Description
This Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken recipe is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep. Tender chicken breasts are seasoned with a blend of spices, then slow-cooked with salsa and chipotle peppers until juicy and shreddable. The resulting chicken can be used in tacos, burritos, nachos, or served over rice for a versatile Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- 16 ounces salsa
- ¼ cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and seasonings: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Evenly sprinkle the black pepper, cumin, salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder over the chicken to ensure a balanced flavor throughout.
- Add salsa and chipotle peppers: Pour 16 ounces of salsa over the seasoned chicken. Add ¼ cup of chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to give the dish a smoky, spicy kick. Make sure the chicken is well covered with the sauce for optimal cooking.
- Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2½ to 3½ hours or on low for 4½ to 6 hours, depending on your schedule. The chicken should be tender and easily shreddable when done.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. For quicker shredding, you can use a stand mixer on low speed for less than 60 seconds. This produces perfectly shredded chicken with minimal effort.
- Combine shredded chicken with sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix it well to coat it evenly with the flavorful salsa and chipotle sauce.
- Serve: Use the shredded Mexican chicken as a filling for tacos, burritos, or nachos, or serve it over rice for a hearty meal. Enjoy your delicious slow-cooked chicken!
Notes
- Use a stand mixer to shred the chicken quickly and easily instead of manually shredding with forks.
- For meal prep, divide the shredded chicken into portion-sized containers and freeze for up to 3 months for quick future meals.
- Use a salsa with plenty of liquid instead of thick or chunky alternatives like pico de gallo to ensure the chicken stays moist during cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (~6 ounces)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
