Home › Recipe Index › Entrees › Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

🫑🍗🍋 Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken features tender, juicy chicken simmered with green chiles, jalapeño, salsa verde, onions, garlic, and spices for the most FLAVORFUL and versatile green chile chicken! Use it in tacos, burritos, casseroles, sandwiches, or as a meal prep recipe. Best of all, it’s SO EASY because your slow cooker does ALL the work!

A bowl of slow cooker green chile chicken. - 3

Easiest Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

This juicy, fall-apart tender slow cooker green chile chicken is packed with bold Mexican-inspired flavors from salsa verde, green chiles, bell pepper, onion, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. Just dump everything into your slow cooker, no searing, marinating, or blending required.

The chicken cooks to perfection and shreds easily with a fork. Serve it in tacos, enchiladas, sliders, burritos, bowls, or on its own. A flavorful, fuss-free dinner the whole family will love, it’s perfect for busy weeknights!

The crock pot chicken salsa verde was as delish as I thought it would be. Simple tasty ingredients. My family loved it and ate it in a flour tortilla topped with Avacado, sour cream, lime and cilantro. I ate mine over Spanish rice. Looking forward to serving it to friends during our football parties. I just ate the last of it with scrambled eggs! YUM! Cheryl Rossebo

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken ingredients. - 4

Ingredients in Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

You need just a few easy-to-find ingredients to make this dairy-free slow cooker recipe, and you might already have a few of them at home.

Veggies – Yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic cloves, and canned green chiles
Jalapeño Peppers – You can substitute canned jalapeños. Just make sure to adjust the amount according to your taste preferences. Canned jalapenos are also usually sitting in a bit of juice, and you can add that right in too. Use one 4-ounce can in place of one fresh jalapeno pepper.
Spices – Ground cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper
Olive oil – Avocado oil also works well, if preferred
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – You can use chicken thighs or a mix of thighs and breasts if preferred
Salsa verde – I used Herdez Mild Salsa Verde ; Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde is also a great choice if you have one in your area
Lime juice, for garnishing – Freshly squeezed is best
Cilantro, for garnishing – Feel free to omit or replace with flat-leaf parsley

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Veggies and spices in a slow cooker for slow cooker green chile chicken. - 5

How to Make Green Chile Chicken in a Slow Cooker

With so little prep time, this is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it recipe!

Literally, toss all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it slowly cook your chicken to melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

Here’s what you need to do:

Add all the ingredients (minus the salsa, lime juice, and cilantro) to a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker , and stir well. There’s no need to sauté the veggies first! They soften right up, and the flavor is fine. However, if you want to take the extra step, sautéing the onions, bell peppers, and garlic in a skillet with a little oil before adding them to the slow cooker can help deepen their flavors.
Pour in the salsa verde, cover, and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, depending on your preference.
Once the chicken is cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken on a cutting board.
Add the chicken back into the slow cooker, and add the lime juice and cilantro. If you think it looks like too much sauce for your liking, remove 1/2 to 1 cup of it. Add the chicken, stir, and see how it looks. You can always add green sauce back in. If there’s not quite enough sauce for your liking, you can always add another 1/2 to 1 cup of salsa verde after the cooking process, or as desired.
Now you’re ready to serve the crockpot green chili chicken over rice, in tortillas with taco toppings, make for meal prep, or any other way you’d like to eat it!

Stovetop Option

To make green chile chicken on the stovetop, start by sautéing vegetables and spices in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it along with the salsa verde. Turn the heat down to medium-low, put the lid on, and simmer everything until the chicken is tender. Shred them with two forks to serve. This Skillet Cilantro Chicken recipe gives you a good framework and idea of how to do it.

Slow cooker green chile chicken in a slow cooker. - 6

What to serve with slow cooker green chile chicken

Two golden-brown muffins stacked with honey drizzled on top. - 7

Two golden-brown muffins stacked with honey drizzled on top. - 8

Honey Cornbread Muffins

$Instant Pot Refried Beans - Learn how to make perfect beans in your Instant Pot in a fraction of the time it takes on the stove or in a slow cooker. So much EASIER, FASTER, and more FLAVORFUL! Mash them up for the best refried beans you can ask for! So versatile and can be used in a ton of other recipes! - 9$ $Instant Pot Refried Beans - Learn how to make perfect beans in your Instant Pot in a fraction of the time it takes on the stove or in a slow cooker. So much EASIER, FASTER, and more FLAVORFUL! Mash them up for the best refried beans you can ask for! So versatile and can be used in a ton of other recipes! - 10$

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Sweet Potato Cornbread

A close-up image of nachos topped with melted cheese, guacamole, diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. - 13

A close-up image of nachos topped with melted cheese, guacamole, diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. - 14

Loaded Guacamole Nachos

A spoonful of slow cooker green chile chicken. - 15

Recipe Variations

Spicier Version: If you prefer a bolder kick of spice, feel free to add an extra jalapeño or increase the amount of chili powder. A dash of cayenne pepper at the end works too.
Milder Version: Hatch green chiles or poblano peppers are great substitutes for the jalapeño chile pepper. Take the chili powder down to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon total, and you’re set.
Creamy Variation: If you enjoy a creamier texture, mix in a dollop of cream cheese or sour cream towards the end of the cooking process.
Citrus Twist: Try adding a splash of orange juice or a hint of lemon or lime zest to infuse a citrusy tang into the dish.

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken taco topped with sour cream. - 16

Equipment

1 6 to 7 quart slow cooker

Ingredients

▢ 1 medium yellow onion , peeled and finely diced
▢ 1 medium to large green bell pepper , seeded and diced small
▢ 1 medium to large jalapeño , seeded and diced very small
▢ 3 to 4 cloves garlic , finely minced
▢ 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
▢ 2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder , or to taste*
▢ 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste if desired
▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste if desired
▢ one 4-ounce can green chiles , do not drain
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil , or avocado oil
▢ 3 pound boneless skinless chicken , I used 2lb chicken breast, 1lb chicken thighs, but any combination is fine
▢ 1 ½ cup salsa verde**
▢ Juice of 1 large lime , or to taste
▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro , plus more for garnishing

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

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

↓ Click the Stars to Rate This Recipe ↓

Tried this recipe? Leave a review!

Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken Pinterest image with two pictures of the chicken. - 17

More Easy Green Chile Recipes:

15-Minute Salsa Verde Chicken With Avocado – This Mexican-inspired dish is a fast and easy one-skillet recipe. Chicken, salsa verde, and creamy avocado come together in this convenient meal the whole family will love.

15-Minute Salsa Verde Chicken with Avocado in a pot. - 18

15-Minute Salsa Verde Chicken, Rice, and Beans – Salsa verde and chicken are mixed with lime juice, cilantro, rice, and beans to make the perfect meal for busy weeknights!

15-Minute Salsa Verde Chicken, Rice, and Beans in a pot. - 19

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas – EASY juicy enchiladas with so much flavor from the salsa verde and TONS of melted CHEESE! Ready in 30 minutes, are made with just a handful of ingredients, and will be an instant family favorite!

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas in a baking dish. - 20

Chilaquiles Verdes — Tortilla chips are smothered in a homemade tangy tomatillo serrano chile salsa verde before being garnished to the max with avocado, queso fresco, crema, cilantro, and onion! EASY and ready in 20 minutes! They have the perfect amount of spiciness to keep you wanting just one more bite!

A scoop of Chilaquiles Verdes being lifted from a dish. - 21

Salsa Verde Chicken Chilaquiles – An EASY comfort food recipe with just FOUR main ingredients and ready in 30 minutes!! Green chilaquiles are made with layers of corn tostadas and juicy chicken smothered in salsa verde and melted pepper Jack cheese!

Salsa Verde Chicken Chilaquiles in a cast iron skillet. - 22

Grilled Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Chicken -The EASIEST salsa verde marinade keeps this chicken so juicy and tender!! Melted pepper Jack cheese on top takes an already awesome piece of chicken and makes it that much BETTER!

Grilled Salsa Verde Chicken with Pepper Jack on a plate. - 23

Chunky Tomatillo Avocado Salsa — If you like salsa verde, you’re going to LOVE this homemade version that includes creamy chunks of avocado! As FAST and EASY and tossing a handful of healthy ingredients into your food processor and the salsa is ready in seconds. No roasting or charring necessary for AMAZING homemade salsa!

Chunky Tomatillo Avocado Salsa in a bowl. - 24