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Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken

Crockpot salsa verde chicken with tender shredded chicken coated in a tangy salsa verde sauce. Slow-cooked on low or high for easy weeknight Tex-Mex tacos, bowls, or rice dinners.
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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
  

  • 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
  • 1 warm tortillas for serving
  • 1 cotija cheese for serving
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 over rice optional serving method

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Pour the salsa verde and chicken broth over the chicken, making sure the pieces are largely covered.
  3. Add the diced green chiles, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, then gently stir to distribute the seasonings.
  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 with a fork, with bubbling/active simmering visible at the edges.
Shred and coat
  1. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks until no large chunks remain.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the salsa verde sauce until evenly colored and glossy.
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

For best texture, shred right after cooking while the chicken is hot and tender; stir until the sauce looks evenly thick and coats the strands. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth. Freezing is yes: freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat sour cream and skip extra cheese.