The Best Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken! All you need are 5 easy ingredients to make this super flavorful and versatile shredded salsa chicken.

Instructions For This Easy Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken:
- 505 Southwestern® – You want to use a really good salsa, because this is what is going to flavor the chicken. And you can use homemade or store bought. A great store bought version is this Hatch Valley Green Chile Chunky Salsa. It is certified Non-GMO, Gluten Free & Vegan. This is the star of the show! It’s made up of simple and delicious ingredients: authentic Hatch Valley Green Chiles, fresh tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, garlic powder, salt and lime juice concentrate. That’s it. And it has tons of great flavor to.
- Chicken – This chicken takes just a handful of ingredients that you likely have in your pantry. And it only takes a couple of minutes to throw together too. Once cooked, you shred it and add to whatever dish you want. Easy peasy, right?!? (Just a heads up: the chicken will release a lot of its own juices while cooking. But, don’t worry, once it’s mixed up it will be absorbed perfectly).
- Spices – In addition to salt and pepper, add these 3 ingredients: ground cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. With the addition of the smoked paprika, you’ll get a nice smoky flavor. The flavor is sweet and cool without adding any heat to the dish. (Please make sure to add smoked paprika. Regular paprika will yield a different flavor profile).
- Cook Time – Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, checking around the 3 1/2 hour mark. Just test with a fork, and if it easily shreds then it is ready. And if not, give it some more cook time.
What Goes Well With This Chicken:
- This recipe is great for salads, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. You pretty much can’t go wrong anyway you do it. It is so versatile!
- Be sure to check out my Shredded Chicken Crunchy Tacos and Loaded Taco Salad Bowls which feature this chicken recipe.
And, for more chicken recipes, please give these a try:
- Easy Southwest Chicken Enchiladas
- Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Fresh Herb-Garlic Roasted Chicken
- Sweet-&-Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Creamy Coconut Cilantro-Lime Chicken
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Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 + people 1x
Description
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken! All you need are 5 easy ingredients to make this super flavorful and versatile shredded salsa chicken.
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 2 lbs. total)
- 1 16 oz jar 505 Southwestern® Hatch Valley Green Chile Chunky Salsa (Medium)
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- Himalayan Pink Salt, to taste
- Ground Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- Chicken: Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, and then coat the chicken with a good amount each of the cumin, garlic powder and smoked paprika. (I like to be generous with these 3 spices, especially with the smoked paprika).
- Cook: Next, cover all the chicken with the salsa. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, (or low for 6-8 hours), or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Shred and toss: Shred the chicken in the slow cooker and toss with the remaining juices until well combined.
- How to use: Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This chicken also freezes well.
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Chicken Recipes, Dairy-Free Recipes, Easy Chicken Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Slow Cooker Recipes
NOTE:
- My clear glass bowls are from Crate and Barrel. This Duralex Glass Bowls, Set of 10 is a similar option.

No amounts given for the spices?
Hi! Yes, I did not give specific measurements for this recipe. However, you just want to be generous with each spice, coating each side of the chicken generously. Hopefully this helps!