3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Some evenings, I am so tired that the mere thought of cooking dinner makes me want to skip the whole ordeal and just order a pizza. And it’s always simple but delicious recipes like this 3-ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken that save me from spending money on takeout and have dinner on the table without breaking a sweat. It takes 5 minutes to throw in the pot, and by dinner, I look like a hero.

I first found out about this recipe a few years ago from a reader (thank you!), she said it was super simple and needed just 2 ingredients – chicken and salsa. I’ve made it ever since, with an adjustment or two, because complicating things is one of my specialties. 😀

This is such an easy recipe to make that we incorporated the same concept into our Pumpkin Salsa Chicken recipe as well.

My family loves tacos, nachos, enchiladas and burrito bowls. This salsa chicken makes the perfect filling for all of them, and all of that with just 5 minutes of prep work.

🌽 Ingredients

The ingredients go together beautifully. I can’t wait for you to sink your teeth into this incredible meal. Let’s talk about what you will need really quickly.

✅Chicken:  For best results, use boneless skinless chicken breasts. You could also use boneless skinless thighs.

✅Salsa:  Any kind of salsa will be fantastic! We alternate between hot and mild depending on the day.

✅Corn:  Either frozen or canned (drained) corn is awesome in this recipe. They both work well with the other ingredients and cook great.

🍗 Instructions

👉Step 1: Spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray (or brush with olive oil).

👉Step 2: Pour in the salsa, chicken and corn. Mix well, cover and cook on high for three to four hours.

👉Step 3: Shred chicken with two forks and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve in tortillas, or over rice.

❄️ Meal Prep/Freezer Directions

It is so, so easy. You can definitely make this a freezer meal. Just pour the ingredients into a freezer bag, shake it up and store it in the freezer. When you are ready to cook, put it in the fridge the night before to defrost and toss the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning!

📌 Expert Tips

🔸Use a thick & chunky salsa. This is my most important tip! A thin, watery salsa will give you a soupy result. Using a good quality, thick and chunky salsa creates a much richer sauce that clings to the shredded chicken.

🔸Don’t overcook the chicken! The “set it and forget it” dream can quickly turn into dry, stringy chicken. Boneless breasts cook fast! I recommend checking them on the early side (around 3 hours on high) with a fork. As soon as they shred easily, they’re done!

🔸Drain your canned corn. If you’re using canned corn, be sure to drain it well before adding it to the pot. This also helps prevent the final dish from being too watery.”

🍲 Serving Ideas

🔹Add your favorite toppings like sour cream, cilantro, fresh-squeezed lime juice, hot sauce, and avocados.

🔹We served them in tortillas, squeezed a little lime juice over the top, and added a couple of avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream.

🔹If you don’t want to use tortillas, build it up as a burrito bowl over rice using the same toppings.

🔹Serve without shredding and scoop the salsa/corn mixture on top. Serve with vegetables and have an incredible weeknight meal made in just a few minutes.

🌶️ Variations

While this 3-ingredient version is my go-to, it’s also fun to customize! Here are a few of our favorites:

✔️Creamy salsa chicken – About 30 minutes before serving, drop in a block of cream cheese. Let it soften, then stir it all together with the shredded chicken. It’s incredibly rich and delicious!

✔️Classic taco chicken – This is a reader favorite! Just add one packet of your favorite low-sodium taco seasoning along with the salsa and corn. It makes for a perfectly seasoned taco filling.

✔️Spicy black bean & corn salsa chicken – For a little extra kick, use a “hot” salsa and add a can of drained and rinsed black beans along with the corn.

❓ FAQs

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