Description
This Crockpot Salsa Chicken recipe is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender boneless skinless chicken thighs slow-cooked in a zesty salsa sauce with spices, black beans, and sweet corn. Perfect for busy days, it can be served as a main course in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or over rice, garnished with fresh avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, and extra salsa.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 24 oz salsa (your favorite brand or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Additional Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn kernels
- 14.5 oz black beans, drained (from a can)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Toppings and Garnish
- Avocado, freshly sliced
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Lime wedges
- Extra salsa
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Towel dry the chicken thighs thoroughly to remove excess moisture and place them evenly in the crockpot.
- Make the salsa mixture: In a bowl, combine salsa, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin. Spoon this mixture over the chicken in the crockpot, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Cook the chicken: Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours if using defrosted chicken, or 8 hours if using frozen chicken, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to become tender.
- Shred the chicken: About 1 hour before finishing, remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it with two forks.
- Combine with vegetables: Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot along with the frozen sweet corn kernels and drained black beans. Stir to combine evenly.
- Finish cooking: Continue cooking for the last 1 hour on low. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve with toppings: Serve the salsa chicken hot with freshly sliced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, and extra salsa on the side if desired.
Notes
- This dish is versatile—serve it in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or over rice for a complete meal.
- For a slightly spicier flavor, add chopped jalapeños or a dash of chili powder to the salsa mixture.
- If preferred, you can substitute chicken breasts for thighs but expect slightly less moisture and tenderness.
- To make it healthier, reduce the amount of cheese or use a low-fat variety.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 234 kcal
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 993 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
- Fiber: 7.9 g
- Protein: 23.9 g
- Cholesterol: 55.2 mg
