Description
This Mexican Chicken Crock Pot Recipe is a flavorful, easy-to-make dish featuring tender, shredded chicken breasts cooked low and slow with a blend of salsa, spices, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Perfect for a comforting family meal or for meal prepping, it’s packed with rich Mexican-inspired flavors and requires minimal hands-on time.
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 black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional, for more heat)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Rub the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil to help the seasonings stick and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker, setting the stage for tender, juicy meat.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in the salsa, brown sugar, diced green chilies, fire-roasted tomatoes, and all the spices including chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, chipotle chili pepper if using, and the liquid smoke. Leave out the hot sauce for now.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily with two forks.
- Shred and Simmer: Remove the chicken breasts and shred them finely. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and cook on low for about 20 more minutes to absorb the flavorful juices.
- Finish and Serve: Drain any excess liquid to avoid sogginess, taste the chicken, and add hot sauce according to your preferred spice level before serving.
Notes
- For spicier chicken, use medium salsa and include the chipotle chili pepper.
- Shredded chicken is perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or serving over rice.
- If you don’t have liquid smoke, you can omit it or substitute with a dash of smoked paprika for a milder smoky flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Drain excess liquid before serving to avoid watery texture.
