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Enlist your trusty slow cooker for these super easy salsa verde chicken tacos! Humble chicken breasts become juicy and flavorful in a sauce of vibrant salsa verde, green chiles, and everyday spices. Five minutes prep time and minimal clean-up. Add your favorite toppings for a fun, delicious family dinner!
Some dinners just fit effortlessly into your life — and these salsa verde chicken tacos are one of them. They’re ridiculously easy, full of bold flavor, and practically cook themselves in the slow cooker. Just toss in a few ingredients, let them cook low and slow, and by dinnertime you’re rewarded with juicy, tender chicken that practically shreds itself.
Long-time readers know my house is busy, between work and all the activities that keep our kids on the go. When you know you’ll be running home tired and hungry after piano lessons and soccer practice, it is such a good feeling to have dinner waiting patiently in the Crockpot — like a gift you gave to yourself.
Whether you’re feeding your family, hosting taco night, or prepping lunches for the week, this recipe is a total win. Salsa verde and lime juice add just the right amount of tang, and the slow cooker makes it all low-effort and hands-free. And just like our other favorite shredded Mexican chicken, you’ll love how versatile the filling is — after enjoying these tacos, pile the leftovers into rice bowls or add to greens for one extremely satisfying salad.
Ingredient Notes
How To Make Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Mix up the sauce. My favorite part? No chopping required! Just combine salsa verde, two cans of mild green chiles, and the spices in the bowl of a large slow cooker.
Add chicken breasts. Tuck them in and spoon the sauce generously over top.
Cover and cook. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (preferred) or high for 2-3 hours. When ready, the chicken will have an internal temperature of 165°F and be very easy to shred.
Pro Tip
Don’t overcook! It is possible to overcook chicken in the slow cooker, which is what can turn your protein dry or rubbery. If you have a programmable slow cooker, set it to switch to the keep warm setting after the cook time. Otherwise, consider saving this recipe for a day when you can start it early in the afternoon.
Shred chicken. The chicken should be very easy to pull apart into bite-sized shreds using two forks. I find it easiest to do this directly in the slow cooker, but if you prefer, transfer the whole chicken breasts to a cutting board, pull apart, then return the pieces to the slow cooker to soak up the salsa.
Season to taste. Some brands of salsa verde are more tangy or salty, so the amount of lime juice and salt you add will vary. Add a little at a time until the sauce tastes vibrant and flavorful.
Serve right away, or leave on the keep warm setting for up to one hour. The chicken will continue to absorb sauce, and the sauce will thicken a bit, especially if you remove the lid of the slow cooker.
Assemble. Warm tortillas, salsa verde chicken, diced avocado and red onion, and a few crumbles of creamy Cotija cheese are a dreamy combination!
Serving Suggestions
These tacos are perfect for casual weeknights or feeding a crowd. Pair them with chips, blender salsa, and guac, a refreshing Mexican bean or green salad, or some icy margaritas for a fun and easy meal any time of year — no stovetop needed!
Repurpose any leftover chicken into burritos or burrito bowls with rice, black beans, more veggies, sour cream, and any other toppings you like.
Ready To Make It?
Grab your slow cooker, your favorite jar of salsa verde, and let’s make taco night the easiest, tastiest part of your week!
Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (2 cups) salsa verde
- 2 (4 ounce) cans mild green chiles
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, use Mexican oregano if you have it
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- juice of 1 small lime
- kosher salt
- tortillas, fresh cilantro leaves, Cotija, avocado or guacamole, chopped red onion, etc.,, for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the salsa verde, green chiles, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well to combine.16 ounces (2 cups) salsa verde, 2 (4 ounce) cans mild green chiles, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Add chicken and spoon some of the sauce generously over each piece.2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easy to pull apart with two forks.
- Shred the chicken. You can do this either inside the slow cooker, or by removing it to a cutting board. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, if needed, and stir well.
- Sample and season with lime juice and kosher salt to taste. (Some salsas are more tangy and salty than others, so you may need a lot, a little, or none at all.)juice of 1 small lime, kosher salt
- Serve immediately, or leave on the low or keep warm setting for up to 1 hour. The chicken will continue to absorb some of the sauce as it sits, and the sauce will thicken more if you leave the lid of the slow cooker off.
- Assemble the shredded chicken into tacos or bowls and top with fresh cilantro, Cotija, avocado, and other toppings as desired.tortillas, fresh cilantro leaves, Cotija, avocado or guacamole, chopped red onion, etc.,
Notes
- The shredded chicken keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week and can be frozen in any freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight then warm on the stovetop or in the microwave as needed.
- Nutrition info is an automatically calculated estimate based on making this recipe with 2 pounds of chicken and dividing it into 8 servings. It does not include tortillas or toppings, since that will vary so much depending on what you use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Instant Pot carnitas or chicken tinga, Baja chicken tacos, easy ground chicken tacos, or chipotle black bean tortilla soup.
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5 stars for sure!
I love coming home to know this chicken is simmering in the slow cooker for me, and having the leftovers in the fridge for emergency taco nights! I hope you love it as much we do.