Who doesn’t love a dinner that basically cooks itself? Slow cookers are fantastic for giving us warming meals at the end of a long day. This Salsa Verde Chicken recipe is full of flavour and can be made in the slow cooker, or Instant Pot, and is sure to be a weeknight winner. Perfect served in bowls, or stuffed into enchiladas, tacos, burritos and so much more!
It is worth dusting off your slow cooker for this one. Cooking is the one thing that gives me so much pleasure so much of the time. But yes, I too get sick of cooking occasionally. On days when I need something a little more hands-off, and with a lot less cleaning, I turn to the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Full disclosure: I have never been a huge fan of the slow cooker and once the Instant Pot arrived in my life, I just about gave it away. Glad I didn’t, though, because lately I have been enjoying some set-it-and-forget-it cozy meals, especially during the colder days.
This salsa verde chicken is predictably fabulous in the Instant Pot, but I love it just as much in the slow cooker when I have no clue if I will be able to squeeze in dinner on a busy day. The recipe couldn’t be simpler: chop up an onion, some garlic, and perhaps some jalepeños, if you’d like. Throw it all in to the slow cooker along with a whole jar of salsa verde and a sprinkle of cumin. Let it cook for 4 to 6 hours. When it’s time to serve, shred the chicken and top with a bit of fresh herbs and scallions. That’s it! When you poach the chicken in the green salsa, the meat comes out incredibly tender and moist with delicious warming flavours. A completely effortless, crazy good, and dead simple dinner.
Ingredients For Salsa Verde Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken breast – I really enjoy this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast. However, thighs would work here just as well.
- Garlic – In a pinch you could use powder but I really like the flavour of fresh garlic in the salsa.
- Ground cumin – Really adds a lot earthy flavour to the salsa.
- 1 Jar salsa verde – Making a salsa verde from scratch is not hard at all and I am always touting that nothing beats homemade. But, we are leaving that for days when we feel like spending a little more time in the kitchen and a good-quality jarred salsa verde provides more than an acceptable shortcut. This one is my favourite which you can find at most large grocery stores or Latin American markets. It has pretty clean ingredients that taste surprisingly fresh, and it makes a fantastic sauce for the chicken. In my area you can find it here. The jar you see in the photos is the same brand but the tomatillos are not roasted. I prefer the jar with roasted tomatillos so grab that one, if possible.
- Jarred poblano peppers – I like to boost everything with a little extra flavour. By no means are the jarred poblanos essential here and they may not be easy to find. Omit them if you wish, or use mild, or hot, canned green chilies instead.
- Fresh cilantro, scallions, and jalapeños to finish – Again, this is optional but these toppings impart a welcome freshness to the finished dish.
- Salt – Jarred salsas can be salty so don’t add any salt until the chicken is cooked. Once the chicken is cooked, taste the sauce and add salt only if needed.
How To Make Salsa Verde Chicken
I have made this super simple salsa verde chicken many times in the Instant Pot, as well as in the slow cooker. Both methods make an awesome, fall-apart tender chicken stew and I include instructions for both.
SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE CHICKEN:
- Rub 4 (about 2 pounds) boneless chicken breasts with a bit of olive and place in the slow cooker.
- Add chopped onion, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of cumin.
- Pour in a 16-ounce jar of salsa verde on top along with jarred poblano peppers, if using.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5 – 6 hours or high heat for 3 hours.
- Using two forks shred the chicken in the juices so the shredded chicken can absorb all the salsa juices.
Tip: If you will not be returning home for longer than 8 hours, set the cook time for 4 hours on low with the slow cooker auto-switch set to warm for the remaining time.
INSTANT POT SALSA VERDE CHICKEN:
- Saute onions and garlic. Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. For in a small amount of olive oil then add the onions. Cook for about 1-2 minutes then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Add liquid and season. Pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth, or water, and really scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot and pour the salsa verde and a bit of ground cumin over it. Note: Salsa verde can be a little too thick for the Instant Pot. If you don’t add another liquid, you might get the burn warning.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker, turn vent to “Sealing” and set Instant Pot to “High pressure” setting then set to cook for 10 minutes. If the chicken breasts are very large, set to 12 minutes. If using frozen chicken breast, add 4 minutes according to the size of the chicken breast.
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. You can do a quick release here but the chicken will be easier to shred and be a bit more tender if you let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. When you cook chicken breast in the Instant Pot it becomes very tender and a breeze to shred using two forks. I like to do this right in the pot so the shredded chicken can absorb all the salsa juices.
- To finish. I like to add some fresh cilantro, chopped scallions, and jalapeños in at the end which impart a welcome freshness.
Note: If you are new to the Instant Pot, this post has a mini guide you might find useful.
Serving Suggestions
What I love most about this easy slow cooker salsa verde chicken, is that you can use the shredded chicken to make a multitude of different dishes. Use it as a filling for enchiladas, quesadillas, and of course, tacos (shown below). Perfect for adding to a burrito bowl (shown below), or to make nachos. All of these go well with the following toppings:
- Ricotta salata, feta or cotija cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Jalapeños, sliced thinly
- Black beans
- Corn (fresh or frozen)
- Sour cream
- Chopped red onions
- avocados
Another favourite is to serve the shredded chicken stirred into, or alongside, this Mexican Chopped Salad. Divine! I also love the chicken served with a simple coconut cilantro rice and an avocado salad.
Tip: Mix the sour cream with some of the salsa verde chicken sauce to drizzle over chicken. Game-changer.
To Store, Reheat, And Freeze
Because the chicken has so much sauce the leftovers keep well and won’t dry out when reheated. It also freezes well.
- Refrigerate: Allow the chicken to come to room temperature then refrigerate in a container with a tight lid for 4-5 days.
- Freeze: Allow the chicken to come to room temperature then transfer to ziplock bags or freezer-safe containers and freeze for 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: Reheat the shredded chicken on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave until heated through.
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Salsa Verde Chicken {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 pounds - you could also use thighs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water ONLY IF USING INSTANT POT
- 1 16 ounce jar of salsa verde
- 1/2 cup jarred poblano peppers, chopped (or 4-ounce can chopped mild green chiles)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Kosher salt to taste, if needed
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
- 3 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Fresh lime juice wedges optional to serve
Other Topping Suggestions
- jalapeño stemmed and finely sliced
- diced avocado
- ricotta salata, feta, or cotija cheese
- black beans
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Rub chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place in slow cooker. Add the onions, garlic, and cumin and pour salsa verde on top along with the chopped poblano peppers, if using.
- Using tongs, turn chicken around to coat with the salsa. Cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for 6-8 hours.
- When chicken is cooked and very tender, shred the meat using two forks right in the pot. Alternatively, remove chicken to a cutting board or plate to shred, then return to slow cooker to absorb all the salsa verde juices.
- Taste and a little salt if needed (*see notes). Serve with lime wedges and garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions, if desired.
Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute Function. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and allow to coat the pan. Add onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer.
- Turn off Saute Function. Pour in the chicken stock or water and use a wooden spoon to scrape off all the brown bits on the bottom. Note, this is important so you don't get a burn warning.
- Place chicken in the pot and pour the salsa verde over top along with chopped poblano peppers, if using. Stir in the cumin and move the chicken around so each piece is fully coated.
- Secure lid on the Instant Pot and set the Vent to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, or 12 if your chicken breasts are very large.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes and then manually release.
- Shred the meat using two forks right in the pot. Alternatively, remove chicken to a cutting board or plate to shred, then return to Instant Pot to absorb all the salsa verde juices.
- Taste and a little salt if needed (*see notes). Serve with lime wedges and garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions, if desired.
Notes
Steven Moshlak
Made this awhile back. It’s a winner!!!
Sandra Valvassori
Fantastic! It really is such an easy and delicious dish. Thank you so much for writing and sharing with us!!