Easy Crockpot Salsa Chicken with Beans & Corn

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Crockpot Salsa Chicken is a ridiculously simple dinner recipe featuring shredded chicken, beans, and corn, perfectly seasoned with salsa and bright lime juice.

Whether you serve slow cooker salsa chicken over homemade tortillas, Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice, or over lettuce for a quick Taco Salad, this is the ultimate quick and easy dinner recipe.

While I have shared with you my super easy recipes for Instant Pot Chicken Tacos, Shredded Chicken Tacos, and Perfect Taco Meat, it is well past time I shared with you one of the easiest recipes in my cooking arsenal.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This is the ultimate crockpot chicken recipe when you need a quick and easy family meal on the table, yet don’t want to sacrifice nutrition or taste.

Made with chicken, salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and beans, Crockpot Salsa Chicken is low in fat, full of flavor, and made with only a handful of ingredients.

why you'll love crockpot salsa chicken

Quick & Easy. Less than 10 minutes of total hands-on time! Talk about easy!
Family-Favorite. Who doesn't love Tex-Mex? And this salsa chicken is made with simple ingredients that even the picky eaters enjoy.
Affordable. Not only are the ingredients inexpensive and easy to find, but using beans and corn helps to stretch this meal even further!
Healthy. Low in fat, low in cholesterol, gluten-free, and dairy-free! And the beans and corn add fiber and nutrients.
Endless Options for Serving. From serving over rice, as a taco filling, to using it to make a quick and easy taco salad, you will never grow tired of this flavorful Crockpot Mexican Chicken recipe.

Notes On Ingredients

Ingredients for crockpot salsa chicken labeled on counter.

Technically, you only need 3 ingredients to make Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican chicken; chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning. But I like to add black beans and corn which bulk up the dish and help to feed more mouths for less money. I also highly recommend finishing the shredded Mexican chicken with lime juice to brighten the dish and make the flavors pop.

Chicken: Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Salsa: Select your favorite flavorful salsa, be it homemade salsa, jarred salsa, or fresh salsa. The salsa is what gives this dish its flavor, so you want to ensure you actually like the flavor of the salsa you use for this recipe.
Taco Seasoning: Adding a bit of taco seasoning will further help to pack in a lot of flavor into this simple crockpot chicken recipe. I love using my homemade taco seasoning but feel free to use any brand you like.
Beans: If desired, black beans or pinto beans make a great addition to Crockpot Salsa Chicken, as they add flavor, protein, and fiber. You can use rinsed and drained canned beans or Instant Pot Beans.
Corn: Use frozen corn kernels, over canned corn for the best flavor. The corn adds a nice sweet flavor that contrasts well with the salsa.
Lime Juice: Don't overlook adding fresh lime juice to the Salsa Chicken and Beans after cooking. It makes the flavors really pop and makes the dish taste really fresh and flavorful.

How To Make Salsa Chicken

Trim off any fat from the chicken breasts and then rub the taco seasoning over the chicken evenly to coat. This will ensure every bite of the chicken is super flavorful.

Side-by-side photo showing seasoned chicken on a cutting board and then in the slow cooker.

Place the chicken in the bottom of a lightly greased slow cooker and top it with black beans and corn. Pour the salsa over the chicken, corn, and beans.

Side by side photo showing corn beans and chicken layered in slow cooker and then topped with salsa.

Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board and shred it with two forks.

Side-by-side photo showing cooked chicken on cutting board and then photo of shredded salsa chicken on cutting board.

Return the chicken back to the slow cooker, along with the juice of fresh lime. Stir everything together.

Side-by-side photo showing shredded chicken added to slow cooker then being mixed into crockpot.

Serving Suggestions

Salsa Chicken can be in endless ways, meaning you will never tire of this simple crockpot chicken recipe. Below are a few of my personal favorites.

As a Rice Bowl: Serve Salsa Chicken over Instant Pot Mexican Rice, Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, or cauliflower rice. Top it with shredded cheese, cilantro, and a scoop of guacamole for a delicious and nutritious burrito bowl.
Use as filling for Burritos or Tacos: Serve the salsa chicken and beans in store-bought or homemade tortillas, with cabbage, cheese, and avocado.
Make a Quesadilla: Top a tortilla with shredded cheese, layer the chicken and bean mixture in a thin layer over the cheese, sprinkle an additional layer of cheese over the salsa chicken, top with a final tortilla and pan-fry or bake until golden and the cheese has melted. Slice and serve with sour cream.
Make Taco Salad: Top shredded lettuce with the Salsa Chicken mixture and your favorite toppings. Serve with a side of tortilla chips or top with tortilla strips.
Use it to make Chicken Enchiladas: Replace the cooked shredded chicken with equal amounts of this crockpot shredded salsa chicken to make Chicken Enchiladas or Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

Bowl of rice topped with crockpot salsa chicken garnished with cilantro and cheese.

Recipe Modifications

Use Salsa Verde: Instead of traditional red salsa, switch things and use a jar or homemade salsa verde.
Make It Creamy: After shredding the chicken, add 8 ounces of cubed cream cheese along with the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 20-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes, until the cream cheese has melted into the chicken and bean mixture.
Make it Spicy: Use hot or spicy salsa or 1 minced jalapeno for a bold, spicy kick of flavor.
Lower-Sodium: Omit the salt in the homemade taco seasoning and use a low-sodium salsa.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken?

Unfortunately, no. The USDA states it is not safe to cook frozen meat in the slow cooker, as it spends too much time reaching a safe temperature. However, you can use my recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Taco Meat, as the Instant Pot is regarded as safe for cooking frozen meat.

Are the beans and corn necessary?

No! Feel free to make this recipe for Crockpot Salsa Chicken without the addition of beans and/or corn. No other modifications need to be made.

Is it better to cook the Salsa Chicken on low or high heat?

I prefer cooking chicken breast on low, which helps to keep the chicken from drying out or becoming tough.

More Easy Crockpot Dinner Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for Crockpot Salsa Chicken, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Bowl of salsa chicken topped with rice, cheese, and cilantro.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Crockpot Salsa Chicken is the ultimate crockpot chicken recipe. Made with simple ingredients, this flavorful Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken is a cheap, healthy, family-favorite dinner!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Tex Mex

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 5 5

Servings:

Calories: 165kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ cooking spray
▢ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
▢ 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
▢ 1 (15 oz) can black beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed
▢ 1 cup frozen corn kernels
▢ 2 cups red salsa
▢ 1 lime juiced
▢ cilantro, cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeno, etc for serving

Instructions

Spray the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray.
Trim off any fat from the chicken breasts and then rub the taco seasoning over the chicken evenly to coat.
Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker and top it with black beans and corn. Pour the salsa over the chicken, corn, and beans.
Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Once the chicken reaches 165° F, remove the chicken to a clean cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return the chicken back to the slow cooker, along with the juice of fresh lime. Stir everything together.
Serve over rice, on tortillas, and top with cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, etc.

Equipment Needed

6-8 quart Slow Cooker

Notes

Salsa: Be sure to use a flavorful salsa you enjoy, or switch it up and instead of traditional red salsa, use a jar or homemade salsa verde.

Corn & Beans: The addition of corn and/or beans is optional. If using beans, be sure to rinse and drain the canned beans prior to adding them to the crockpot.

Make It Creamy: After shredding the chicken, add 8 ounces of cubed cream cheese along with the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 20-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes, until the cream cheese has melted into the chicken and bean mixture.

Make it Spicy: Use hot or spicy salsa or 1 minced jalapeno for a bold, spicy kick of flavor.

Lower-Sodium: Omit the salt in the homemade taco seasoning and use a low-sodium salsa.

Storage: Store leftover, cooled shredded salsa chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

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