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Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken

September 12, 2014

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Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken in crunchy taco shells with shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sour cream and cilantro, on a plate.

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!

Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken in crunchy taco shells with shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sour cream and cilantro, on a plate, with a halved avocado in the background along with some greenery in a glass jar.

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!

Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken in crunchy taco shells with shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sour cream and cilantro, on a plate.

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!

Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken in crunchy taco shells with shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sour cream and cilantro, on a plate.

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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Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen

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Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Julie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Ingredients

  • 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

  1. Add chicken to the crockpot, and then top with seasonings, cubed cream cheese, and salsa.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  3. 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.
  4. 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
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Filed Under: Healthy, Main Dish

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Comments

  1. Marla Meridith says

    September 12, 2014 at 4:03 am

    This recipe looks wonderful!! Pinned & trying soon 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 12, 2014 at 8:16 am

      Thank you Marla. Hope you love it too!

      Reply
  2. Melanie @ Garnish & Glaze says

    September 12, 2014 at 6:38 am

    I 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.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 12, 2014 at 8:16 am

      So true Melanie! Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Matt Robinson says

    September 12, 2014 at 9:55 am

    Perfect flavors, love everything in these and beautiful pictures too. Wow!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 12, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      Thanks Matt 🙂

      Reply
  4. Amy @ The Blond Cook says

    September 12, 2014 at 8:06 pm

    These 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 12, 2014 at 8:50 pm

      It really is the best feeling! Thanks Amy!

      Reply
  5. Stephanie says

    September 13, 2014 at 8:28 am

    This is my kind of dinner! I love making chicken for tacos in the crockpot!

    Reply
  6. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says

    September 14, 2014 at 11:19 am

    I 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.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 14, 2014 at 2:12 pm

      Thanks Katie! You’ll love Trader Joe’s. So many fun things to buy plus great flowers and fresh produce too.

      Reply
  7. Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says

    September 15, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    I 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 15, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      Thanks Valerie! And why do I always forget about pork? Sounds delicious!

      Reply
  8. Katya @ Little Broken says

    September 15, 2014 at 7:31 pm

    I love the simplicity of this recipe and that it’s crockpot! I love crockpot food, esp in the colder days. Beautiful pics btw 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 15, 2014 at 7:42 pm

      Thank you Katya. I’m hoping to really make good use of my crockpot this year!

      Reply
  9. Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says

    September 18, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    I love dishes like this that can be used a zillion different ways!

    Reply
  10. Dominica says

    September 20, 2014 at 11:19 am

    Love how easy this recipe is! Any suggestions for omitting the cream cheese for a dairy free version?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 20, 2014 at 12:21 pm

      Hi Dominica, I’m really not sure of a dairy free sub for cream cheese.

      Reply
      • Crystal says

        June 8, 2016 at 9:19 pm

        I used fake cream cheese. Found next to real cream cheesecr

        Reply
        • Laura says

          November 13, 2017 at 2:34 pm

          I’ve made this with only the salsa verde and it’s still delicious.

          Reply
  11. Karen says

    September 20, 2014 at 12:18 pm

    Oh 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?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 20, 2014 at 12:20 pm

      Hi 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 🙂

      Reply
      • Karen says

        September 20, 2014 at 12:24 pm

        Thank 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!

        Reply
  12. marni says

    September 21, 2014 at 4:19 pm

    Made 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:24 pm

      Hi 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 🙂

      Reply
  13. Gayle says

    September 22, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    We 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.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 22, 2014 at 3:00 pm

      Love it. Thanks for the tip Gayle!

      Reply
  14. Karina says

    September 22, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    Hi! 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 (:

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 22, 2014 at 8:54 pm

      Hi Karina! The chicken is not cooked before going into the crockpot, and you can even use frozen. Thanks for your question!

      Reply
      • sophie says

        January 9, 2015 at 3:22 pm

        So I can put frozen chicken right in the crock pot? How many does this feed? I’m cooking for about 60 people

        Reply
        • Julie says

          January 9, 2015 at 3:53 pm

          This 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.

          Reply
  15. Monica says

    September 23, 2014 at 7:21 am

    Saw 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 23, 2014 at 2:03 pm

      I’m so glad you liked it! You are very welcome!

      Reply
  16. Callan says

    September 29, 2014 at 8:58 am

    I 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 29, 2014 at 3:09 pm

      We liked ours topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, avocado, cilantro and sour cream. You could also add red onions and tomatoes. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  17. Stephanie says

    October 9, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    I finally made these tonight and loved them! Such a fun change of pace for tacos. They were great topped with avocado and quesadilla cheese.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      October 9, 2014 at 7:19 pm

      So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  18. Jessica S says

    November 16, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    Have 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…

    Reply
    • Julie says

      November 16, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      I haven’t done it on high yet. I would guess around 4 hours?

      Reply
      • Jessica S says

        November 16, 2014 at 4:16 pm

        Thanks! 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!

        Reply
  19. Meghan W says

    December 6, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    Hi!

    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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      December 6, 2014 at 3:30 pm

      It 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!

      Reply
  20. Melanie says

    December 26, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    self 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      December 26, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      Melanie, I really DO need to remember to use those liners! You are so right.

      Reply
  21. Jessica says

    December 31, 2014 at 8:49 am

    Just put this in the crockpot this morning for dinner tonight! Cannot wait to try it!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 1, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      Always a favorite for us! Hope you enjoy.

      Reply
  22. Rachael says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:06 am

    Thanks for the tip about the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s! I can’t wait to give this a try sometime this week.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 6, 2015 at 10:21 am

      Just made this last night again! Hope you enjoy.

      Reply
  23. Katrina says

    January 8, 2015 at 11:40 am

    If I use frozen chicken tenders instead of thawed do I need to change the cook time?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 8, 2015 at 3:27 pm

      I think they will be fine to use. All crockpots are a little different, but I’ve used frozen before.

      Reply
  24. Regina says

    January 11, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    This 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

    Reply
    • Regina says

      January 11, 2015 at 12:42 pm

      Oops … I hope the “pink” color won’t be an appetite spoiler!

      Reply
  25. Mari says

    January 12, 2015 at 8:16 am

    If I use pork, will the cream cheese still be tasty??

    Reply
  26. Maureen Madigan says

    January 21, 2015 at 1:24 pm

    Julie 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.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 21, 2015 at 10:18 pm

      Thank you for your kind words Maureen!

      Reply
  27. Mickey says

    March 20, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    we don’t have a Trader Joes by us, so do they sell this salsa verde in the grocery store ? Looks good!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      March 21, 2015 at 7:33 am

      You 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!

      Reply
  28. Mari Dempsey says

    April 21, 2015 at 10:33 pm

    I 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      April 22, 2015 at 7:52 am

      Mari, 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!

      Reply
  29. bdcooks says

    May 24, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Hi 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.)

    Reply
    • Julie says

      May 25, 2015 at 5:56 am

      I’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!

      Reply
    • Lil says

      January 6, 2016 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks 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.

      Reply
  30. Sher says

    June 2, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    What 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      June 2, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      Hi Sher, I believe I used a 5 quart, but you might be able to fit it in a 4 quart.

      Reply
  31. Jeannie says

    June 2, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    What kind of sides would you recommend with this? Sounds amazing!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      June 3, 2015 at 11:12 am

      Thanks Jeannie! You could serve your tacos with these Healthy Refried Beans you can also make in the crockpot.

      Reply
  32. Jessica says

    July 20, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    Having 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.

    Reply
    • annie says

      February 27, 2016 at 9:33 pm

      I also only have 3- did you use less of everything else too?

      Reply
  33. Bailey says

    August 3, 2015 at 9:03 am

    I 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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 3, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      Hi 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.

      Reply
  34. Abigail says

    August 22, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    Does the Salsa Verde make this spicy? Trying to figure out if my daughter will like this

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 22, 2015 at 4:45 pm

      Hi 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.

      Reply
  35. Paula Keenan says

    September 12, 2015 at 9:08 am

    Has 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

    Reply
  36. Veronica says

    February 5, 2016 at 1:06 pm

    I made this recipe for dinner, it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      February 6, 2016 at 10:22 pm

      Yay! Glad you enjoyed.

      Reply
  37. belinda says

    June 17, 2016 at 10:59 am

    I 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 ….

    Reply
  38. Allison says

    April 23, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Just made this, and it was delicious! Quick question though: has anyone tried freezing leftovers?

    Reply
  39. angela says

    September 28, 2018 at 9:43 am

    This 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?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 28, 2018 at 9:51 am

      I put the cream cheese in at the beginning. Enjoy!

      Reply
  40. Nicky says

    January 13, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    Love 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!!

    Reply
  41. Jaclyn says

    January 30, 2019 at 1:32 pm

    How long do you think I should set this in an instant pot?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 30, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      I don’t have an instant pot, so I’m not sure.

      Reply
      • Jaclyn says

        January 30, 2019 at 4:33 pm

        25 minutes worked perfectly!

        Reply
  42. Joanna says

    March 6, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    My 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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Julie says

      March 8, 2019 at 2:27 pm

      I need to try that salsa! I like how you make a low carb bowl too!

      Reply
  43. Kayleen says

    April 13, 2019 at 6:47 am

    I’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!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      April 14, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks Kayleen!

      Reply
  44. Amy says

    April 23, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    This is amazing!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  45. Courtney Lindsey says

    June 18, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    My husband and I LOVE this recipe!!! It is an easy go to for us.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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