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Delicious and easy salsa verde chicken in the crockpot is prepared with tender chicken breasts, flavorful tomatillo sauce called salsa verde, and juicy diced tomatoes. This healthy crockpot chicken is incredibly flavorful and extremely easy to make. Just place everything in the slow cooker and walk away.
For more salsa verde goodness, try my avocado tomatillo salsa or my pork chile verde.
Hey there, lovelies! Get ready to transform your easy dinners with this amazing Salsa Verde Chicken crock pot recipe. Green salsa chicken is a breeze to make and packed with tons of flavor. Simply toss chicken breasts with tomatillo salsa verde, tomatoes, and onions into your slow cooker, and let it do the magic. It’s the ultimate “dump and go” chicken dinner that’s perfect for busy days.
My easy recipe for slow cooker salsa chicken is probably the first dish I ever made in a slow cooker. It really couldn’t have been easier; I poured a jar of salsa into the crock pot, arranged some chicken on top of that, and 4 hours later, din din was served! And I looked like I totally knew what I was doing!
After that successful recipe, I moved on to bigger things, like dumping salsa on top of beef and peppers inside the crock pot and calling it Beef Fajitas! And now, here we are, still living on the edge and making salsa verde chicken in the crock pot. It’s creations like this that make me feel like a dinner-hero!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: I like to use chicken breasts here but you can also include chicken thighs for a richer flavor.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing the overall flavor.
- Yellow Onion: White onion can work if needed.
- Garlic, Minced: I like to use fresh garlic but garlic powder will work in a pinch.
- Roasted Diced Tomatoes: Contributes acidity, sweetness, and a slightly smoky flavor.
- Salsa Verde: The tomatillo sauce provides the cooking liquid plus a tangy and slightly spicy flavor. For a different flavor profile, you can use tomato salsa instead.
- Ground Cumin & Chili Powder: These common Mexican spices are used for warmth, mild heat, and depth of flavor.
- Chopped Parsley or Cilantro: Fresh herbs add freshness and color to the finished dish. Either herb works well, depending on your preference.
- Jalapeno slices, for garnish: Adds a bit of extra heat and a pop of color. Omit if you prefer a milder dish or substitute with sliced green bell peppers for a non-spicy option.
How To Make Salsa Verde Chicken in the Crock Pot
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious meal, this slow cooker salsa verde chicken is your answer. With just a few minutes of prep, you can have a great dish that’s perfect for Sunday dinners, parties, and gamedays. Just set it and forget it, and come back to tender, flavorful salsa chicken that’s ready to be shredded and served.
- Prepare the slow cooker: Lightly spray the crockpot with cooking spray.
- Season and layer: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in the crock pot. Arrange diced onions and minced garlic over the chicken breasts.
- Combine the ingredients: Add in the roasted diced tomatoes, salsa verde, ground cumin, and chili powder; stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on High for 3.5 to 4 hours or on Low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Shred: Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and shred them with two forks.
- Mix: Stir the shredded chicken back into the crock pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Garnish and serve: Top with fresh parsley or cilantro and jalapeno rings. Serve in tacos, chicken flautas, over salads, or with fiesta rice.
Recipe Tips
- Pre-cook the aromatics: For an extra depth of flavor, sauté the onions and garlic in a skillet before adding them to the crock pot.
- Spice it up: If you like a bit more heat, add some diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mix.
- Use bone-In chicken: For more flavor, you can use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Serve with more toppings: Serve green salsa chicken with additional toppings like avocado slices, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy the simplicity and taste of this slow cooker salsa verde chicken and make a complete meal with it by serving the shredded chicken in this baked tacos recipe or in these chicken enchiladas. You can also serve it over jasmine rice for a hearty bowl.
It’s also fantastic atop a crisp quinoa salad with your favorite fresh veggies or alongside homemade potato waffles and air fryer onion rings for a savory bite. Whether it’s for a weeknight dinner, a party, or a game day spread, this versatile dish is going to be a hit!
How To Store Leftovers
This recipe makes great leftovers for chicken salad sandwiches. Store completely cooled shredded chicken in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes
- Crock Pot Chicken Marsala
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
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Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 ounces canned roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups salsa verde
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
- ½ tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
- chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
- 1 jalapeno, sliced into rings, for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly grease the crock pot with cooking spray.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in the crock pot. Arrange onions and garlic over the chicken breasts.
- Add in the tomatoes, salsa verde, cumin, and chili powder; stir everything around to combine.
- Cover and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on High or 5 to 6 hours on Low.
- Remove the lid and transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board; using two forks, shred the chicken.* Then, stir the shredded chicken back into the crock pot. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Top with fresh herbs and sliced jalapenos, and serve in tacos, with rice or salads.
Equipment
Notes
Serving: You can serve the salsa verde chicken with flour tortillas, sandwich bread, and/or burger buns. Or serve it as is over rice or a salad.
Storage: Place leftovers in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Hi, I’m going to fix this for my Pokeno group. Was wondering how it would do as a taco salad…. in the preformed bowls… topped with some chopped tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream? Or should I stick to regular taco shells? Thank you!
I LOVE this recipe! Can you cook in an insta pot? If so, how long? Thank you!
Hi!
I have not tested this recipe in the IP so I can’t say for certain. However, if I was going to try it, I’d go ahead with this method:
Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, salsa verde, cumin, and chili powder to the IP; stir everything around to combine. You might want to add a little bit of chicken broth, too, just to avoid the “burn notice”. It shouldn’t burn because there’s plenty of liquid, but I get the burn notice on my IP even when there IS plenty of liquid. 🤷♀️
Then, place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and arrange the chicken breasts on top of the trivet in one single layer.
Close pot, set valve to sealing, select HIGH pressure and set the timer to 6 minutes.
When the 6 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes; then, release any remaining pressure.
Remove chicken from pot and shred it. Stir it back in the pot with the sauce, and serve.
Could I cut all of the ingredients in half to make a smaller sized meal??
hi I emailed but I can’t find a reply… I was wondering if I could have the original recipe please? I was going to share it with a coworker and the new picture caught my eye. I’ve made the original recipe probably at least a dozen times and LOVE IT but this is not the recipe I know and love (i’m sure its great, but we don’t like jalapenos & i’d rather used powdered garlic as per the original) please respond 🙂 thanks!!
Hi! Yes, the jalapenos are just for garnish – so totally optional – and for the garlic, you want to use about 3/4-teaspoon and up to 1-teaspoon of garlic powder. That’s pretty much the only differences in the recipe. It needed a little update. 😊
What is a serving size in cups or oz?
Looks delicious! Do you happen to remember the total weight of the chicken was? Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, didn’t know what to estimate? Thanks!
Hi! I almost always get chicken breasts that are around 4-ounces each… so, I’d say there’s a total of about 24-ounces in that crock pot. 😊
Can i use canned green enchilada sauce instead of the salsa verde?
Hi! Yep, that sauce will also work.
Can you do this in the insta pot?
Love this recipe! Can a portion of it be frozen to be eaten later?
You can shred chicken or pork with a mixer. Faster and easier. Great recipe. I will fix.