Don’t you love that feeling you get when 3 o’clock rolls around and you think, “What on earth should I make for dinner?” and then you remember that you actually remembered to throw a little something in the crockpot, turn that little knob to LOW, and then went about your day. YES! I just love it when I know that dinner is well on its way, even when I’m out and about!
This is a crazy easy, crazy simple crockpot recipe that is really versatile. We’re talking five ingredients for the taco filling counting the chicken. One of the ingredients is my favorite salsa verde from Trader Joe’s. You can find it by the chips!
You can use it in tacos of course, or you can use it to top your nachos, fill your enchiladas, or even to add some protein to your salad. If you have leftovers, you’ll be so happy to see them waiting for you in your fridge the next day. We went with some old school crunchy taco shells, and topped the Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken filling with romaine lettuce, monterey jack cheese, diced avocado and a drizzle of sour cream. The whole family loved them!
So do yourself a favor this week, and let dinner practically make itself! And by the way, wouldn’t it be awesome if someone would invent a self-cleaning crockpot? Sorry if my laziness is showing again!
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PinIngredients
- 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5–6 large)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups salsa verde (I love Trader Joe’s)
Instructions
- Add chicken to the crockpot, and then top with seasonings, cubed cream cheese, and salsa.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken with two forks. Use a whisk to mix the remaining sauce in the crockpot. The cream cheese may look a little lumpy, but it will smooth out as you stir.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the crockpot. Cook on low for another half hour to allow the chicken to absorb the creamy salsa verde sauce. I usually turn my crockpot to the “warm” setting at this point. The sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 665
- Sugar: 4.2g
- Sodium: 823mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7.7g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 97g
- Cholesterol: 295mg
Marla Meridith says
September 12, 2014 at 4:03 amThis recipe looks wonderful!! Pinned & trying soon 🙂
Julie says
September 12, 2014 at 8:16 amThank you Marla. Hope you love it too!
Melanie @ Garnish & Glaze says
September 12, 2014 at 6:38 amI love crockpot meals! And creamy chicken with salsa verde sounds like a dream. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with adding cream cheese to food.
Julie says
September 12, 2014 at 8:16 amSo true Melanie! Thanks!
Matt Robinson says
September 12, 2014 at 9:55 amPerfect flavors, love everything in these and beautiful pictures too. Wow!
Julie says
September 12, 2014 at 2:58 pmThanks Matt 🙂
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
September 12, 2014 at 8:06 pmThese look incredible! I love coming home to a cooked meal in my slow cooker and can’t wait to try these… the creamy salsa verde sounds (and looks) delicious!
Julie says
September 12, 2014 at 8:50 pmIt really is the best feeling! Thanks Amy!
Stephanie says
September 13, 2014 at 8:28 amThis is my kind of dinner! I love making chicken for tacos in the crockpot!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
September 14, 2014 at 11:19 amI love the simplicity of this. We recently got a Trader Joe’s in our area. I still haven’t gone. But now I will have to and add this salsa to my list.
Julie says
September 14, 2014 at 2:12 pmThanks Katie! You’ll love Trader Joe’s. So many fun things to buy plus great flowers and fresh produce too.
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
September 15, 2014 at 12:41 pmI love the simplicity of this dish. I have a pork chili verde post in the works but love the idea of using chicken. Looks wonderful, Julie!
Julie says
September 15, 2014 at 12:48 pmThanks Valerie! And why do I always forget about pork? Sounds delicious!
Katya @ Little Broken says
September 15, 2014 at 7:31 pmI love the simplicity of this recipe and that it’s crockpot! I love crockpot food, esp in the colder days. Beautiful pics btw 🙂
Julie says
September 15, 2014 at 7:42 pmThank you Katya. I’m hoping to really make good use of my crockpot this year!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
September 18, 2014 at 12:11 pmI love dishes like this that can be used a zillion different ways!
Dominica says
September 20, 2014 at 11:19 amLove how easy this recipe is! Any suggestions for omitting the cream cheese for a dairy free version?
Julie says
September 20, 2014 at 12:21 pmHi Dominica, I’m really not sure of a dairy free sub for cream cheese.
Crystal says
June 8, 2016 at 9:19 pmI used fake cream cheese. Found next to real cream cheesecr
Laura says
November 13, 2017 at 2:34 pmI’ve made this with only the salsa verde and it’s still delicious.
Karen says
September 20, 2014 at 12:18 pmOh wow! I am so putting this in the rotation! Love crock pot meals — and with being self employed and a mama and on the go what could be better! One question–do you think that regular red salsa would work?
Julie says
September 20, 2014 at 12:20 pmHi Karen! Yes, you can use red salsa, but it will have a different flavor and kind of a pinkish color when mixed with the cream cheese 🙂
Karen says
September 20, 2014 at 12:24 pmThank you for the quick reply! I well be making this tomorrow and I will let you know how it turns out! Been craving chicken tacos!
marni says
September 21, 2014 at 4:19 pmMade this tonight for dinner. The only change I made was to replace the garlic powder for garlic salt. As my dh is gluten free, I served on a bed of cilantro scallion slaw topped with a dollop of homemade guac. Delish!!! This one is going into my regular rotation… tastes like a lot more work than it is. Thank you for the recipe!
Julie says
September 21, 2014 at 4:24 pmHi Marni, I’m so glad you like it! That’s so funny that you mentioned the garlic salt. I originally made it that way and felt it was a bit too salty so changed it to garlic powder 🙂
Gayle says
September 22, 2014 at 2:59 pmWe are about to dive into this dish and it smells fantastic. The kids can’t wait. Try using a crock pot liner, much easier clean-up. It is sold near the plastic wrap in the grocery store.
Julie says
September 22, 2014 at 3:00 pmLove it. Thanks for the tip Gayle!
Karina says
September 22, 2014 at 8:48 pmHi! This sounds & looks delicious. Might seem like a silly question, but is the chicken raw or cooked when we first put it in the crockpot? Thanks in advance (:
Julie says
September 22, 2014 at 8:54 pmHi Karina! The chicken is not cooked before going into the crockpot, and you can even use frozen. Thanks for your question!
sophie says
January 9, 2015 at 3:22 pmSo I can put frozen chicken right in the crock pot? How many does this feed? I’m cooking for about 60 people
Julie says
January 9, 2015 at 3:53 pmThis recipe serves 6-8 people. I have used frozen chicken breasts before. In that case, turn your heat on high for the first 2-3 hours and then turn it to low for the next 5-6 hours.
Monica says
September 23, 2014 at 7:21 amSaw this recipe on Pinterest and made it a few days later…my family and guests loved loved loved it! Super easy, and super yummy! Thank you for sharing!
Julie says
September 23, 2014 at 2:03 pmI’m so glad you liked it! You are very welcome!
Callan says
September 29, 2014 at 8:58 amI already know this is going to be delicious. I do salsa chicekn tacos a lot which is similar (chicken, salsa and taco seasoning) and top it with avocado, cheese, sour cream. Any suggestions on what to top these Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos with?? Thanks for the recipe! Like everyone else, i LO VE crockpot meals!
Julie says
September 29, 2014 at 3:09 pmWe liked ours topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, avocado, cilantro and sour cream. You could also add red onions and tomatoes. Hope you enjoy!
Stephanie says
October 9, 2014 at 7:02 pmI finally made these tonight and loved them! Such a fun change of pace for tacos. They were great topped with avocado and quesadilla cheese.
Julie says
October 9, 2014 at 7:19 pmSo glad you enjoyed!
Jessica S says
November 16, 2014 at 3:15 pmHave you ever done this on the High setting? I totally read the recipe wrong and will need it in less time than the 6-8 on low…
Julie says
November 16, 2014 at 3:16 pmI haven’t done it on high yet. I would guess around 4 hours?
Jessica S says
November 16, 2014 at 4:16 pmThanks! I looked at a few websites and they said for 6-8 hour dishes it;s around 3-4 hours. I’ll try it at 4 and see how it turns out! Very excited to try it!
Meghan W says
December 6, 2014 at 1:50 pmHi!
It’s in the crockpot now- my first experiment with my new crock pot and I am SO excited! Quick question- if I halved the recipe, will it take less time to cook? Thanks!
Julie says
December 6, 2014 at 3:30 pmIt might take a little less time but all crockpots are a little varied when it comes to temp so you might have to just see how yours does. Hope you enjoy!
Melanie says
December 26, 2014 at 4:13 pmself cleaning crockpot….? Sounds like you need to try crock pot bags! They’re amazing!! Line the crockpot and cook everything then throw it away when you’re done. Sometime I don’t even have to wipe it it afterwards!
Julie says
December 26, 2014 at 10:13 pmMelanie, I really DO need to remember to use those liners! You are so right.
Jessica says
December 31, 2014 at 8:49 amJust put this in the crockpot this morning for dinner tonight! Cannot wait to try it!!
Julie says
January 1, 2015 at 8:47 pmAlways a favorite for us! Hope you enjoy.
Rachael says
January 6, 2015 at 10:06 amThanks for the tip about the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s! I can’t wait to give this a try sometime this week.
Julie says
January 6, 2015 at 10:21 amJust made this last night again! Hope you enjoy.
Katrina says
January 8, 2015 at 11:40 amIf I use frozen chicken tenders instead of thawed do I need to change the cook time?
Julie says
January 8, 2015 at 3:27 pmI think they will be fine to use. All crockpots are a little different, but I’ve used frozen before.
Regina says
January 11, 2015 at 12:39 pmThis looks amazing and so simple and its what’s for dinner tonight. Rather than making a run to the store I think I’ll use my homemade salsa. It’s really spicy and I’m hoping the “pink” won’t an appetite spoiler. Thanks for sharing and you should really try the crock pot liners. They are amazing! 😉 Toodles
Regina says
January 11, 2015 at 12:42 pmOops … I hope the “pink” color won’t be an appetite spoiler!
Mari says
January 12, 2015 at 8:16 amIf I use pork, will the cream cheese still be tasty??
Maureen Madigan says
January 21, 2015 at 1:24 pmJulie I want to thank you for your WONDERFUL website. I came across it a few days ago when I was looking for a white chicken chili which I made and it was great. Tonight I made the creamy crockpot salsa Verde Chicken another amazing meal. Thanks for the visual pictures as well.
Julie says
January 21, 2015 at 10:18 pmThank you for your kind words Maureen!
Mickey says
March 20, 2015 at 7:27 pmwe don’t have a Trader Joes by us, so do they sell this salsa verde in the grocery store ? Looks good!
Julie says
March 21, 2015 at 7:33 amYou can probably find salsa verde near the regular red salsa in your grocery store. The one at Trader Joe’s is my favorite, but any will do. Enjoy!
Mari Dempsey says
April 21, 2015 at 10:33 pmI made this for dinner tonight exactly as written. I even served it with avocados, Jack cheese, romaine lettuce, soft corn tortillas. It was a HUGE hit with my clan (8 of us tonight). Will make this a regular feature!
Julie says
April 22, 2015 at 7:52 amMari, it seriously makes my day to hear you say that everyone enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to let me know, and for letting me be a part of your own lovely little kitchen!
bdcooks says
May 24, 2015 at 2:21 pmHi Julie
I’ve long made a version of this (with Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde) but without the cream cheese (which is a great innovation for me). I usually coarsely chop an onion and add a can of (Trader Joe’s) chopped green chiles. Next batch will have cream cheese. (I came to this post late but by reading today’s entries on your Trader Joe’s favorites.)
Julie says
May 25, 2015 at 5:56 amI’m glad you found my recipe Beth. Hope you enjoy the addition of the cream cheese. We love it around here! Thanks for saying hi!
Lil says
January 6, 2016 at 3:28 pmThanks for the note about omitting the cream cheese. I was wondering about that. I’m thinking that low fat cream cheese could also be used without compromising the taste.
Sher says
June 2, 2015 at 12:53 pmWhat size of Slow Cooker do you use for this recipe? Does a 4 qt work or does it need to be something bigger for all the chicken to fit in? Thanks, I am excited to try this!
Julie says
June 2, 2015 at 3:12 pmHi Sher, I believe I used a 5 quart, but you might be able to fit it in a 4 quart.
Jeannie says
June 2, 2015 at 10:56 pmWhat kind of sides would you recommend with this? Sounds amazing!
Julie says
June 3, 2015 at 11:12 amThanks Jeannie! You could serve your tacos with these Healthy Refried Beans you can also make in the crockpot.
Jessica says
July 20, 2015 at 1:56 pmHaving this for dinner!! So excited to see how these taste! I only have 3 pounds of chicken instead of 4 like the recipe calls for.
annie says
February 27, 2016 at 9:33 pmI also only have 3- did you use less of everything else too?
Bailey says
August 3, 2015 at 9:03 amI don’t normally comment on these blogs, but I have to say I made this for dinner last night and they were outstanding! I cooked on low for about six and half hours because my crock runs hot, and served on small flour tortillas with avocado, cilantro, and jack cheese. My only complaint was that they had a lot of liquid and it made for a messy meal, but overall fantastic and SO easy! I will be making this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
August 3, 2015 at 1:18 pmHi Bailey, I’m glad it hit the spot for you! And I know what you mean about it being a little drippy. Sometimes I serve with tongs so that we can avoid getting too much sauce for the tacos.
Abigail says
August 22, 2015 at 4:21 pmDoes the Salsa Verde make this spicy? Trying to figure out if my daughter will like this
Julie says
August 22, 2015 at 4:45 pmHi Abigail! It will depend on the brand you use. The one from Trader Joe’s is mildly spicy. The cream cheese mellows it out quite a bit.
Paula Keenan says
September 12, 2015 at 9:08 amHas anyone tried these with reduced fat cream cheese? I’m sure the flavor will be fine but I’ve noticed that for some things the reduced fat products can change the consistency. Thanks
Veronica says
February 5, 2016 at 1:06 pmI made this recipe for dinner, it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Julie says
February 6, 2016 at 10:22 pmYay! Glad you enjoyed.
belinda says
June 17, 2016 at 10:59 amI JUST PUT THIS ON oh i cant wait i used chicken leg quarters 3 removed the skin and excess fat will debone it and add the salsa verde` i also used sour cream instead of cream cheese ty so much for this recipe i have been eyeing it for a while made it mine so to speak ….
Allison says
April 23, 2018 at 3:53 pmJust made this, and it was delicious! Quick question though: has anyone tried freezing leftovers?
angela says
September 28, 2018 at 9:43 amThis looks awesome! Does the cream cheese need to be cooked the whole time, or could it just be added the last half hour or so?
Julie says
September 28, 2018 at 9:51 amI put the cream cheese in at the beginning. Enjoy!
Nicky says
January 13, 2019 at 12:05 pmLove this recipe, have used it many times!! One question – have you ever tried freezing it after it’s done cooking to use later? Wondering about doubling the recipe and saving half for future use when I don’t have as much time to cook in the crockpot. Thanks for this delish recipe!!
Jaclyn says
January 30, 2019 at 1:32 pmHow long do you think I should set this in an instant pot?
Julie says
January 30, 2019 at 1:43 pmI don’t have an instant pot, so I’m not sure.
Jaclyn says
January 30, 2019 at 4:33 pm25 minutes worked perfectly!
Joanna says
March 6, 2019 at 7:08 pmMy husband and myself cannot get enough of this recipe. I have never commented on anything like this but we make this so often now it is a favorite easy staple recipe. We use Mrs Renfro’s green jalepeno salsa (super spicy) I eat it in a bowl with just cheddar, onion, black olives and avocado (if I wasn’t avoiding carbs I would prefer it on a tostada, that’d put that extra liquid to good use🤩). Husband likes it on soft little street tacos with black olives and sour cream.
★★★★★
Julie says
March 8, 2019 at 2:27 pmI need to try that salsa! I like how you make a low carb bowl too!
Kayleen says
April 13, 2019 at 6:47 amI’ve made this 4 or 5 times now, and it’s always delicious! I do it in my Instant Pot, cooking for 12 minutes at high pressure. Leftovers are wonderful for burritos, salad topping, nachos, and baked potatoes!
Julie says
April 14, 2019 at 2:51 pmThanks Kayleen!
Amy says
April 23, 2019 at 4:42 pmThis is amazing!
★★★★★