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.
Marla Meridith says
This recipe looks wonderful!! Pinned & trying soon 🙂
Julie says
Thank you Marla. Hope you love it too!
Melanie @ Garnish & Glaze says
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.
Julie says
So true Melanie! Thanks!
Matt Robinson says
Perfect flavors, love everything in these and beautiful pictures too. Wow!
Julie says
Thanks Matt 🙂
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
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!
Julie says
It really is the best feeling! Thanks Amy!
Stephanie says
This is my kind of dinner! I love making chicken for tacos in the crockpot!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
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.
Julie says
Thanks 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
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!
Julie says
Thanks Valerie! And why do I always forget about pork? Sounds delicious!
Katya @ Little Broken says
I 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
Thank you Katya. I’m hoping to really make good use of my crockpot this year!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
I love dishes like this that can be used a zillion different ways!
Dominica says
Love how easy this recipe is! Any suggestions for omitting the cream cheese for a dairy free version?
Julie says
Hi Dominica, I’m really not sure of a dairy free sub for cream cheese.
Crystal says
I used fake cream cheese. Found next to real cream cheesecr
Laura says
I’ve made this with only the salsa verde and it’s still delicious.
Karen says
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?
Julie says
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 🙂
Karen says
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!
marni says
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!
Julie says
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 🙂
Gayle says
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.
Julie says
Love it. Thanks for the tip Gayle!
Karina says
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 (:
Julie says
Hi Karina! The chicken is not cooked before going into the crockpot, and you can even use frozen. Thanks for your question!
sophie says
So I can put frozen chicken right in the crock pot? How many does this feed? I’m cooking for about 60 people
Julie says
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.
Monica says
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!
Julie says
I’m so glad you liked it! You are very welcome!
Callan says
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!
Julie says
We 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
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.
Julie says
So glad you enjoyed!
Jessica S says
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…
Julie says
I haven’t done it on high yet. I would guess around 4 hours?
Jessica S says
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!
Meghan W says
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!
Julie says
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!
Melanie says
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!
Julie says
Melanie, I really DO need to remember to use those liners! You are so right.
Jessica says
Just put this in the crockpot this morning for dinner tonight! Cannot wait to try it!!
Julie says
Always a favorite for us! Hope you enjoy.
Rachael says
Thanks 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
Just made this last night again! Hope you enjoy.
Katrina says
If I use frozen chicken tenders instead of thawed do I need to change the cook time?
Julie says
I think they will be fine to use. All crockpots are a little different, but I’ve used frozen before.
Regina says
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
Regina says
Oops … I hope the “pink” color won’t be an appetite spoiler!
Mari says
If I use pork, will the cream cheese still be tasty??
Maureen Madigan says
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.
Julie says
Thank you for your kind words Maureen!
Mickey says
we don’t have a Trader Joes by us, so do they sell this salsa verde in the grocery store ? Looks good!
Julie says
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!
Mari Dempsey says
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!
Julie says
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!
bdcooks says
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.)
Julie says
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!
Lil says
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.
Sher says
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!
Julie says
Hi Sher, I believe I used a 5 quart, but you might be able to fit it in a 4 quart.
Jeannie says
What kind of sides would you recommend with this? Sounds amazing!
Julie says
Thanks Jeannie! You could serve your tacos with these Healthy Refried Beans you can also make in the crockpot.
Jessica says
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.
annie says
I also only have 3- did you use less of everything else too?
Bailey says
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!
Julie says
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.
Abigail says
Does the Salsa Verde make this spicy? Trying to figure out if my daughter will like this
Julie says
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.
Paula Keenan says
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
Veronica says
I made this recipe for dinner, it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Julie says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed.
belinda says
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 ….
Allison says
Just made this, and it was delicious! Quick question though: has anyone tried freezing leftovers?
angela says
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?
Julie says
I put the cream cheese in at the beginning. Enjoy!
Nicky says
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!!
Jaclyn says
How long do you think I should set this in an instant pot?
Julie says
I don’t have an instant pot, so I’m not sure.
Jaclyn says
25 minutes worked perfectly!
Joanna says
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.
★★★★★
Julie says
I need to try that salsa! I like how you make a low carb bowl too!