Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Salsa Chicken Over Rice
A simple, flavorful crockpot salsa chicken recipe with just five ingredients, perfect for a quick and comforting weeknight dinner served over rice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 7 hours (low) or 3 to 4 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes (low) or 3 hours 5 minutes (high)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1½ cups salsa (medium-spicy preferred)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish
- Optional: lime wedges for serving
- Optional: cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower rice) for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts. Trim any excess fat if needed.
- Sprinkle garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot in a single layer.
- Pour salsa over the chicken, spreading it out to cover the pieces well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until chicken is tender and shreds easily.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir into the salsa juices.
- Cook rice according to package instructions while chicken soaks up flavors.
- Serve shredded salsa chicken over warm rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if desired.
Notes
If salsa is watery, drain excess liquid before serving to avoid soggy rice. Do not overcook chicken to prevent dryness. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before shredding to keep juices locked in. Frozen chicken should be fully thawed before cooking. Use medium-spicy salsa for best flavor balance. Optional add-ins include jalapeño, cheese, black beans, or corn.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 320350
- Fat: 35
- Carbohydrates: 1530
- Fiber: 24
- Protein: 35
Keywords: crockpot chicken, salsa chicken, slow cooker recipe, easy dinner, weeknight meal, shredded chicken, Mexican chicken, 5-ingredient recipe