Cheesy Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
This Cheesy Crockpot Salsa Chicken is chicken breasts slow cooked in salsa until they're fork-tender, then covered with melted Monterey Jack, so you get enchilada flavor without rolling a single tortilla. The whole sauce is one jar of store-bought salsa, and shortcuts like that are how dinner happens on my busy weeks.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth (only if your salsa is thick and chunky)
For topping
- 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Instructions
- Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Season the tops with the ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Spoon the 1½ cups salsa over the chicken so every piece is covered. If the salsa is thick and chunky, add the 3 tablespoons chicken broth around the edges of the pot.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–6 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and the thickest part reads 165°F.
- Scatter the ⅓ cup Monterey Jack over the chicken. Cover again and cook 15–30 more minutes, until the cheese has melted.
- Top with the 1 tablespoon green onion. Serve each breast with a spoonful of the salsa from the pot, over rice if you like.
Notes
High Setting: To cook on HIGH, cook 2½–3 hours before adding the cheese.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave, covered, with a spoonful of the sauce on top so the chicken doesn't dry out, about 1–2 minutes.
Freezing: Cool the cooked chicken in its sauce and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.