Description
Mouthwatering slow cooker salsa verde chicken delivers authentic Mexican flavors with minimal effort. Tender shredded chicken combines zesty green sauce, creating a versatile meal you can enjoy in tacos, burritos, or over rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) chicken breasts or thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 cups (473 ml) salsa verde, jarred or homemade
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup (14 g) chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Layer chicken pieces uniformly across the slow cooker base, creating an even cooking surface for optimal flavor infusion.
- Seasoning: Craft a dynamic spice blend of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Massage the aromatic mixture thoroughly into the chicken, ensuring complete coverage and deep flavor penetration.
- Liquid Immersion: Cascade salsa verde over the seasoned chicken, completely enveloping the protein to guarantee a rich, tangy sauce environment.
- Slow Cooking: Secure the lid and allow the chicken to simmer on low temperature for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, transforming the meat into fork-tender, easily shredded strands.
- Meat Breakdown: Extract the cooked chicken and meticulously shred using two forks, creating delicate, succulent protein pieces that absorb the surrounding liquid.
- Final Flavor Enhancement: Reintroduce shredded chicken to the cooking liquid, splash with fresh lime juice, and gently fold to integrate the zesty essence. Rest for 5-10 minutes to allow flavor harmonization.
- Serving Suggestions: Present the versatile salsa verde chicken in multiple formats – tucked into tacos, crowning burrito bowls, nestled on rice, or scattered across a vibrant salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro for a bright, herbaceous finish.
Notes
- Optimize Spice Absorption: Massage spices directly into chicken before cooking to maximize flavor penetration and ensure every bite is deeply seasoned.
- Prevent Dryness: Keep chicken fully submerged in salsa verde during slow cooking to maintain moisture and tenderness, avoiding any potential tough or rubbery texture.
- Enhance Flavor Development: Allow chicken to rest after shredding, giving it time to absorb the zesty cooking liquid and create more complex, rich taste profiles.
- Dietary Adaptations: Easily transform this recipe for different dietary needs by substituting chicken with jackfruit for a vegan version or using turkey for a leaner protein option.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg