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Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken

Crockpot salsa verde chicken is a set-and-forget Tex-Mex main with slow-cooked, very tender shredded chicken in tangy salsa verde. Serve it in warm tortillas or over rice and finish with cotija, sour cream, cilantro, and lime for a bright, saucy bowl.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and slow-cooker base
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Serving toppings
  • 1 Warm tortillas
  • 1 cotija cheese
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Pour the salsa verde and chicken broth over the chicken so everything is covered.
  3. Add the diced green chiles, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt over the top.
  4. Cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily when pressed.
Shred and coat
  1. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks until it breaks into bite-size strands.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the salsa verde sauce until glossy and evenly mixed.
Serve
  1. Serve the salsa verde chicken in warm tortillas or over rice, topped with cotija cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: for best flavor, let the chicken stay in the slow cooker on warm for 15–20 minutes after cooking so the sauce clings to the shredded meat. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (cool completely first). For a dairy-light option, use cotija in smaller amounts or swap with a crumbly dairy-free cheese; all other steps stay the same.