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Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken
4.6 from 72 votes

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken simmers boneless skinless chicken in a blend of diced onions, green bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic, and green chiles with spices such as cumin and chili powder. The chicken becomes tender enough to shred easily, infused with smoky and mildly spicy flavors melding in the slow cooker. Salsa verde adds tang and brightness to finish the dish.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 327 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. Place the chicken on top, evenly spaced.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with cilantro, and stir to combine.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 327

% 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.