Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

This slow cooker salsa verde chicken is one of those recipes I come back to over and over again. It’s creamy, flavorful, and takes almost no effort to put together.

You basically just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work. A few hours later you’ve got tender, shreddable chicken in a creamy salsa verde sauce that’s honestly hard to stop eating.

The cream cheese melts right into the salsa verde and creates this rich, smooth sauce that coats every piece of chicken perfectly.

You can use it in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or honestly just eat it straight out of the pot. It’s that good and that versatile.

If you’re looking for a simple dinner that the whole family will enjoy, this one is a solid pick.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The Cream Cheese Makes It Special – Stirring cream cheese into the salsa verde creates a rich and creamy sauce that takes this chicken to another level.

Only 10 Minutes of Actual Work – You just dump everything in the slow cooker and walk away for hours while it does all the cooking for you.

Perfect Tangy and Creamy Balance – The lime juice and salsa verde bring brightness while the cream cheese keeps everything smooth and not too acidic.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 (16 oz) jar Salsa Verde
• 1 (4 oz) can Diced Green Chiles
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 Lime

Directions

Step 1

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Season with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

Step 2

Pour the entire jar of salsa verde and the diced green chiles over the chicken, making sure the chicken is well covered.

Step 3

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.

Step 4

Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks. Add the softened cream cheese to the liquid in the slow cooker and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Step 5

Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the lime juice and stir everything together until the chicken is coated in the creamy salsa verde sauce.

Step 6

Fold in the fresh cilantro and let it sit for 5 minutes on the warm setting to let everything come together.

Step 7

Serve in tacos, burritos, over rice, or in a burrito bowl with your favorite toppings. This chicken is incredibly versatile and the creamy salsa verde sauce is the star of the show.

Pro Tips

Don’t Skip Softening the Cream Cheese

The cream cheese needs to be fully softened before you add it to the slow cooker. If it’s still cold and firm, it won’t melt smoothly into the sauce and you’ll end up with lumps of cream cheese floating around.

Take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you need it. If you forgot, cut it into small cubes and microwave it for about 15 seconds – just enough to soften it, not melt it.

When you stir it into the hot liquid in the slow cooker, it should blend in easily and create a smooth, creamy sauce with no chunks.

Don’t Overcook the Chicken

Chicken breasts dry out fast in a slow cooker, even when they’re sitting in liquid. If you go past 7 hours on low or 4 hours on high, the meat starts to get stringy and tough instead of tender and juicy.

Start checking around 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. If a fork slides in easily and the chicken pulls apart without any effort, it’s done.

Thicker chicken breasts take longer than thin ones. If yours are really thick, consider slicing them in half horizontally before placing them in the slow cooker so they cook more evenly.

Remove the Chicken Before Adding Cream Cheese

When you take the chicken out to shred it, leave the liquid behind in the slow cooker. This is when you stir in the cream cheese – while the liquid is still hot and there’s no chicken in the way.

Stir it for a good minute or two until the sauce is completely smooth. If you try to do this with the chicken still in the pot, the cream cheese gets trapped in the shredded meat and won’t distribute evenly.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
• Slow Cooker Carnitas

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker instead?

Yes, this recipe converts really well to a pressure cooker. Add everything except the cream cheese, cilantro, and lime juice, then cook on high pressure for 12 to 15 minutes with a natural release for 10 minutes.

After shredding the chicken, switch to the saute setting on low and stir in the cream cheese until it melts. Then add the lime juice and cilantro just like the original recipe. The whole thing takes under 30 minutes start to finish.