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This easy salsa verde chicken is a great no-fuss meal! Made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, this fall-apart tender shredded chicken is seasoned with salsa verde, staple pantry spices, onions, and peppers. It’s great in tacos, tostadas, burrito bowls, nachos, and salads!
I’m always on the hunt for new ways to make chicken more exciting, and this salsa verde chicken is my new favorite! It’s made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, and it can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot like my crockpot chicken fajitas, carnitas recipe, and beef tinga.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy no-fuss meal. Slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes are lifesavers when it comes to weeknight meals. With minimal prep work, you’ll have a delicious dinner waiting ready in no time!
- Dump and go. No extra cooking is required for this recipe. Just toss all the ingredients in your slow cooker or Instant Pot and let it do its thing. It also makes a great freezer-friendly meal to store ahead of time and cook when you’re ready.
Salsa Verde Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breast: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs or even chicken tenderloins if you prefer.
- Salsa verde: The key to this recipe is a great salsa verde. I used my homemade salsa verde recipe for this, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought salsa.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano.
- Garlic, onion, and poblano pepper: I added minced garlic, chopped onion, and diced poblano pepper for extra flavor. I deseeded the pepper, but you can leave in the seeds for a little spice or even use a jalapeño instead.
- Lime juice and cilantro: Adding a garnish brings your meals to the next level. I like to add lime juice and cilantro for some citrus and fresh herbs.
How to Make Salsa Verde Chicken
Add ingredients to slow cooker. Place chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, minced garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion into your slow cooker. Toss the ingredients together until they’re evenly distributed.
Cover and cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. Shred with two forks and return the chicken back into the crockpot.
Garnish and serve. Add lime juice and chopped cilantro and give it a good stir. Serve warm in tacos, tostadas, burritos, or even enchiladas.
Recipe Tips
- Use a different cut of chicken. Instead of using chicken breasts, use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
- Find a good salsa verde. Finding a good store-bought salsa verde can be tricky. I find that they’re usually too sour or acidic. You can use my homemade salsa verde recipe, or use a store-bought salsa verde and play around with adding more seasonings as needed.
Instant Pot Method
To make salsa verde chicken in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot, close the lid, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, manually release the pressure using the quick-release valve and shred the chicken.
How to Serve Salsa Verde Chicken
Slow cooker recipes like this are great because they’re super versatile. You can use it in so many different ways in your lunches and dinners! Here’s some ideas where you can use this salsa verde chicken as the main protein:
Storing and Reheating
To store, place in an airtight container with remaining broth and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To reheat, place in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed.
More Chicken Recipes
Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Add the chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion to the slow cooker.
- Toss together to combine, cover, and cook on high for 2 ½-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
- Uncover, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred with two forks.
- Add it back into the slow cooker and stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
Instant Pot Method
- Add the chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion to the Instant Pot.
- Toss together to combine, close the lid, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, manually release the pressure using the quick-release valve.
- Uncover, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred with two forks.
- Add it back into the slow cooker and stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
Notes
- Use a different cut of chicken. Instead of using chicken breasts, use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
- Find a good salsa verde. Finding a good store-bought salsa verde can be tricky. I find that they’re usually too sour or acidic. You can use my homemade salsa verde recipe, or use a store-bought salsa verde and play around with adding more seasonings as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated with new photos, more helpful tips, and an overall better recipe.
Photography by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
I got the dreaded burn message on my instant pot! I don’t even know how long the chicken was cooking.
Hi Chris. Oh no! If this happens again, let us know and we may be able to help!
Made this this evening for tacos. Prettty tasty!
Thanks
I’ve made this chicken many 5imes, reminds me exactly of my favorite taco at a local cali-mex restaurant 😋
Hello! I have this in the crockpot and it’s cooking now ! I followed the serving per 8 and i was just wondering how to measure 1 serving ? Is it 1 cup ?
Hi Shelby! Yes, a serving is more or less a cup.
How would you go about reheating from freezer??
Hi Paige! You can reheat it in the oven!
Hi Isabel! Do you think this recipe would work well as a filling for tamales?
Hi Perla! Yes this would be great in tamales! The only thing we would suggest is adding more salsa verde, maybe even doubling it for tamales since the masa absorbs some of it and to avoid the filling being dry. Try it and let us know it goes!
Hi, quick question about this great recipe: Can I sub in pork chops for the chicken?
If so, any recommendations on cooking time?
Would you use thick or thin pork chops?
Bone-in or not?
Thank you.
Hi Trey! If you wanted to use pork, we suggest using pork shoulder, or a cut that shreds easily!
Isabel, you’ve made me so happy!!! I live in Miami and the lack of good Mexican food is astounding. Your recipes are giving me hope! Just made this and the salsa verde….Fantastic!!
Love this recipe! I also add in a little black pepper and one large seeded/ stemmed jalapeno when I’m using store bought salsa!
It was easy to make and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe!