Incredible flavor. Incredibly tender. Fantastic aroma. This slow cooker Mexican chicken has knocked my long-time easy go-to beef taco mixture off the podium and replaced it at #1. And rightfully so.
This is the perfect mixture for tacos, nachos, burritos, chimichangas, you name it. Anything. Heck you can throw it on a bun and serve it as a sandwich. Or add it to a grilled cheese sandwich for something totally different.
Tender Juicy Deliciousness
I prefer using fire-roasted green chiles and tomatoes in dishes like this slow cooker Mexican chicken. The roasting adds so much more flavor to the vegetables. I leave it up to you if you want to drain the tomatoes. I added the juices in since I wanted to make sure the chicken stayed very moist. You can keep the juices and actually eat this as a soup. Just add some cheese and tortilla strips, and maybe a dollop of sour cream.
- Generous Capacity: 7-quart slow cooker that…
- Cooking Flexibility: High or low slow cooking…
No Mas, No Mas
If you are worried about the heat level in this chicken because of the hot salsa, my first reaction would be to tell you “Don’t worry”. It and the chipotle powder don’t add a lot of heat. But that’s me. And I like a little kick to my dishes. You might not. So if they worry you, there’s a simple solution. Use mild salsa instead. And for the chipotle powder substitute smoked paprika. You’ll still get the smokiness like with chipotle powder but without the heat.
The Other Chicken
I used chicken breasts in this dish. Honestly, I’m usually not a white meat guy. I prefer dark. More flavor. More juicier. If you’re like me, don’t hesitate to substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Or do a mix of both. Whichever you prefer. Because dark meat tends to be fattier you may want to skim a bit of any residual fat that might rise to the top of your slow cooker as the chicken cooks.
Also try my baked smothered chicken burritos!
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup hot salsa
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 4 ounce fire-roasted diced green chiles
- 2 14 1/2 ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes drained or not
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Rub the chicken with the oil and place into a slow cooker set on low.
- In a large bowl stir together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the chicken and cover.
- Cook for 7 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully remove chicken (it should be falling apart tender at this point) to a cutting board and shred or chop as desired.
- Return to the slow cooker and cook another hour, stirring occasionally.
- Depending on the dish, you may want to drain the chicken before using.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
- Package Includes: Six (6) Reynolds Kitchens Slow…
- Easy Cleanup: These strong, reliable slow cooker…