Crockpot Mexican Chicken
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This creamy, comforting Crockpot Mexican Chicken makes for a delicious, healthy, and EASY meal. Serve over brown rice or Cilantro Lime Rice with your favorite Mexican toppings. Freezer meal instructions included, so you can double the batch and have another later.
Or, try our Instant Pot Mexican Chicken recipe instead.
This post is sponsored by Hy-Vee (Columbia).
Why We Like This Recipe
- Healthy: Like our Chicken Burrito Bowl, this recipe is full of lean protein and fiber.
- Hearty: Serve the chicken mixture over brown rice or cauliflower rice for a satisfying, filling meal.
- Super Easy: This is a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe, so it’s perfect for the new cook or when you’re just short on time.
- Freezer Friendly: We’ll show you how to make this into a chicken freezer meal, too. So be sure to double the batch and freeze one for later.
- Flavorful: Despite the simple ingredients and cooking method, these bowls have depth of flavor from the salsa and taco seasoning.
Pass this simple recipe along to the college students, busy parents, or new cooks in your life. Or try these other Easy Recipes for the Beginner Cook.
Where to Get Your Ingredients
We suggest grabbing the ingredients for this recipe at your local Hy-Vee, since they are well-stocked year-round. The employees are so helpful, if you have any questions.
If using store-bought shortcuts for this one, I usually grab the ingredients in the Health Market, since you can find organic, healthier options there.
Ingredients Needed
Believe it or not, you only need 6 ingredients for this recipe. You may have most of them in the fridge and pantry.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – You can use boneless chicken thighs instead but may need to slow cook them up to 1 hour more.
- Salsa – Use your favorite all-natural salsa from the store. I LOVE Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa and have seen it at Walmart and Publix so far.
- Canned black beans and corn – Rinse and drain. You could also use frozen corn.
- Taco seasoning – Either make your own using our easy Homemade Taco Seasoning or buy some at the store. I use McCormick’s brand or Siete’s gluten-free taco seasoning.
- Cream cheese – I’ve only tested it with full-fat cream cheese. (If you try using low-fat cream cheese, let me know in the comments how it works for you.) I think that Kitehill’s Dairy Free Cream Cheese would work well, too.
Sneaky Nutrition Tip: If you’d like to add some (tasteless) extra nutrition, stir in a 1/2 – 1 cup of canned pumpkin, butternut squash puree, chopped spinach, or frozen cauliflower rice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these 4 simple steps to a delicious and satisfying dinner. If you’d like to make this even faster, try our Instant Pot Mexican Chicken instead.
Slow Cook the Chicken Mixture
Place all the ingredients except the cream cheese in the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours (that’s it!), until done. Chicken is done at 165°F internally or no longer pink inside.
Shred the Chicken
Once the chicken is done, remove it to a wooden cutting board. Use two forks to shred it.
Stir in Shredded Chicken and Cream Cheese
Add the chicken back to the crockpot, along with the cream cheese. Be sure to cut the cream cheese into smaller cubes so it melts faster. Stir until everything is combined and cheese is melted.
Serve
Serve warm over brown rice or cauliflower rice and top with your favorite Mexican toppings (see ideas below). It’s soooo creamy and comforting. Leftovers are great reheated, as well.
Topping Ideas for Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Set out a variety of toppings and let everyone customize their own bowls. Here are some ideas:
- shredded cheddar cheese (how to quickly shred your own cheese)
- diced avocado
- lime wedges
- chopped cilantro
- diced jalapeños
- diced red onion
- chopped black olives
- sliced green onion
- sour cream
- shredded lettuce
- chopped tomatoes
What to Serve with Mexican Chicken
While I consider this recipe a one-pot-wonder by the time you add all the toppings, I do think you can add some other Mexican-inspired side dishes to stretch the meal even further. Here are a few ideas:
Make It a Freezer Meal
As with so many of our recipes, it’s easy to prep Crockpot Mexican Chicken as a healthy freezer meal. You have two options for how to prep this a freezer meal.
Method 1: Freeze Before Cooking
To Freeze: Place raw chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning into a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and seal. Toss around to combine and freeze. If you want to make this a freezer meal kit, freeze the chicken mixture along with a freezer bag of frozen brown rice (how to freeze rice) and a bag of shredded cheddar cheese (how to freeze cheese).
To Prepare: Thaw completely using one of these thawing methods. Add the meal to the crockpot and follow cooking and servings instructions in Steps 2-4 in the recipe.
Method 2: Freeze After Cooking
To Freeze: Fully cook and cool the meal. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag.
To Prepare: Thaw completely using one of these thawing methods. To reheat, warm on low on the stove, in the microwave, or in the crockpot. For a quick thaw, use the defrost setting on the microwave. Follow Step 4 in the recipe for serving instructions.
FAQs
After you dump all of your ingredients into the slow cooker, how long do you have to wait until dinner? You might be surprised at the answer. In fact, we wrote an article about how long to cook chicken in the slow cooker because so many people are doing it wrong! After loads of recipe testing, we have found that chicken breast is done after 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours in the slow cooker. This will vary on the type of slow cooker but it’s done quicker than you think!
Adjust the spice level with the kind of salsa you choose (mild, medium, or hot) and the type of taco seasoning you use. Our Homemade Taco Seasoning is medium heat level but feel free to pull back on the red pepper flakes to reduce this. If you want the dish spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper before cooking or hot sauce to the final dish.
Feel free to omit the cream cheese for less fat. You can also add in more veggies like cauliflower rice, a little pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree, or some chopped spinach.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Creamy shredded chicken with beans and corn make for a delicious, healthy, and EASY meal served over rice.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of your favorite salsa (1 1/2 – 2 cups)
- 1-ounce package of all-natural taco seasoning (or 2–3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning recipe)
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 breasts)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 3 cups cooked brown rice or Cilantro Lime Rice
- Optional topping ideas: shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced avocado, diced red onion, minced jalapeños, chopped black olives
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Combine: In a slow cooker, add salsa, black beans, corn, and taco seasoning. Stir until well combined. Nestle the chicken into the mixture and spoon some on top of each piece.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for about 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours or until chicken is done (165°F internally or no longer pink inside). (Trust us on this timing when it comes to how long to cook chicken in the crockpot!)
- Shred: Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Add back to slow cooker and stir in the cubed cream cheese until it melts and blends into mixture.
- Serve: Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice and serve your favorite Mexican toppings, like diced avocado, lime wedges, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onion, diced red onion, sour cream, etc.
Freeze For Later:
Method 1 (Uncooked): To a gallon-sized freezer bag, add salsa, beans, corn, taco seasoning, and chicken. Seal, squeezing out any excess air, and squish it around until well combined. Freeze.
Method 2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook and cool the meal. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Prepare From Frozen:
Method 1 (Uncooked): Thaw completely using one of these thawing methods. Add the meal to the crockpot and follow Steps 2-4.
Method 2 (Fully Cooked): To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours and warm on low on the stove, in the microwave, or in the crockpot. For a quick thaw, use the defrost setting on the microwave. Follow Step 4 for serving instructions.
Notes/Tips
- It’s essential to follow our cooking times on this recipe, so you don’t overcook and dry out the chicken!
- Instant Pot Instructions: Use our Instant Pot Mexican Chicken recipe to make this same dish even faster.
- How to Make Freezer Meal Kit: If you want to make this a freezer meal kit, freeze the chicken mixture along with a freezer bag of frozen rice (here’s how to freeze rice) and a bag of shredded cheddar cheese (here’s how to freeze cheese).
- Cream Cheese – I’ve only tested it with full-fat cream cheese. (If you try using low-fat cream cheese, let me know in the comments how it works for you.) I think that Kitehill’s Dairy Free Cream Cheese would work well, too.
- Salsa – Use your favorite all-natural salsa from the store. I LOVE Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa and have seen it at Walmart, Hy-Vee, and Publix so far.
- Taco seasoning – Either make your own using our easy Homemade Taco Seasoning or buy some at the store. I use McCormick’s brand or Siete’s gluten-free taco seasoning.
- Sneaky Nutrition Tip: If you’d like to add some tasteless, extra sneaky nutrition, stir in a 1/2 – 1 cup of canned pumpkin, butternut squash puree, chopped spinach, or frozen cauliflower rice. (Check out more ways to sneak extra fruits and vegetables into meals.)
- Dairy-Free Version: Simply leave out the cream cheese or use Kitehill’s Dairy Free Cream Cheese instead, and omit any dairy toppings (like cheese or sour cream). This recipe is still yummy without those!
- Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves.
Want More Easy Crockpot Recipes?
Check out our cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker! Every recipe is easy, drool-worthy, and made with recognizable, whole food ingredients, and what makes the book even more family friendly is its unique two-in-one style. Each recipe provides instructions on how to cook the same meal for both the slow cooker and the Instant Pot!
This is essentially giving home cooks double the recipes. From Freezer to Cooker is the first book of its kind to combine the ease and effectiveness of freezer cooking and hands-free appliances with healthy and delicious recipes.
Perfect for a large group!
Glad this worked out well for you and your group Laura! Thanks for taking time to leave a review.
I’m going to try this tomorrow! I’ve struggled to get chicken breasts right in the crockpot, so exited to try your recommendation to cook for less time. I have fairly large chicken breasts and want to do five. Any tips for how long to adjust the cook time for that ?! Thanks!
Hi Jill. Every single time I cook chicken breasts in the slow cooker, no matter how big, they are done by 3 hours. I would definitely check their temp by 3 hours and move them around a bit if some of them aren’t done. But I think you’ll be shocked at how quickly they hit 165°F internally.
Thanks for the reply! I ended up checking them at 4 hours, and they were still pretty tough and wouldn’t shred. I left them in for longer and eventually they would easily shred, but it was about 5 or 6 hours at that point. They didn’t seem dry though thankfully, and the dish turned out great! Maybe it’s my crockpot. Are the supposed to easily shred when they’re fully cooked for 3 hours ?
Thanks for the update. Maybe the additional chicken slowed it all down some. Also, one of the things we’ve learned over the years is that every slow cooker is different. Maybe yours cooks at a lower temp?
I’ll be coming this for the 5th time today! It’s that GOOD! 😀 Thank you ❤️
It’s great to hear you’re enjoying this so much to remake it yet again. Thank you for the review!
I made this for the first time today and it is delicious! Definitely will be a regular meal for us.
Yay! Great to hear. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Joan!
I think I have tried a few different mexican chicken crockpot type recipes over the years but this is SO much better. I assume that is the cream cheese. It was great. Some of us had it over brown rice, some of us just had it over shredded lettuce but we ALL liked it. Honestly, it needed no toppings because there was so much flavor packed in with the salsa and taco seasoning and then that cream cheese eliminated the need for sour cream or additional cheese. I also liked (compared to other similar recipes) that it didn’t produce so much excess cooking liquid – that never looks appealing to the kids!
Thanks for the review Sarah! Glad your whole family enjoyed it.
THIS IS AMAAAAZING! Husband said “This is better than Chipotle”
WooHoo! Love it! Thanks for leaving a review Erin.
Served this first time to company. So very good and so very easy. Also used Instant Pot brown rice recipe and made the Cilantro Lime rice. A hit and a keeper👍🏼
Glad to hear they all turned out great for your guests. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Norma.
No other liquid? Water for the taco seasoning?
All the ingredients (salsa especially) release/provide enough liquid. This dish is thicker than soup consistency. Think more like a casserole filling served over rice.
We really enjoyed thus recipe! I will be making it again! I used the lower fat cream cheese and it worked out great. I was scared to use the fat free, as it doesn’t always melt well!
Hi Pat. Thanks for letting us know that the lower-fat cream cheese worked. I agree… the fat-free doesn’t usually do as well in recipes where you need it to melt.