Slow Cooker Creamy Taco Chicken Recipe
This Slow Cooker Creamy Taco Chicken recipe is an easy, flavorful dish featuring tender, shredded chicken cooked in a creamy, zesty salsa and green chile sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, it makes a delicious filling for tacos, burritos, or served over rice or spiralized veggies. The slow cooker does all the work to infuse the chicken with rich taco seasoning and a smooth cream cheese blend.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 (1-oz.) packets taco seasoning
Sauce
- 1 (24-oz.) jar salsa (use your favorite)
- 1 (4-oz.) can diced mild green chiles
- 6 oz. cream cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into your slow cooker. Evenly sprinkle the two packets of taco seasoning over the chicken to ensure it's well coated with bold taco flavors.
- Add the Sauce Ingredients: Pour the entire jar of salsa over the seasoned chicken breasts. Next, add the diced mild green chiles evenly across the top, followed by placing the cream cheese pieces on top without stirring. Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
- Cook the Chicken: Set the slow cooker to high heat and cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, checking that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat. The chicken should be tender and easy to shred.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining sauce in the slow cooker until it is smooth and creamy from the melted cream cheese mixture.
- Combine and Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the smooth sauce and stir to combine well. Serve the creamy taco chicken as a flavorful filling inside tortillas, over rice, or alongside spiralized veggies for a low-carb option.
Notes
- Use mild or spicy green chiles depending on your preferred heat level.
- For thinner sauce, add a splash of chicken broth before cooking.
- You can substitute cream cheese with a dairy-free alternative to make it lactose-free.
- Shredded chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Check the seasoning and adjust salt levels if needed before serving, as taco seasoning and salsa can contain sodium.
