This recipe for crockpot shredded Mexican chicken is probably the best thing ever. Chicken and salsa is already a fantastic combination but then you add in the cream cheese….omg- heaven! You have to try it and luckily, it won’t take you very long to make!
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Crockpot Dinners
I think I speak for a lot of busy mom’s out there when I say that my crockpot is my best friend. If you do not already have or frequently use your crockpot, you seriously need to. It will change your world! The crockpot makes preparing dinner a 5 minute job and just melts away any stress related to cooking.
There are so many crockpot recipes where you just toss all the ingredients into the bowl, turn the machine on and then just walk away for hours, only to return to a fully prepared meal. Doesn’t this sound like something you want?! This recipe is the perfect example of just such crockpot magic. Once you try this recipe, you will likely be finding yourself wanting more and more crockpot recipes and don’t worry, there are plenty here on my site (I love making them after all!) or you can even buy entire crockpot recipe books! Click here to see my favorite crockpot recipe books that will change your dinnertime routine forever.
Chicken for Tacos
The creation of this recipe began on a Tuesday- Taco Tuesday to be more specific. We had been trying to have themed dinner nights at my house to switch up our boring dinner routine and Taco Tuesday’s sounded fun and delicious! How could I go wrong!
Yet Taco Tuesday rolled around and you know what I didn’t have? Anything to put inside those Tuesday tacos. I also had a schedule that was jam packed from morning to night meaning I would have no time to make that fun themed meal. However, I did have chicken, I did have salsa, I even had a jar of salsa verde- I was set. With these simple ingredients, I knew I would be able to make dinner time magic. Now, how o cook this amazing dinner…
How To Use a Slow Cooker
If you are familiar with using a slow cooker, you probably know what I did next. I dumped everything into the bowl, turned on the timer and walked away. I was ready to tackle my day and I knew my diner would be waiting for me at home. Doesn’t that sound simple? Well, it is! Slow cookers are simply a mom’s best friend.
Slow cookers work their magic by keeping a very low and steady heat, cooking the food in a safe manner but allowing it to slowly absorb all of the flavors of the ingredients in the pot. They all melt together and create magic! The proteins in the meat can slowly breakdown and become tender, juicy and easily shred with a fork. It’s just fantastic!
Shredded Chicken Burrito Filling
Since the chicken portion of my Taco Tuesday was going so smoothly, I had a little time in my busy day to think about what I could add to the meal to make it better….Burritos!
Sure, my family knew we were having tacos but why not just throw burritos into the mix too. Burritos are basically comprised of the same ingredients as tacos except rather than use a crunchy corn tortilla as the holder, I use soft flour tortillas. The chicken I was cooking in the slow cooker would work perfectly in burritos as well. In fact, this chicken would work in:
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Enchiladas
- Burrito Bowls
- Mexican Omelets
- Sandwiches
- EVERYTHING!
How could something so easy be one of the best chicken dishes ever invented? I don’t know and I am not going to question it anymore, I am just going to keep making it over and over again! If you want to know a little bit more about all the different Mexican inspired dishes that this shredded chicken is perfect for, check out this article that explains what each dish is- it is super helpful!
So I had my plan for dinner. Tacos and burritos all filled with my flavorful shredded chicken. This meal was going to make me look like super mom!
Crockpot Mexican Chicken with Cream Cheese
When I got home that day and stepped into my house, I could smell the Mexican chicken immediately. I peaked in the crockpot and saw perfectly cooked chicken ready to be shredded. However, it still needed something a little extra. Something to make it creamier and even more flavorful.
I reached for the cream cheese and some extra taco seasoning I had on hand and tossed them in. The cream cheese started to melt into the salsa and as I shredded the chicken, the taco seasoning blended together as well. The whole thing looked and smelled better than any expensive Mexican chicken I ever had. I was so excited for Taco Tuesday!
Adding cream cheese to the mix was one of the easiest things to do and it totally transformed this dish. If you are looking to cut back on calories, opt for a low fat cream cheese (yes, that does exist!). You will still get all the creamy texture and the full flavor of regular cream cheese but in a more nutritious way.
Taco Toppings
Now that I had my perfect, creamy shredded chicken ready, the next question was the toppings. What would go well with this chicken….everything! Pretty much anything you could think to put on a taco or inside a burrito would do. I check my fridge and found a few things to chop up and serve with the tacos. Here is what I cam up with:
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Shredded Cheese
- Jalapenos
- Lettuce
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Cilantro
Of course you can put anything you’d like on your tacos and this chicken is so full of flavor that you really don’t even need anything extra. Yet I am always a fan of getting as many veggies into a meal as possible. Did you know that eating more vegetables will make your body function better and you will feel better almost instantly? Just some food for thought…you’re checking your fridge to see what vegetables you have in there right now, aren’t you?
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Recipes
My family was completely obsessed with this shredded chicken and, as you may have guessed, it became a tradition as Taco Tuesday lived on. I can’t say that I mind at all, this shredded chicken is insanely easy to make, requires so few ingredients and tastes like it came from an authentic Mexican restaurant.
What I love as well is that this chicken tastes even better the next day. I frequently make a double batch (I have a nice big slow cooker!) and then use the chicken for lunches and other dinners later that week. Click here to see a few ways I use shredded chicken– you’ll really fall in love with this recipe once you see how versatile it is!
If you have been looking for a slow cooker shredded chicken recipe, look no further- this one is the one you need. Besides, you won’t even need to hold on to the recipe for very long, you’ll have it memorized after making it once! Enjoy!
Crockpot Shredded Mexican Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Gluten Free
Description
Serve this chicken on top of rice, inside burritos, on top of nachos…it goes well with everything!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 4 tablespoons light cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Instructions
- Place chicken in the bottom of crockpot and top with salsa. Cook on high for about 6 hours.
- Add taco seasoning and cheese then use a fork to shred chicken
- Can be served over rice, in tortillas or with chips.
Notes
- Make this recipe in an Instant Pot by adding all the chicken and salsas to the pot, sealing the pressure cooker lid and cooking on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release and then stir in the cream cheese and taco seasoning.
- You can use chicken thighs as well but remove the skin before cooking and be sure to take out the bones when you shred the chicken.
- If you do not have salsa verde, use all regular salsa.
- Add a sliced jalapeno (seeds removed) to the pot and you will get a delicious, spicy chicken.
- Shred the chicken and freeze in a container with the cooking juices. This will keep in the freezer for up to two months. Microwave or heat over the stove top when you are ready to eat!
- This chicken will keep in the fridge for 5-6 days when wrapped tightly in an airtight container.
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If I made the meatballs from scarcth do I need to freeze them add them into the crock pot after I’ve already cooked them in the oven? Or do I put them in the crock pot uncooked??Thanks!
Hi 🙂 What recipe did you have a question about?? This one is for shredded chicken in the crockpot 🙂 I’d be happy to help you with the meatball question, but not sure what recipe you’re referring to. Thanks!
This sounds delicious and so easy! Just a question about the cooking time…at the top of the recipe section, it says that the cook time is 4 hours, but in the instructions it says to cook on high for 6 hours? Just wondering which is the correct time? Also, do you know how long it would take to cook on low? Thanks! 🙂
★★★★★
Hi! I think you’ve discovered a mistake in the recipe 🙂 I would cook on LOW for 6 hours. They are done when they shred easily. Enjoy!
Your instructions indicate to top w/salsa…….not salsas. Is the salsa verde to be added prior to cookin
Hi Rebecca,
Sorry for the confusion. You can use either salsa or salsa verde prior to cooking. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot and add either salsa or salsa verde on top. It is your preference(not both). I also want to point out that you can cook the recipe on high for four hours or on low for six. You know they’re done when they shred easily with a fork. Enjoy!!!