com
This is a fantastic recipe!!! When my husband tasted it he started to smile. He loves it. I am certainly going to cook this chicken often. Muchas gracias for sharing a great recipe. You are an awesome woman.
I made it the broth and everything was great. but maybe I did something wrong because the chicken was dry. any help or suggestions. please let me know
This yummy recipe has become a staple in our household. I make it every couple of weeks. It's a keeper for sure! Thanks for creating such easy yet tasty recipes!
Can you use b/s chicken thighs instead of breasts in this recipe?
Made this for the In-Laws when they flew in to visit. I worked all day, so this was perfect and easy to come home to. Everyone compiled their own Burrito Bowl- easy peezy. With the leftovers, I made stuffed peppers with the leftover chicken and Gina's cilantro lime rice. Then poured Gina's homemade enchilada sauce over the peppers. Fantastic compilation of recipes and hubby LOVED. Thanks so much Gina!
Gosh Gina, you are freaking amazing. My boyfriend asked for Mexican food tonight, and I decided that I would go to the store tonight. However, by noon I realized that I would be busy until 8pm–no time to cook or go to the store.
I was going to make a skillet meal that I saw on another website, but the total calorie count came to 590 per serving. As I contemplated skipping lunch to accommodate it, I did a quick Google search and your website popped right up. Same recipe, 1/3 of the calories.
Your website has made it so that I rarely ever eat unhealthily. I have quick and easy recipes for when I have no time (like today) and more complicated ones that I can take my time crafting. You have not only taught me to cook, but also made healthy, homemade meals completely accessible for someone who often works 10+ hours a day. Thank you very, very much from the bottom of my heart.
This is a regular now at our house …. I make a double batch and freeze the rest for quick meals later
Is it just me or should the cilantro and scallions be added in near the end?
This chili is very delicious
Gina, I am in LOVE with your website. I have this recipe (my first from your site) ready in the crock pot, as we speak, and the cilantro lime rice on the stove. It smells divine! Thank you for all you do. It is so very helpful!
here is my new blog after following your blog recipes: http://www.boneless-chicken-recipes.com/
We recently found out my husband has high cholesterol. Finding some great recipes on here. I'm thinking he might even like. (He's very picky) I also follow you on pinterest. Susie Summerfield, FL
Hi Gina–
Making your Santa Fe crock pot chicken. Do you drain the can of black beans?
Thanks. Sheila
So I love diced tomatoes with grn chilies but for some reason one of my family members has issues with any grn chilies. Is there something else I could substitute that would still give me that flavor?
Hi Gina-
I made this last night, however I didnt drain the beans and it came out with so much liquid in the dish. Any suggestions how to fix that? Thanks 🙂
Tasty as heck. I chose to double the amount of spices after tasting it (except the cumin). Yeah there's a lot of liquid but wait…who cares? I just drank it all.
Do I need to thaw the chicken ahead of time?
Great and nice blog. It's also very interesting.
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I have to tell you- I LOVE your Crockpot recipes! I have a really hectic job and sometimes it' really not easy to resist the urge to order out instead of just making something healthy (not to mention saving money). I've never used a crockpot before- but so far its awesome.
A family favorite for sure! We tried it with boneless pork chops and it was a hit!!
Gina, is this dish ok to freeze?
I looked all over for canned diced tomatoes with green chilies and could not find this item… or am I supposed to add green chilies to the tomatoes?
What size crockpot did you use? I'd like to stretch this to 10 servings if I could and I have a large crockpot.
do you cut the chicken up before cooking?
I made this tonight on the stove top because I didn't have the time for the slow cooker. It was sooo good and my family even loved it. A couple things, I didn't rinse my beans because it didn't say to and it turned my dish an ugly gray color. LOL. Also, because I wasn't slow cooking it, I waited until after I shredded my chicken to add the beans and corn. I didn't want them mushy.
I'm really going to have to go through all the other comments and see what people have done but this was yummy as is.
GREAT Recipe just as is Gina! I didn't rinse the beans and it was delish! Thanks again!!!!!
If im using fresh beans instead if canned what would i do different?
My husband loved this on Artisan blue corn and flax seed blend tortillas. We added other garnishments,salsa,onion,black olives and fat free sour cream. It was delicious.
Update: seasoning from the broth was perfect. It was soupy but I opened a bag of boil in bag brown rice to soak it up, it worked. Made a nice one dish meal. Added a squeeze of fresh , lime juice a few chopped sprigs of cilantro, a sprinkle of reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese. Yummy. Will make again.
Making this today, drained the black beans but kept the juice w/ tomatoes, wanted the flavor. I am using a mexican tortilla flavored chicken broth, had it in the pantry, a time saver and no need to add spices. It has a nice bit of heat. I have used this broth before to poach chicken in the crockpot. Will post how it comes out.
I still love this recipe and make it routinely. I make it spicier sometimes and vary the veggies. Love it
I saw this too late to throw in the crockpot so I just cooked it over a low heat in my Dutch oven on the stove. I also made lime cilantro rice to go with it. Fantastic dinner!
Just made this on short notice. I boiled and shredded the chicken while I mixed the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot. It'll only sit for about two hours. I doubt it will quite as flavorful, but we will see. I've made the "ten hour version" several times and love it! If a married man like myself can cook for his wife, anyone can. Thanks Gina! I love your recipes.
Just found this recipe the other day and boy am I glad I did. Took your advice and prepped it the night before, turned it on before I left for work and came home to a deliciously cooked meal! 🙂 I enjoyed it over brown rice the first night and then used the leftovers for tacos (had to drain some of the liquid) and it was a yummy way to change it up.
This was really good, especially for a crockpot. 5 Stars! Although the cooking time is way to long. 6 hours on low max.
Made this a few weeks ago (followed the recipe, drained the beans but not the tomatoes), and it came out perfectly! It was so good the day after on nachos (add a chips, few fresh tomato chunks, some avocado cubes, a handful of cheese, and stick it under the broiler until everything is melted) that I'm serving it at my Super Bowl party this weekend. Thanks for a really great, really versatile dish!
This sounded great but ended up flavorless. I think I’d really need to double the seasonings or something because it was incredibly bland.
My chef-in-training fiance loves this recipe! I making it again after we just tried it last week! Love all of your recipes!
Hey Gina,
Do I have to adjust the time if I cut this recipe in half?
This was fantastic! Tasted exactly like the Chipotle chicken in a bowl and was surprisingly filling. I treated myself to a teaspoon of sour cream and was in heaven. Thanks!
How bad would it be if this stayed in the crock pot on low for an extre 2 hours? I didn't time it correctly and the 10 hour mark is 3:30am.
This turned out great! Hubby and kids loved it. Here are a couple changes I made. I used Trader Joes fire-roasted frozen corn. At the very end I added some lime juice because I thought it needed a little acid. Also I added the cilantro at the end. Served it with sour cream, reduced fat cheddar cheese and Chipotle Tabasco sauce. Served it over the Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice! Awesome!
Made this overnight . Awesome! Although it came out with too much liquid. I must of done something wrong. I paired it up with cilantro lime rice. A HIT! I added a zucchini on the last 30minutes. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks so much!!
Gina – I was making a recipe in WW with this as burrito meat, when I calculated the points based on the stats on the recipe it came up as 2 points per serving, do you know why?
I made this yesterday and it was delicious! Make sure to drain the beans and I drained my tomatoes so it wouldn't be too soupy. Great over cilantro lime brown rice with chipotle shredded cheese, sour cream and scallions on top! YUMMY
So I am waaay late commenting on this, but what size is your crock pot? Mine is 5 quarts, and I've never used it, but this recipe makes me want to try! 🙂
Hi, I am new to your website, and love it! I was curious though on this one why the chicken cooks for 10 on low? I have never cooked anything that long especially chicken? Thank you! I have loved every recipe I have tried so far!
The only way I modified this was in the cooking time. I have found that 10 hours on low results in chicken that is too dry (especially boneless chicken). Cooked mine for 4.5 hours on low and it was perfectly cooked and shredded easily. Also added the corn and black beans in last hour of cooking since I prefer they stay a little firmer. Just my suggestions.
This was incredible! Had it over rice for dinner, then on soft tacos for lunch. So easy and so delicious!
I used frozen boneless skinless chicken breast tenders from Trader Joe's, didn't drain the black beans, swapped salsa for the tomatoes and omitted the chicken broth entirely. Added dried chipotle flakes and will serve it over fresh raw spinach or romaine lettuce topped with lf sour cream and lf cheddar. My husband calls it the "glop" in this taco salad but gobbles it up.
Can you use frozen chicken breasts or do they need to be thawed?
I made this last night and DH loved it! What a great and super easy recipie. It is not only point friendly, it is satisfying and delicious. One question, despite drained and the beans and tomatoes, my end result was a bit "soupy". Is that normal? Do I just drain before serving?
can it be made with thighs?
This looked so amazing so I had to make it! I found it to be very bland with very little flavor. I served over rice which made it even worse. I definitely won't be attempting this one again. I have made several other recipes from you that I love though, but this one was not one of them.
i have been doing atkins and i think i can eat this minus the corn. sounds great and looks great!
Hi Gina! Is it okay to throw the chicken into the crockpot frozen, or will it not defrost in the crock pot within the 10 hours? Thank you so much!
Gina, I'm using frozen chicken tenders. 10hr on low? Fingers crossed.
what size crock pot….3 1/2 qt like the link?
aren't you tired of reading comments from people who have never made a dish? well, i made this …and i make it at LEAST three times a month. it's GREAT and it's on my list of things to make often. my nine year old daughter suggested serving it in taco bowls over a salad and rice, so that's what we do. she's a genius! absolutely delish!
Hi Gina- Do you drain the beans before adding to the crock pot??
I made this for my sister, who can be kind of a picky eater, and she proclaimed that it was her favorite thing that I have ever made ever ever ever. I love that it can be served healthy, such as over a salad, or made less healthy, such as served over some chips, for anyone who wishes. I cook it up and let anyone who is over decide how they want it. I provide lettuce, tortillas, tortilla chips, sour cream, and some cilantro dressing (which is great if you put it on a salad) as well as some cheese.
Made this today and you could smell it before we opened the door this afternoon. Delicious! Even hubby and 2 year old daughter ate entire plate full. Only omitted the cayenne because of daughter, but everything else was perfect. Will definitely be making again.
I have run out of cilantro and am making this in the morning before I go to work. Will it be just fine without it?
Gina,
I LOVE cilantro, but unfortunately, I am out of that and other fresh herbs and want to make this tomorrow. Do you think that the cilantro is too vital to leave out?
Laura
Can I use canned corn instead of frozen corn?
This was amazing! I made it overnight for lunches today and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. I skipped the corn. I also use Pomi chopped tomatoes – much safer, in my opinion, than canned tomatoes – and added about half a small can of mild green chilies.
And unlike some others, I had no liquid left but I did use pretty much exact amounts of everything called for including exactly 24 oz of chicken
This is what is on the menu for today's lunch! I cant wait to try it. I am a little perplexed about the amount of liquid was left. None the less, I am excited to try it and love your site!
Looking forward to breaking in my new slow cooker with this recipe! Thanks Gina, for the awesome recipes!!!
This a great and super easy recipe.
This recipe is AMAZING!!! I make it at least twice a month and everyone who tries it wants the recipe. The only change I make is to leave out the corn (I'm allergic). Otherwise – fantastic as it is.
What an awesome recipe! I will be making this for dinner tonight since I started eating healthier and working out today. Quick question: If I don't have chicken broth/stock, is there an alternative? I have bouillon cubes but the sodium content SKY ROCKETS! Much appreciated! 🙂
I made this for dinner last night. Really really good! I did have to add a little more seasonings to my plate as my tastebuds are a little off from chemo treatments, but other then that my boyfriend and I thought it was wonderful. I opted for kidney beans instead of black, just a personal preference. I would suggest when storing leftovers, to keep the chicken mixture and rice separate otherwise the rice absorbs alot of the liquid and becomes mushy when reheating. I also would suggest adding a little crunch. Maybe serving in homemade taco bowls, or adding crushed tortilla's on top. I just tried some of the leftovers reheated on a plate and used tortilla's as a "scoop", man that was good!!
Thanks for the great meal! Definitely a repeat recipe
This is my absolute favourite recipe! It is so tasty, freezes well and is great for my lunches throughout the week. Yumm!
I tried this recipe for dinner tonight. My taste buds are a little 'off' from chemo treatments, so I ended up sprinkling a little extra seasonings on my plate. Both my boyfriend and I enjoyed it greatly! One thing we both agreed might be good is to add some crunch by means of either a crispy tortilla bowl to serve it in, or maybe some crushed up tortilla chips on top. I also used a can of rinsed kidney beans since I was out of black beans. Also when storing leftovers, keep the chicken mixture separate from the rice, otherwise the rice absorbs alot of liquid and becomes kind of mushy when reheating. Thanks for the great meal idea, I will definitely be trying this one out again!!
Bon Appetit!
Hello – I'm from the UK. What is fat free chicken broth & is it only available from America? Is it the same as chicken stock?
Thanks 🙂
Made this the other night…big hit with the family! Definitely keeping this recipe in the rotation!
I'm not much of a commenter, but I finally made this last night and I really had to send you a note to say thank you! This was SO delicious! I'm fairly picky – and I don't even like tomatoes – but I absolutely LOVED this! The only changes I made were that I cut the cayenne pepper in half ('cuz I'm wimpy about spicy food), and my husband brought home a 10 oz can of Rotel tomatoes instead of the 14 oz. I did drain the beans and just a little bit off the tomatoes, and it is definitely a little soupy – which is really just perfect to serve over rice. When I packed up the leftovers, I actually said to my husband – "I just can't wait to eat this tomorrow!" I love your site and am telling everyone. Thanks again, and keep 'em coming!
just made this today! sooo delicious! the only thing i did differently was to swap out the cayenne for a jalapeño, seeded, de-veined and chopped. i do wonder about adding diced onion and minced garlic, instead of powdered – they are so good for you and would add even more flavor. REALLY good recipe!
Awesome dish! I would probably add a littlie more heat to the chicken the next time – although it had some nice heat in the crock pot, the rice really tended to soak up the flavor. My crock pot runs really hot, so I found 6 hours on low was more than ample for the chicken. I used some leftovers in a tortilla wrap the next day – a little messy but still tasty!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made it for dinner tonight, served it over rice and loved it. Will surely make it again and again.
I love this recipe. I've started making it at least once a month. So easy, but tastes like it took a lot of effort 🙂
I have the crock pot going as I type this – if it tastes anything like your other recipes, I'm sure it will be a hit!!!!
please post a recipe for skinny gumbo!!
I made this tonight and ate it on a small flour tortilla with FF sour cream and a reduced fat string cheese(adds about 4 points). It was so yummy and so filling. Thank you for sharing these recipes. I've failed on Weight Watchers before because I'm a disaster in the kitchen but you make it all so easy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
After having read some of the comments I noticed a few I may be able to help with. If your's came out bland, you definitely need to add more salt. I was actually going to add a little more to mine, but tasted it with a salted tortilla chip and it was perfect, brought out all the flavors. Also, those who found it liquidy, I highly recommend the low setting on the crockpot…it made ALL the difference.
I made this yesterday for my Mom, Niece and I, for an Oscar Party meal and had to comment. I have made many recipes from this site, but I have to say this was my absolute favorite dish so far. It was so good, and I am so excited for the leftovers because I get to eat some for lunch today!! I made it exactly as the recipe stated except I did not add cilantro (I'm one of those mutants that thinks it tastes like soap) so I added a 1/2 tsp of ground corriander. And because I like all of my sauces thick, I added a tbsp of cornstarch to the liquid before putting the shredded chicken back in. I served this with a tbsp of rf cheddar and a dollop of light sour cream…and a few tortilla chips. I will make this a 1,000 times in my life and I will be the hit at parties…Thank you so much Gina!
Made this tonight…this is so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't find tomatoes with chilies so added a can of diced tomatoes and then a small can of diced chilies…The cans of broth, beans tomatoes are not exact in the measurements…added everything and it is still yummy…Best part is this recipe is so easy. This is going to be a regular make again recipe in our house! Will be very happy to eat leftovers tomorrow.
I made this last night and served it with rice, but it was even better today with tortilla chips! I had some friends over and served this and your skinny taco dip – both were big hits.
This is SO good, and SOOOOO easy! I almost always have these ingredients on hand, and can throw it together before I leave for work (and I leave the house early, 6:45). I typically substitute a jar of Trader Joe's Salsa Authentica for the tomatoes, and throw in some Chipotle Chile Pepper powder for extra kick. It's perfect over rice, in a tortilla, and is great leftover for lunches the next day. My husband and kiddos like a little bit of shredded Jack cheese and sour cream on top, but it works fine for me without. Thank You!!!
This was YUMMY. I served it over rice
My Husband (the family cook) & I are not on WW, but always looking for good recipes. We like it spicy, so added a little extra HOT green chili. The 2nd meal made burritos which I added a green chili gravy, and since there are only two of us, we still had enough left for nachos. Thanks for taking us back to New Mexico for dinner!
LOVE this! Only mods I made were: tomatoes with jalapeño instead of chiles and extra cayenne…plus I just threw in the whole 10oz pkg of corn. It's amazing, will def make again, it's husband approved!
Would really like to see the sodium content on your recipes.
I am not "officially" doing WW, but am doing a few different tracking methods to keep up with my diet. I do, usually calculate point though, cause its quick and dirty! lol. Anyway, when I do the math I get 4 original points and 6 for points plus. Thoughts? Am I doing something wrong? Here are the numbers I get and therefore use.
Cal. 235 * Fat 3.6 * Carb 18.8 * Fiber 3.9 * Prot. 31.9 * Sugar 5.1
Thanks!
Hi Gina! Love your site; I've cooked up a ton of your recipies and they have all been fantastic. Tomorrow will be my first go round with the Chicken Santa Fe and I'm wondering about the cilantro and scallions. They look like they were put on fresh in the picture but the recipie says to add at the beginning. Are they garnish or part of the main ingredients? If part of main ingredient, do you think it's a big deal if I add later? Need to pick these items up. Thanks again for all the great ideas!
Lisa
Made this on Saturday minus the corn. I added 1/2 a diced pepper and onion and more seasoning than it called for. When it was done I added 1 cup cooked brown rice to it and made burritos out of it. It was delish. Def on my make again list once I finish all the leftovers I froze.
Tried this over salad, but the best combo was over tortilla chips for nachos!! I might try using a half can of chicken broth next time though because there was a lot of liquid that didn't reduce, even with draining the beans.
Tried this over salad, but the best combo was over tortilla chips for nachos!! I might try using a half can of chicken broth next time though because there was a lot of liquid that didn't reduce, even with draining the beans.
Is the WW points with the rice or without??
This soup just may be the best soup I've ever had! It is extremely easy to put together (my husband did it :))and it warmed up great. This is a new "must" for my family. I love this soup! Thank you!
I am one of the people that had some excess liquid even with draining the beans and I still really liked it. I just put it over rice instead of tortillas. I think it might have been the cooking on high instead of low that might have caused the liquid. I am def going to make again but will do it low and slow. 🙂 Also might add some red peppers.
Loved all the ingredients, but did not drain the beans. (wish I read all the post) It is very soupy. Next time I would leave out the broth and just add 2 bouillon cubes instead. It smells good, so would make it again.
We tried this recipe tonight and I was disappointed. It wasn't terrible, it just didn't have any flavor. I followed the directions exactly and while it smelled delicious in the slow cooker all day, the end result was quite bland. I even added shredded cheese and a little sour cream on top, but basically only tasted the chicken and the sour cream. 🙁
If I plan to freeze before in cook, how should I adjust cooking time?
If I plan to freeze before I eat, how should I adjust cooking time?
Trying this today. I usually cook my chicken dishes in the crock pot for about 4 hrs on high. Do you think that would be enough time?
I was at the supermarket and remembered that I wanted to try this recipe. Pulled up the recipe page right in front of the canned food aisle, grabbed the necessary ingredients I was missing, and it took less than 10 minutes at home to prep the slow cooker.
My laziest cooking habit is not planning ahead to defrost my meats, so this recipe was PERFECT!!
I doubled the recipe and gave half to my boyfriend to take home to share with his family. They loved it!
I have 20 oz of chicken tenderloins can I use that instead of chicken breast?
This was amazing!!!! Will definitely make this again and again! =) Thanks for the great recipe!
what size crockpot do you use for this? I have 4 QT and 6QT Thanks
Love the recipe!! I made it yesterday. It was a little too watery so i drained out about 3/4 a cup about half way through and it was perfect! I did drain the beans but not the tomatoes. I would probably recommend using half the chicken broth next time. I know all croc pots may cook it differently but it worked for mine. We ate them on low carb tortilla shells.
Can I use frozen boneless skinless chicken breast or do they need to be defrost first? Want to make this for tonight but want to make sure I am doing it right.
I love this blog, I'm doing WW right now and I'm always on the lookout for new things!
This is a go to recipe in our house now!! I almost always have all of the ingredients (except scallions, but it does well without them). My husband actually started making it as well and has done his own variations. He skipped the chicken stock and just put more spices in (curry powder, chilli powder, some chipotle lime seasoning he has).. I think it turned out just as good so that would be a great way to cut sodium and calories. 🙂
I have tried a bunch of your recipes and all are great!! Thanks for doing what you do!
This may be a dumb question but can you put the chicken in the crockpot frozen or does it have to be thawed? Also, it says season the chicken. What type of seasoning would you recommend?
If you took out the rice and did what a commenter above did, by adding it to cauliflower or veggies, then you could have full fat cheese and sour cream and it wouldn't cause an insulin response. Then you wouldn't gain weight from this, unless you are that carb sensitive. There is nothing wrong with healthy real food fats!
This is one of my favorite recipes on your blog! However, I feel that every time I make it, it is a bit soupy. Is there something I can exclude or should be doing to make the consistency a bit thicker?
In the crockpot this morning. Can't wait to try it tonight. I didn't know to drain the black beans, so I hope it isn't too soupy.
This recipe is delicious! I made it today and tasted it; can't wait to eat it for dinner soon! Alot of people are commenting about the extra liquid. Mine also has extra liquid, but I'm eating it with rice so I don't mind it. I love this site!
This looks so amazing. I don't happen to have a crock pot, and I was wondering if it can be done with a rice cooker or just with a pan.
Hi Gina,
Will this dish get too dry if I have to leave it in the crock pot longer than ten hours? What would you say is the absolute max time? I love your website! I share it with everyone I know who likes to cook and keeps things on the healthier side. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is insanely delicious. Mixed it with some rice and shredded lettuce for a tasty and filling 5 point dinner. My husband loved it wrapped in a tortilla. He is lucky enough to be able to eat whatever he wants so it's difficult for me to find meals that are filling and tasty enough for him and WW friendly for me. Plus we have a 9 month old son so time is always tight. So far I've made a few of your recipes and they have all been moved into permanent rotation. Thank you!!
Loved this recipe! I made a very large batch as we had daughter and son in law visiting. Everyone loved it, will be making this again very soon. I used the leftovers, once I made a taco salad and the second time I made stuffed bell peppers with the rest.
I made this tonight , I loved it and so did my family. This fits right into my 1200 calorie plan. Thanks!!!!!
This recipe is the easiest and tastey! We served on low carb low sugar white corn tortillas minus the rice. It's the best!
My family had this tonight. I made chicken quesadillas for the kids. We served the chicken over your Cilantro Lime rice. It was delicious and very filling. Thanks for sharing!
We had this for dinner tonight served with your Cilantro Lime rice. It was fabulous and very filling! Thanks for sharing.
Eating it as I type this…DELICIOUS and it's is one of the least complicated recipes I've ever made.
Made this tonight for dinner….LOVED IT!
How can I make this in the stove top? thanks
Can you provide the stove top version please? Thanks. I pick one of your recipes every week. Love your site. Thank you!!!!
mine came out watery, is it suppose to have a lot of liquid?
Started this early this morning, for Tuesday's dinner as we are out of town tomorrow. Used a piece of lean pork this time, though we all love the chicken version. Gina, thank you for all you do. I do wonder, when you read our comments and how we change your recipes (sometimes desecrate), if you agree standing in your LI kitchen, rolling your eyes and whispering a Few choice words..:),
I discovered your site about a week ago and have not stopped trying all your delicious recipes! I am on. WW and could not be mor grateful for the discovery of your wonderful site that offers generous servings of delicious food for low point values! This recipe is in the crockpot now, can't wait! My fiancé is not on ww and had been loving all the new meals too, thank you so much!!
Awesome recipe! I was a little bit more generous with the seasoning and added paprika. Had it over some spanish rice the first night and then with on some corn tortillas the next night for tacos. It did turn out a bit too liquidy though, so I drain it before putting the chicken on the tortillas.
FYI: You can toss frozen chicken breast in there too (that's what I did) and it turned out fine.
Is it possible to use chicken stock instead of canned broth?
Also, why use powdered garlic and onion rather than the real thing?
Tried this today! Threw everything in the crockpot before I left for work, and came home to a delicious smelling house!!! I put this in a tortilla wrap and has some roasted sweet potato on the side. It was so DELISH! Next time I would use less broth, since mine was very liquid-y.
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Tried this today! Threw everything in the crockpot before I left for work, and came home to a delicious smelling house!!! I put this in a tortilla wrap and has some roasted sweet potato on the side. It was so DELISH! Next time I would use less broth, since mine was very liquid-y.
I made this overnight in the crock pot a day ago and ate it for dinner yesterday, it was good. I ate it over the copy-cat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice…yummy. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes. Thanks!!!
LOVE THIS ONE!! Even cooking for my boyfriends picky s.i.l. and she loved it. This is definitely one of my stand bys for everything.. nachos, tacos, burrito bowls, you can even wrap leftovers in tortillas throw some salsa verde on and make enchiladas. Today I am having it warm over lettuce with some celery and salsa for a low points lunch! Thanks for all you and keep up the great work!!!
Does it matter if you chicken breasts with bones or should I use boneless breasts?
I made this and it was amazing! I adjusted the spiciness for the kids and would use less chicken broth next time as it was a bit runny for me. But still it was amazing! Might make a blog post out of it.:)
One of my classic favorites from this website! Soo easy to make and when you come home from work and breathe in the yummy scent when you first walk in.. too good to be true! It tastes amazing!
Made this tonight but we didn't have any cumin so I just used a good helping of taco seasoning and put in some jalapenos with juice during the simmer. I ate mine over a bed of mixed greens and my family ate it over rice and even my picky younger sister liked it. Your site is amazing.
I made this recipe earlier in the week and it was delicious! The recipe didn't indicate whether to drain the tomatoes or beans, so I didn't. We ate it over brown rice and it tempered the heat of the diced tomatoes. I can't wait to make this recipe again. Delicious and easy!
Your website is fantastic! I am so excited to try many of these recipes…and this one is my first! I just finished shredding the chicken, and look forward to tasting it soon. Thanks for the great recipes…healthy AND very obviously satisfying (not to mention, tasty)!
Hi Gina!
I have made several of your recipes & I love your site. I made this last night, at 1 am when I checked it the top was not all the way on the crock pot. It tastes great & I made mine extra spicy, but it is very liquidy. Is it possible that the broth did not reduce because of steam getting out? I will try to make it again soon. I will serve over lime ciltro rice, or lime scented quinoa!
Thanks!
I read your blog every day and FINALLY made one of your recipes. The Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken was delicious! My husband and son had two helping heapings over rice and I had my duly-measured 2 cups' worth. Will definitely make this again!
Made this week. Me and my husband really liked it. But had a hard time getting my 2.5 year old to eat it. Didn't have cayenne pepper, but substituted with a chili lime rub. It had lots of flavor! And a lot of left overs, great for freezing. Every recipe I've tried from your website has been wonderful! I've almost exclusively been cooking from your website for the last few weeks. Also, Ziplist is convenient for my grocery list. Thanks!
Wow, thank you for re-posting! This was easy, fast, and yummy – a keeper in our house.
Wow!! My expectations were pretty low, because none of my crock pot dinners turn out well. This was a happy exception. It was delicious!! So easy to prepare & I even forgot to drain the beans…you couldn't tell at all. It was a little watery, so when I shredded the chicken I turned the crock pot to high and cooked uncovered for 45 minutes. It turned out perfect; with just the right amount of liquid. I made it with the cilantro lime rice (also delicious). Great recipe!
I honestly make this at least twice a month! It is one of my all time FAVORITES! <3 CONGRATS!
I didn't drain anything and it seemed a little soupy. Since we ended up not eating it until the next day, I ladled out about a cup or more of liquid before putting it in the fridge for the next day. I was wondering how necessary the broth is – maybe just don't drain the beans?
Also I only had 13 oz of boneless chicken in my freezer, so I added a 13-oz package of chicken hardwood smoked sausage, cut into about 1" pieces.
Bought some frozen "steam fresh" brown rice, which cooks in 4 min. in the microwave, making it really quick & easy to serve once I got home from work.
I loved it!
I made this last night, needless to say, it is not on my "make again" list of recipes. It was just sort of bland with the rice.
I made this last night and my husband and I LOVED it!!! I ate mine in a bowl with a little Reduced Fat Mexican Blend cheese on top and he has his on a plate and ate with taco chips, cheese and a little reduced fat sour cream. I also brought it for lunch today! It was sooo good and I will be making again. Its no secret why it won 1st place!
Thank you!!! Another great recipe 🙂
Quick question. Hopefully I didn't destroy it. I put it up a few hours ago but didn't defrost the chicken I put in. Do you think it will be a problem? Also, trying to do many things while getting baby situated, I didn't drain the beans, is it a bad thing?
Have this in the crockpot for dinner tonight. To avoid some of the excess liquid, I used canned corn (drained) and fresh chicken instead of frozen so you don't get all the water when it thaws. I also used taco seasoning in place of all the seasonings just for convenience 😉 I also think I might (shhh) just pick up some cilantro rice from Chipotle on my lunch hour so we can literally just dump and eat!
Made this for dinner and paired it with the cilantro lime rice, it was SO good and even my roommate loved it. I have TONS of left overs, think i'll toss it with some lettuce and eat it as a salad!
Will definitely be making this again in the future!
I've made this dish several times and it is a hit every time. One time I used left over pork loin, it turned out fabulous as well and of course it changed the points value. I like that the original recipe allows you to have 1 cup of this goodness.
Thank you Gina, I love your recipes.
This was fantastic! I double the recipe for the freezer and I plan to use it next time for enchilada filling. Thank you for yet another great recipe. So glad I found you!
This instantly became a family favorite, and we find it very satisfying on its own. I have noticed excess liquid once or twice, but it doesn't create a problem. We like it over rice or with tortillas. Reminds me of a restaurant burrito bowl – smells and tastes heavenly!
Made this today for the first time; definitely a keeper. I used rotel for the tomoatoes. Regarding the comments of the extra liquid…I served it over brown rice, garnished with shredded cheese and sour cream and the rice absorbed the extra liquid. I have leftovers and froze the extra with the liquid. I plan on using the leftovers for future meals and will drain the juice for tacos or burritos. The only change in seasoning was I used 1/4 tsp. of red pepper.
Oh yum! I was just havin