This easy to make Crockpot Salsa Chicken is a delicious combination of chicken and salsa and then topped with creamy queso.
It makes an excellent weeknight meal that the entire family will love. You can use this chicken in burrito bowls, tacos, or serve it with rice and beans.
Why I love Crockpot Salsa Chicken
This 4 ingredient crockpot dinner is easy to make, works great for meal prep, and requires minimal work. All you need to do is combine the ingredients, cover, and cook.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- Garlic Salt
- Pepper (optional)
- Salsa
- Chile Con Queso
What kind of salsa should I use?
I always recommend using your favorite salsa, whatever brand and type that might be.
How to Make Salsa Chicken (Crockpot Version)
Detailed instructions and measurements to make Crockpot Salsa Chicken with Queso are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with garlic salt (and pepper if using) and place them in the crockpot.
- Pour the salsa over the chicken.
- Pour the chile con queso over the salsa.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve and enjoy! You can shred the chicken or leave it whole.
How to serve Crockpot Salsa Chicken with Queso
- Shredded over rice
- In burrito bowls
- With a side of rice and beans
- Inside tacos
- Topped with fresh tomatoes, sour cream, and red onion
- With a squeeze of lime juice
Tips for this Salsa Chicken Crockpot Recipe
Don’t overcook your chicken. A lot of crockpot chicken recipes call for cooking on low 6-8 hours. This can often result in tough, overcooked chicken.
Most chicken only needs 4-6 hours.
I don’t recommend cooking on high. The chicken can become dry and the cheese may burn against the sides.
Can I make this in the oven instead of the crockpot?
Yes, you can follow the instructions, but just add it to a casserole dish. Bake in a 375°F oven for 30-40 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts.
Salsa Chicken Crockpot FAQ
Yes, it is absolutely safe to slow cook chicken in a crockpot as long as you cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
You can put raw chicken in a slow cooker. You can leave it whole or cut it into pieces. Either way, just be sure to cook it thoroughly.
You can put frozen chicken in the crockpot, but you may not end up with as tender of a result as you would with thawed chicken.
It is better to cook chicken on low in the crockpot. The slower it cooks, the more tender the result will be.
Chicken takes 4-6 hours to cook on low in the crockpot or 2-3 hours on high.
Thin sliced chicken usually takes only 3-4 hours on low in the crockpot.
Yes, you can overcook chicken in the slow cooker. It’s a common mistake people make. Chicken only needs about 4 hours on low in the slow cooker. If you leave it cooking all day on low (8 hours), you will likely have overcooked chicken that has a different texture and isn’t as tender.
Substitutions for this Chicken Salsa Crockpot Recipe
- Garlic Salt – you can replace the garlic salt with taco seasoning. Just be aware of the amount of chili powder and cayenne pepper in your taco seasoning combined with the salsa and chile con queso.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – boneless skinless chicken thighs also work well in this recipe. You will likely need less cooking time depending on the size of the thighs so keep this in mind if you make this substitution.
Can I substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts?
Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Depending on the size of the thighs, you’ll likely need less cook time.
Can I use garlic powder in place of garlic salt?
You can, but you’ll likely want to add a little salt to the chicken when seasoning it.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Crockpot Chicken and Salsa
This chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
When you are ready to reheat this recipe, you can place it covered, in the microwave for 45 seconds at a time. You’ll need to be careful not to burn the queso.
If you do too much time at once, it’ll burn.
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Crockpot Salsa Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 14 ounces chile con queso
- 16 ounces salsa
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Season the chicken breast on both sides with garlic salt (and pepper if using). Place in the crockpot.
- Pour the salsa over the chicken.
- Pour the chile con queso over the salsa.
- Cook on LOW 4-6 hours or until cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
