Description
This Mexican Chicken Crock Pot Recipe offers a flavorful and effortless way to prepare tender, shredded chicken infused with a blend of Mexican spices, fire-roasted tomatoes, and mild salsa. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or rice bowls, this slow-cooked dish combines savory, smoky, and slightly sweet notes that develop beautifully during slow cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce and Seasonings
- ½ cup mild salsa (or medium if you prefer it spicy)
- 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 (4 oz) can mild diced green chilies
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained (or regular diced tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional, for more heat)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Rub the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil. Place them in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the mild salsa, brown sugar, diced green chilies, drained fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chili powder, salt, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, pepper, ground chipotle chili pepper (if using), and liquid smoke on top of the chicken.
- Cook: Cover and cook the mixture on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily with a fork.
- Shred and Reduce: Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to absorb some of the juices.
- Drain and Season: Drain any excess liquid from the slow cooker. Taste the chicken and add hot sauce according to your preference. Stir well to incorporate the hot sauce evenly.
Notes
- You can adjust the level of spiciness by using a medium salsa or adding more chipotle chili pepper and hot sauce.
- Using fire-roasted diced tomatoes adds a smoky depth to the flavor but regular diced tomatoes work well too.
- The shredded chicken is versatile and can be used for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, or rice bowls.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To make this recipe low sodium, reduce or omit the added salt and opt for low-sodium salsa and canned tomatoes.
