Tender shredded salsa chicken made in the slow cooker with a handful of everyday ingredients. Serve in tacos, rice bowls, or nachos.
One batch, several dinner possibilities. Tuck it into tacos tonight, then let the leftovers take care of a rice bowl tomorrow.
Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken
Tender shredded salsa chicken made in the slow cooker with a handful of everyday ingredients. Serve in tacos, rice bowls, or nachos.
Cook: 5–6 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH; verify doneness
Total: About 5 hours 10 minutes–6 hours 10 minutes on LOW
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fully thawed
- 2 cups jarred tomato salsa, mild or medium
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Chopped cilantro, optional, for serving
Directions
- Place the onion in the slow cooker. Arrange the thawed chicken over it. Stir the salsa, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder together and pour over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F and shred easily. Slow cookers vary; temperature, not the clock alone, determines doneness.
- Transfer the chicken to a board, shred with two forks, and stir it back into the sauce. Add the lime juice. Taste before adding salt because jarred salsa varies.
- Serve with cilantro if desired. Spoon into tortillas, over rice, or onto nachos; toppings and sides are not included in the recipe yield.
Before you start
A Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6-quart slow cooker does the cooking here. Keep a TempPro TP19H instant-read thermometer nearby so you can check the thickest pieces before shredding.
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Lori’s ingredient notes
Choose the salsa for your table. Mild keeps the heat gentle; medium gives it a little more kick. Taste after the chicken goes back into the sauce before reaching for the salt.
Tacos or bowls? Lift the chicken out with a slotted spoon for tortillas, or spoon some of the sauce over rice. A little sauce belongs in dinner; a puddle in your lap does not.
Make it a meal
Serve in homemade flour tortillas or over rice, with shredded cabbage, chopped tomatoes, and avocado. Put the toppings in small bowls so everyone can build their own dinner. A squeeze of lime adds a bright finish.
Prep ahead
Slice the onion and measure the spices ahead. Keep the onion refrigerated, with the raw chicken in its own sealed container away from ready-to-eat ingredients. Shred the cabbage and chop the tomatoes on a clean board, refrigerate separately, and cut the avocado just before serving. Start the cooker when you assemble the meal; don’t use a delayed start.
Tomorrow’s lunch
Make a bowl with leftover salsa chicken, rice, and the fresh toppings you saved. Reheat the chicken and rice to 165°F before adding the cold cabbage and tomatoes. Keep those toppings separate until you eat, and follow the storage notes below.
Tips and recipe notes
- For a workday meal, use a programmable cooker only according to its instructions. Test this recipe and its cooking time while you are home before leaving it unattended.
- WARM is for holding already-cooked food, not cooking raw chicken. Food must remain at or above 140°F while held hot; follow the appliance’s holding-time limit. This recipe does not guarantee safe holding for a nine-hour absence.
- Chicken breasts may become dry during extended cooking; thighs are used here for a more forgiving texture. Do not start with frozen chicken or use a delayed start.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Keep at 40°F or below for 3–4 days, or freeze portions for up to 3 months for best quality. Reheat to 165°F on the stove or in the microwave, not from cold in the slow cooker.
More recipes to try
Mexican Rice (Rice Cooker Version) · Classic Chili · Taco Salad
Food-safety references
USDA slow-cooker food safety · USDA safe hot holding · USDA leftovers guidance
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