Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken
User Reviews
4.6
Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken
Description
This recipe layers diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, minced jalapeño, garlic, cumin, chili powder, canned green chiles, salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker, drizzled with olive oil for moisture and flavor distribution. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs are placed atop the vegetables and spices, then topped with salsa verde sauce.
Cooking on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours results in chicken that shreds effortlessly with forks. The spiced vegetables and green chiles infuse the meat with a complex flavor profile combining savory, smoky, and mildly spicy notes. The salsa verde adds acidity and freshness, balancing richness and heat.
After shredding, the liquid can be adjusted by removing excess juices if a drier texture is preferred, or retained for a juicier dish. The green chile chicken is suitable for tacos, burritos, salads, or as a main dish with sides.
Optional adjustments to chili powder and salsa verde heat levels allow tailoring the dish from mild to more intense spiciness. Homemade salsa verde from tomatillos, poblanos, and other fresh ingredients can be used for a fresher flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion peeled and finely diced, medium
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced small, medium to large
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced very small, medium to large
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder or to taste*
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste if desired
- 1 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste if desired, freshly ground
- green chiles do not drain, one 4-ounce can
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 pound chicken I used 2lb chicken breast, 1lb chicken thighs, but any combination is fine, boneless, skinless
- 1 ½ cup salsa verde
- lime or to taste, juice of 1 large
- ¼ cup cilantro plus more for garnishing, chopped
Instructions
- To a large 6 to 7-quart slow cooker, add the onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, chili powder, canned green chiles, evenly drizzle with oil, and stir to coat evenly and combine.
- Place the chicken on top, evenly spaced.
- Evenly drizzle the salsa over the top, cover with the lid, and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the chicken is done. Tip - When it's done, it will shred extremely easily with two forks.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, place it on a cutting board, and shred with two forks. Tips - If for some reason there looks like a ton of cooking liquid and juices in your slow cooker and you don't want your final dish as juicy, remove the juices, 1/2 cup at a time, or as desired. This isn't likely necessary and we love the juiciness of the final dish and I keep all the juices in the bottom of the slow cooker, but it's up to you. On the contrary, if it doesn't look like there's enough juices or liquid, add additional salsa verde 1/2 cup at a time, as desired.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with cilantro, and stir to combine.
- Taste the chicken for seasoning balance, and if desired, add additional salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne for those who want it spicy.
- Serve immediately as desired. As shown, I served it as tacos in corn tortillas, sour cream, a tiny bit of hot sauce, and additional cilantro. Flour tortillas are also fine. You can also use the filling in burritos, sandwiches, sliders, wraps, or as desired. Extra chicken will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave as needed.
Notes
- Adjust chili powder quantity for desired heat: use 1 tsp for milder flavor, up to 3 tsp for spicier.
- Add cayenne pepper cautiously after cooking if you want to increase heat, starting with a small pinch.
- Select salsa verde heat level based on preference; mild options like Herdez or Trader Joe’s are good choices.
- Homemade salsa verde from tomatillos and poblano peppers can be used for fresh flavor, thinned with broth if needed.
- Remove excess cooking liquid if you want a less juicy final dish, but retaining juices keeps the chicken moist.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 327 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 327kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 40g | 80% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Cholesterol | 121mg | 40% |
| Sodium | 629mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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