This creamy Crock Pot salsa chicken is going to become a staple in your regular meal prep routine! With just 6 ingredients, the flavorful shredded meat works well in tortillas for crockpot chicken tacos, over lettuce for taco salad, in enchiladas and burritos, on nachos, or with other toppings in rice bowls and burrito bowls.
Table of Contents
- Is it OK to put raw chicken in slow cooker?
- How to Keep Chicken from Drying out in The CrockPot
- Ingredients for Salsa Chicken with Cream Cheese
- How to Make Salsa Chicken in Crock Pot
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe
- Creamy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe
This Crock Pot salsa chicken is the perfect cross between our favorite crockpot Mexican chicken and this wildly popular white chicken chili. It’s creamy and satisfying — thanks to the cream cheese that melts right into the sauce — and zesty and flavorful, thanks to plenty of salsa, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, onion, and taco seasoning. Use the tender shredded meat in any of your favorite Mexican-inspired meals. From tacos to rice bowls, salad to burritos, it’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Is it OK to put raw chicken in slow cooker?
Yes! The slow cooker is designed to cook raw meat, so it’s perfectly safe to use uncooked chicken in this recipe. That said, food safety experts advise against adding frozen raw chicken to the slow cooker. The frozen meat takes too long to come to a safe temperature, allowing for the potential growth of harmful bacteria. Always thaw your meat in the fridge overnight before adding it to a Crock Pot.
Can you cook chicken in a crock pot without adding liquid?
Yes, there’s no need to add extra liquid to this dish. The tomatoes and salsa include juices, while the chicken and onions release additional liquid as they cook. The lid keeps the condensation in the Crock Pot, so adding too much additional liquid can result in diluted, watered-down sauce. Instead, this salsa chicken stays thick, creamy, and flavorful!
Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in crockpot?
Either the high or low setting will work well, so choose whichever method suits your schedule best. Whether you cook the meat on HIGH or on LOW, it’s important that you don’t overcook the chicken or it will dry out.
How to Keep Chicken from Drying out in The CrockPot
The key to maintaining moist, tender, and juicy chicken in the slow cooker is not overcooking the meat. This often requires less time than you expect! Chicken will be perfect when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact cooking times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
Ingredients for Salsa Chicken with Cream Cheese
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a big batch of creamy salsa chicken. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: these canned tomatoes are gently roasted over an open fire for a great smoky, Southwestern flavor. You can substitute with regular canned diced tomatoes or with spicy Rotel if you prefer.
- Onion: for savory flavor. Use frozen diced onion as a shortcut so that you don’t even have to pull out a knife or cutting board!
- Salsa: I prefer a thick and chunky style salsa for this dish, so that it doesn’t water-down the sauce.
- Chicken: you’ll need about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken. The dark meat thighs tend to stay juicier over the longer cooking time, but either option is great. Boneless skinless chicken breasts will certainly work well, too. Just don’t overcook them!
- Taco seasoning: for two or more pounds of meat, you’ll need 2 packets of seasoning. If you’re worried about sodium, feel free to use your own homemade taco seasoning blend that includes plenty of garlic powder and chili powder.
- Cream cheese: adding a block of cream cheese at the end gives the sauce a thick, creamy, cheesy taste and a rich, smooth texture.
How to Make Salsa Chicken in Crock Pot
This dump-and-go dinner requires about 5 minutes of prep and only a handful of simple ingredients! I’ve included the specific cooking instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:
- Arrange all of the ingredients except for the cream cheese in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook until the chicken is done.
- Shred the meat with two forks.
- Add the diced cream cheese to the slow cooker and continue cooking until it melts.
- Stir the chicken back into the creamy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
In addition to the fact that it’s easy and delicious, this Mexican-inspired dish is incredibly versatile! Here are just a few ways to enjoy the perfectly tender, juicy, and zesty salsa chicken:
- Piled on top of a bed of lettuce for a chicken taco salad (add cheese, sour cream, green onions, olives, and any other fixin’s that you love);
- Alongside Mexican cornbread;
- Scooped up with tortilla chips like a creamy dip;
- Stuffed inside of burritos;
- Tucked into taco shells, corn tortillas, or soft flour tortillas for chicken tacos;
- Toasted inside cheesy chicken quesadillas;
- Sitting in a bowl on top of fluffy white rice or Mexican rice for burrito bowls (or cauliflower rice, if you’re looking for a grain-free dinner);
- Baked in chicken enchiladas;
- Topping a giant tray of chicken nachos;
- In baked chicken taquitos;
- Stuffed in baked potatoes, or just enjoyed by the spoonful — straight out of the pot!
Toppings for Crockpot Salsa Chicken
If you’re using the shredded chicken in tacos, nachos, taco salads, or burrito bowls, here are some additional toppings to add to your meal:
- Pico de gallo or chopped fresh tomatoes
- Sliced avocado, or use the fresh avocados to make this easy homemade guacamole
- Sour cream
- Sliced green onions, minced red onion, or quick pickled red onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced olives
- Lime juice squeezed from fresh limes
- Sliced jalapeño pepper
- Black beans or pinto beans
- Corn
Preparation and Storage
Leftover salsa chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
I do not recommend freezing the chicken after you add the cream cheese. A dairy-based sauce tends to “break” or separate when thawed, giving the dish an undesirable texture. Instead, you can prepare the chicken in advance, but do not add the cream cheese. Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature, store in airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen salsa chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat over low heat, stirring the cream cheese into the pot during the final 5-10 minutes.
How to Reheat
Place creamy chicken and sauce in a saucepan. Cover and warm over low heat, just until heated through. You can also warm individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until they reach the desired temperature.
Crockpot Salsa Chicken Recipe Variations
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, depending on your preference. Chicken thighs tend to stay more moist and juicy in the slow cooker than the white meat chicken breast, but either option works fine!
- Add canned beans or corn to bulk up the salsa chicken.
- Use homemade taco seasoning instead of store-bought packets.
- Swap out the fire-roasted tomatoes for regular canned diced tomatoes or for a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies.
- To feed a larger family (or to have even more leftovers), double all of the ingredients and cook 4-5 lbs. of chicken. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe
- You do not need to add any extra liquid to the Crock Pot. The juices from the tomatoes, salsa, and onions will go into the pot, and the condensation from the slow cooker will accumulate as well. There should be more than enough liquid by the end, and you don’t want to water-down the sauce.
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours. That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature and dice into cubes before stirring it into the pot. This will help the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce.
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
Crockpot Mexican Chicken (Crockpot Chicken Tacos)
3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Or check out this collection of 20+ Favorite Crock Pot Chicken Recipes!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Creamy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1 cup finely diced onion (I use frozen diced onion as a shortcut)
- 1 cup salsa, divided
- 2– 2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 (1 oz) packets taco seasoning
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced into small cubes and softened at room temperature
- Optional, for serving: tortillas or taco shells, rice, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, chopped onion, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Arrange tomatoes, onion, and half of the salsa in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Place chicken on top, sprinkle with the taco seasoning, and pour the remaining salsa over all.
- Cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 4-6 hours on LOW or about 2-3 hours on HIGH.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker and stir. Cover and continue cooking until the cream cheese melts, about 5-10 more minutes. Stir again to make sure that the cream cheese is smoothly incorporated into the sauce.
- While the cream cheese is in the slow cooker, use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and cook for a few more minutes, until warmed through.
Notes
- You do not need to add any extra liquid to the Crock Pot. The juices from the tomatoes, salsa, and onions will go into the pot, and the condensation from the slow cooker will accumulate as well. There should be more than enough liquid by the end, and you don’t want to water-down the sauce.
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 1 hour. That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 1 hours or on LOW for about 2 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature and dice into cubes before stirring it into the pot. This will help the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce.
Oh this was sooo good! Thank u for the idea! This was my first crock pot chicken recipe ever & will definitely make it again 🙂 I did use rotel and served with ranch style beans & avocado! Great leftovers too:)
We’re so happy to hear this, Mel! Thank you for trying it out.
Can you freeze this dish?
Hi, Denise!
I do not recommend freezing the chicken after you add the cream cheese. A dairy-based sauce tends to “break” or separate when thawed, giving the dish an undesirable texture. Instead, you can prepare the chicken in advance, but do not add the cream cheese. Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature, store in airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen salsa chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat over low heat, stirring the cream cheese into the pot during the final 5-10 minutes.