Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken or Chicken Chile Verde is the easiest Mexican Chicken dinner recipes where you just have to toss your boneless skinless chicken thighs in Salsa Verde and then add onions, garlic, cumin and few other spices. Then simply cover and cook in crock pot until chicken gets tender and juicy. This tastes best with my Homemade Salsa Verde. 🇲🇽😍😍😍

Recipe Summary

🇲🇽Basically, this recipe requires just 5 minutes of Prep time where you just have to chop your onions & garlic. Then simply add all of that in the slow cooker with salsa verde and chicken. Cook on Low for 6 hours and it is done!

Jump to:

• 🤔 What is Salsa Verde
• 🍲Easy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How to Make Salsa Verde Chicken in Crock Pot
• Add Chicken and Salsa Verde in Slow Cooker
• Add Chopped Onions and Garlic
• Add Spices
• Cover and Cook
• Shred Chicken, Garnish and Serve
• 🍳How Do I Serve this?
• 📖 Cooking Variations
• 💡Top Tips
• Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?
• Refrigerating
• Freezing Salsa Verde Chicken
• More Mexican Recipes You'll Love
• More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
• Recipe
• Easy Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

In a rush? Try Instant Pot Salsa Verde. And Don't miss: Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas.

🤔 What is Salsa Verde

If you google the meaning of Salsa in Spanish you are gonna find that Salsa means "green" in Spanish. So, basically, If you ask what is Salsa Verde? The answer is nothing but - a Green Salsa. Just like red salsa or roasted tomato salsa.

Salsa Verde gets it green color from Tomatillos.

Other than that, Salsa Verde has white onions, minced cloves of garlic, freshly chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, sliced Jalapeños, and salt.

Try my homemade Salsa Verde recipe

I like making my own Salsa Verde because I can easily get access to tomatillos in my local grocery stores.

If not, you can always use store bought salsa verde to make salsa verde chicken.

🍲Easy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken is basically a dump and forget dinner recipe where you literally have to just dump everything in the Slow Cooker and forget about it for like next 6 hours.

After 6 hours, you have amazingly delicious chicken ready!

In case you are making it in your Instant Pot, you can use your chicken breasts to make this recipe.

But, I personally like dark meat (chicken thighs) as they are juicier.

And there is no risk of chicken turning dry (which commonly happens with chicken breasts).

🥘 Ingredients

See the Recipe Card for Quantities

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - I prefer chicken thighs over breast since they are juicier.
• Salsa Verde - you can make it at home or use any store bought salsa verde.
• canned diced green chilies - just to add that Mexican heat.
• Yellow or White Diced Onions - To incorporate some sweetness.
• Freshly Minced Garlic - for that garlicky kick.
• Onion Powder - to bring in more flavors.
• Garlic Powder - to infuse the aroma of garlic in our chicken
• Ground Cumin - for that earthy taste.
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper - basic seasoning.
• Freshly Chopped Cilantro - to bring that freshness in the recipe.
• Lime Wedges - to make it taste more fresh and add that zing!
• Warm Tortillas - to serve

🔪 How to Make Salsa Verde Chicken in Crock Pot

Add Chicken and Salsa Verde in Slow Cooker

Add Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour Salsa Verde and toss well until chicken is completely coated in Salsa Verde.

Add Chopped Onions and Garlic

Now add Chopped Onions and freshly minced garlic.

Add Spices

Now add spices and a 4 oz can of mild green chilies. I have used aromatics like onion powder and garlic powder. I love adding ground cumin to Mexican recipes. And, just some salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning. Keep in mind that you don't have to add a lot of spices, since Salsa Verde already has a lot of spices in it.

Cover and Cook

Cover with a glass lid. Cook on Low Heat for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours.

Shred Chicken, Garnish and Serve

Shred Chicken using two forks. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. And serve right away in warm tortillas.

Or you can also make Salsa Chicken Meatballs!

🍳How Do I Serve this?

• The Best Possible Way to Serve your Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken is to serve it in tacos with fresh Mexican coleslaw.

How to Make Fresh Mexican Coleslaw

• In a medium sized mixing bowl combine shredded cabbage (preferably red, or you can also use white), thinly sliced red onions, fresh lime juice, freshly chopped cilantro, and Mayonnaise. Stir well and keep this in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

• Cauliflower Rice - You can serve your Salsa Verde chicken with Cauliflower rice. I suggest making this Mexican Cauliflower Rice
• Salsa Verde Lettuce Wraps - Do it the way they do it in the restaurants. Wrap it in lettuce wraps (I like romaine lettuce) with salsa verde chicken, sliced avocados, a dollop of cream cheese, and sliced Jalapeños and serve right away.
• Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos - You could also serve this in flour or corn tortillas (or any other gluten-free tortillas) with freshly chopped cilantro and green chilies.
• Chips and More Salsa - You can turn it into a taco or a burrito or a chimichanga or a tostada and serve with chips and other salsa like - Pineapple Salsa or Grilled Corn mango Salsa or Pineapple Salsa
• Salads - You can serve this with any other salads that you like - Black Bean and Corn Salad or Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Salad or Mexican Corn Salad
• Corn - Mexican Grilled Street Corn or Elote is an excellent thing to pair with Salsa Chicken or Ranch Cheddar Corn on the Cob in Instant Pot
• Something Sweet: You can also pair this with something sweet such as Sweet Corn Casserole or Southern Buttermilk Cornbread or Spicy Hot Creamed Corn with Crispy Chicken or Southern Creamed Corn

📖 Cooking Variations

• Slow cooker salsa verde chicken with cream cheese - If you want, you can add cream cheese and make this Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken. It would add a nice tang and a creaminess to your recipe.
• Chicken breasts or Tenders - You can also use Chicken breasts or Chicken Tenders to make this recipe. But, keep in mind that chicken breasts usually gets chewy when cooked for so long.
• Herbs - You can add about 1/8 teaspoon of dried Mexican Oregano if you are craving that typical Mexican taste. Keep in mind, that Mexican oregano has a sharp pungent sort of taste which is very different from Italian oregano which has a sweet, and subtle sort of flavor.

💡Top Tips

• Always use Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs to Make the Best Salsa Verde Chicken.
• Use Salt as per your taste, since Store Bought Salsa Verde already has a lot of salt in it.

Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?

You can use Frozen Chicken breasts. But, I haven't tried this recipe with frozen chicken breasts and I really don't know how it would taste. You can take a look at this recipe and learn how to use Frozen Chicken breasts to make this recipe.

Refrigerating

Allow your shredded chicken to cool down completely. Then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5 days.

Freezing Salsa Verde Chicken

Chicken Chile Verde or Salsa Verde Chicken is one of those recipes that can be easily stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cook your chicken until tender. Shred it using two forks. Allow it to cool down completely. Then transfer it to a freezer-friendly bag or any airtight container. You can freeze for up to 3 months.

You can Thaw your chicken using these steps.

• Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• You can reheat it in the microwave at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes or until completely warmed through.
• To reheat it in the saucepan, add it to a saucepan with few splashes of water. Cook for 3-5 minutes until completely warmed through.

More Mexican Recipes You'll Love

• Grilled Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Marinade
• Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• Buffalo Chicken Taquitos (Air Fryer & Baked)
• Mexican Shredded Chicken Taco
• Taco Bell Chicken Quesadillas

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

• Slow Cooker Butter Chicken with Coconut Milk
• Authentic Mexican Chicken Tinga (in Slow Cooker)
• Bruschetta Chicken Pasta - Slow Cooker / Instant Pot
• Low Carb Lemon Butter Chicken
• Chicken Jalfrezi
• Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Crockpot Tomato Basil Chicken
• Apricot Chicken Thighs in Crockpot
• Crockpot Parmesan Chicken and Rice

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