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Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

The ultimate comfort food, Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken is a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. With tender chicken and zesty spices, this dish will satisfy your cravings and leave everyone asking for seconds.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion Peeled and finely diced
  • 1 Medium to Large Green Bell Pepper Seeded and diced small
  • 1 Medium to Large Jalapeño Seeded and diced very small
  • 3 to 4 cloves Garlic Finely minced
  • 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons Chili Powder Or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Salt Plus more to taste if desired
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper Plus more to taste if desired
  • 1 4-ounce can Green Chiles Do not drain
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil Or avocado oil
  • 3 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken A combination of chicken breasts and thighs works fine
  • 1 ½ cups Salsa Verde
  • 1 large Lime Juice of, or to taste
  • ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro Plus more for garnishing

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Method
 

  1. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, jalapeño, minced garlic, cumin, and chili powder into a large 6 to 7-quart slow cooker. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. This will create a flavorful base for your dish.
  2. Place the chicken on top of the vegetable mixture, ensuring it's evenly spaced. This allows the chicken to cook properly and absorb all the delicious flavors from the veggies.
  3. Evenly drizzle the salsa verde over the top of the chicken. This is where the magic happens! The salsa verde will infuse the dish with a zesty flavor.
  4. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked. You’ll know it’s ready when it shreds easily with two forks. That’s the perfect texture!
  5. Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This step is crucial for mixing it back into the dish.
  6. If there seems to be a lot of cooking liquid in the slow cooker and you prefer a less juicy dish, you can remove some of the juices, about half a cup at a time. We love the juiciness, so I usually keep it all!
  7. If you feel like there isn’t enough liquid, you can always add more salsa verde a half cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
  8. Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker. Drizzle with the fresh lime juice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Stir everything together to combine the flavors.
  9. Before serving, taste the chicken and adjust the seasoning if necessary by adding more salt, pepper, cumin, or chili powder for those who prefer a bit more heat.
  10. Serve immediately as desired! I love to enjoy it as tacos in warm corn tortillas, topped with sour cream, a bit of hot sauce, and extra cilantro. It’s also fantastic in burritos, sandwiches, or wraps!

Notes

Chili Powder – This is highly dependent on personal preference. If you don't want the flavor quite as bold, use 1 teaspoon. If you're trying to increase the heat level, use at least 3 teaspoons and after cooking, you can always add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste. Make sure to start with the tiniest bit, stir well, taste, and then be very careful if you think it needs more.
Salsa Verde – I used Herdez Salsa Verde (mild) for the recipe. Some grocery stores sell a medium heat version but it's hit or miss. Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde is also a great choice if you have one in your area.
If you want to make homemade salsa verde, take a peek at the blender portion of my Vegan Pozole Verde. It includes tomatillos, poblanos, jalapenos, and white onion. All you have to do is add a splash of vegetable or chicken broth or stock to thin it out to salsa consistency. Another option for homemade salsa verde is this Chunky Tomatillo Avocado Salsa, minus the avocado. Super easy and so good!