Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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This Crockpot Salsa Chicken is an easy crockpot dump meal! It’s made with six simple ingredients and takes just 5 minutes to prep. Serve this chicken in tacos or burrito bowls, over nachos, in fajitas, you name it!

overhead image of four salsa chicken breasts in slow cooker with mozzarella and parsley

Love Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipes? Try this Crockpot Tuscan Chicken, this Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken, Easy Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken or this Crockpot Chicken Stew next!

I love my crockpot. How could you not love a kitchen tool that allows you to just throw everything into one pot, walk away, and come back to a home-cooked meal?

This Crockpot Salsa Chicken is just one of my favorite crockpot recipes.

It’s made with chicken breasts, a few simple seasonings, and your favorite salsa, and finished off with melty mozzarella cheese because who doesn’t love some extra cheesiness?

Serve this chicken in tacos, burritos, over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, fajitas, or just eat it by the spoonful straight out of the crockpot. It’s hard to resist. 😉

For a fun sweet and spicy flavor variation, check out my slow cooker mango salsa chicken!

close up image of one salsa chicken breast on grey plate with rice

Ingredients Needed

This salsa chicken recipe is just about as simple as it gets! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Chicken Breasts: I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Chicken thighs will work as well, they will likely just take slightly longer to cook all the way through.
  • Seasonings: a simple blend of chili powder, garlic powder, and salt creates a delicious flavor base for the chicken. Feel free to use prepackaged taco seasoning if you prefer!
  • Tomato Salsa: use mild, medium, or hot depending on your spice tolerance. You can even mix things up and choose a fruity variety!
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: I recommend shredding your own cheese for the best texture.
ingredients needed for crockpot salsa chicken
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How to Make Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This crockpot salsa chicken recipe comes together with a quick 5 minutes of prep!

  1. Combine all ingredients: Place the chicken breasts into your slow cooker. Mix together chili powder, garlic powder, and salt, then sprinkle the mixture over the chicken breasts. Pour the salsa over top.
  2. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is 165ºF.
  3. Finish and serve: Once cooked, turn the crockpot off, open the lid, and sprinkle with cheese. Place the lid back on for 5-10 minutes so the cheese can melt, then serve and enjoy.

FAQs for Crockpot Salsa Chicken

How long does it take to cook chicken breast in the crockpot on low?

This chicken will cook on low in the crockpot for anywhere from 3-4 hours. I recommend checking the temperature at 3 hours and cooking more only as needed. Once the internal temperature of the chicken is 165ºF, it’s ready to go.

Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes! It’s perfectly safe to put raw chicken into the crockpot. If you want to brown the chicken before cooking it, you totally can, but it isn’t necessary.

Can you put frozen chicken in the crockpot?

No. Frozen chicken takes too long to come to a safe temperature. In that extra time, bacteria can form on the meat. If all you have is frozen chicken, I recommend thawing it first.

Can you make salsa chicken in the oven?

Yes! To make oven-baked salsa chicken, place the chicken breasts on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Coat the chicken in seasoning, top with salsa, cover with foil and bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees F or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Remove the foil, top with cheese, and bake just until melted.

Can you make salsa chicken on the stove?

You can! To make salsa chicken on the stove, season the chicken breasts and add to a large skillet with the salsa. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Top with cheese, cover and let melt.

How to store:

Leftover salsa chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through. If the chicken has dried out slightly, add another scoop of salsa to moisten.

close up image of salsa chicken in crockpot with mozzarella

Serving Suggestions

If you’re not eating this salsa chicken straight out of the crockpot with a fork, here are a few ways you can serve it:

  • In tacos. Layer it into a soft or hard taco shell with lettuce, pico, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
  • In fajitas. Serve it in warm flour tortillas with roasted fajita veggies.
  • Over rice. Serve it over a bed of brown rice with your favorite taco/burrito mix-ins to make a burrito bowl!
  • On nachos. Use it as a topping for cheesy loaded nachos.
  • In taco salad. Try it in my chicken taco salad recipe for a fun flavor twist.

More Crockpot Chicken Recipes to Try

If you love making chicken in the crockpot, check out more of my easy crockpot chicken recipes!

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Crockpot Salsa Chicken

5 from 12 votes
This Crockpot Salsa Chicken is the best throw-and-go recipe. It's made with six simple ingredients and takes just 5 minutes to prep. Serve this chicken in tacos or burrito bowls, over nachos, in fajitas, you name it!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Cuisine American, Mexican
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings
Calories 234cal

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup jarred tomato salsa (mild, medium or hot)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Place chicken breasts in a 3-4 quart slow cooker.
  • Stir together chili powder, garlic powder and salt and sprinkle over chicken breasts.
  • Pour salsa on top of chicken.
  • Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Turn the slow cooker off, open the lid and sprinkle with cheese. Put the lid and allow cheese to melt for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage:
Leftover salsa chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through. If the chicken has dried out slightly, add another scoop of salsa to moisten.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 213grams | Calories: 234cal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1060mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 609IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords crockpot salsa chicken

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Billie says

    Why does this recipe take a 3-4 qt slow cook while the JUICY slow cooker chicken breast used a 2.5 qt crockpot? They both call for 4 boneless chicken breasts. They both call for a 3hr cook time.

    Trying to learn how to best use my crockpot and I had assumed if I am using the same amount of chicken (and not adding potatoes or other veggies) I would use the same sized crock pot.

    Thanks for helping us all learn.

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Billie, this recipe also includes up to 2 cups of extra liquid (the salsa) versus the other recipe only uses 3/4 cups of liquid, so a little extra space is needed. You can definitely experiment and see what works with your personal crockpot. Hope this helps!

  2. Liz says

    My family and I love this recipe! It’s super simple and delicious! Could you cook this on high temp rather than low and if yes, for how long?

5 from 12 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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