Description
This Mexican Chicken Crock Pot recipe is a flavorful and easy slow cooker meal perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep. Tender boneless chicken breasts are cooked with black beans, corn, tomatoes with green chilies, and a blend of spices, then shredded and optionally combined with cream cheese for a creamy texture. It can be served in various ways including with rice, tortillas, or over a salad, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
- 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 1 small onion, chopped
Seasonings and Extras
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz cream cheese (optional, for creamier texture)
- Chopped cilantro and lime wedges (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Start by placing the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add Beans, Vegetables, and Spices: Add the drained black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, salsa, and chopped onion over the chicken. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper on top. Stir gently to combine everything around the chicken without fully covering it.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred the Chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the crock pot, mixing it with the other ingredients.
- Add Cream Cheese (Optional): If you want a creamier texture, add the cream cheese now and stir until melted and fully combined. Let it cook for an additional 15 minutes on low.
- Final Seasoning and Serving: Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve the shredded chicken with rice, tortillas, or on top of a salad, garnished with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
- Great for meal prep and freezer meals – portion and freeze for easy future meals.
- To add extra heat, include chopped jalapeños or increase the amount of chili powder.
- For a low-carb option, serve over cauliflower rice or use lettuce wraps instead of tortillas or rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 7.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
