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Friday, November 15, 2024

Crock Pot Salsa Hen – Juicy, Tender, and No-Fuss


Crock Pot Salsa Hen is juicy, tender, and simple too — all you want is hen, salsa, and taco seasoning. Use the shredded hen in tacos, nachos, salads and extra!

crock pot salsa chicken in a crock potcrock pot salsa chicken in a crock pot

They are saying all people ought to have a subject they might give a 5 minute presentation on with zero preparation. Nicely I’ve two:

  1. Why the 2019 model of the film Little Ladies is vastly inferior to the 1994 model. (This can be a hill I’m prepared to die on.)
  2. How you can correctly cook dinner hen breasts within the crock pot so they arrive out juicy and tender, versus robust, dry and chalky.

Really, I solely want just a few seconds to inform you the greatest approach to sluggish cook dinner hen breasts is with seasonings, slightly liquid, and 4 hours on LOW warmth.

Enter Crock Pot Salsa Hen, ie probably the most tender, succulent, and simple crock pot hen recipe that’s so flavorful and versatile you’ll come again to it over and over!

shredded mexican chicken nachosshredded mexican chicken nachos

Wholesome + Simple Crock Pot Hen Recipe

Crock Pot Salsa Hen is a wholesome and easy dish that requires lower than 5 minutes of prep time, and can be utilized in infinite methods. Gluten free, dairy free, low carb, and low fats too, it’s shockingly tasty. That is a kind of recipes the place you have a look at the components and assume, “yeah, I’m certain that’ll style nice“, then it seems so a lot better than you imagined.

Behold, the magic of sluggish cooker salsa hen!

I additionally love that it is a recipe the place you add every part into the crock pot then press “on”. No further cooking steps wanted. On the finish of the sluggish cooking course of, the hen breasts virtually soften into shreds with the assistance of two forks. SO GOOD!

Elements Wanted

All you want are three foremost components to get this straightforward crock pot recipe on the desk:

  1. Hen breasts. Boneless skinless hen breasts are the secret. You should use boneless, skinless hen thighs as nicely — or a combination of the 2. The USDA doesn’t suggest sluggish cooking frozen hen breasts — they have to be thawed first.
  2. Salsa. I’d usually suggest my recent, home made Restaurant-Type Salsa nevertheless it’s completely nice to make use of your favourite jarred salsa for an extended and slow-cooked dish like this. I like Clint’s Salsa.
  3. Taco seasoning. Spice cabinet staples together with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried oregano taste the hen. Be happy to make use of a packet of store-bought taco seasoning, or a pair scoops of my Massive Batch Taco Do-it-yourself Seasoning as a substitute.

You’ll additionally want a crock pot, in fact! I really like my 6-quart Crock Pot for the job.

ingredients for slow cooker salsa chickeningredients for slow cooker salsa chicken

How you can Use Shredded Salsa Hen

The magic query — “How can I exploit the shredded salsa hen?” That is a particularly versatile recipe and there are infinite methods to make use of it. Listed here are some concepts:

  • Nachos: dollop tortilla chips with shredded hen and cheese then soften within the oven and cargo together with your favourite toppings.
  • Tacos: fill crunchy taco shells with shredded hen, cheese, and toppings.
  • Enchiladas: use the flavorful salsa hen because the filling in Hen Enchiladas.
  • Burritos: roll salsa hen with cooked rice, beans, salsa, and cheese in your favourite massive tortilla.
  • Tostadas: toast corn tortillas then unfold with Creamy Pinto Beans, the shredded salsa hen, and shredded cheese. Soften then dollop with guacamole and drizzle with lime juice.
  • Soups: add the tex-mex hen to Restaurant-Type Hen Tortilla Soup to avoid wasting your self a step.
  • Salads: chill the shredded hen then add to lettuce with shredded cheese, black beans, tomatoes, inexperienced onions, and tortilla strips to make Southwest Salads. Serve with a combination of equal elements salsa and ranch dressing.
  • Burrito Bowls: pair the shredded hen with cilantro lime rice, black beans, and recent fixins to create your personal customized burrito bowl.
  • Quesadillas: pair with shredded cheese and tortillas then crisp to a golden crunch. Dip in a combination of equal elements salsa and guacamole.

#1 Secret for Excellent Sluggish Cooker Hen

I didn’t wish to bury the lead so I allow you to in on my secret for cooking good hen breasts within the crock pot above — nevertheless it’s value repeating:

Boneless hen breasts ONLY NEED TO COOK FOR 4 HOURS ON LOW within the crock pot. In case you’re utilizing monster hen breasts which can be over 1/2lb every, merely reduce them in half, however nonetheless — once more — they solely have to be cooked for 4 hours on low.

In case you’ve ever cooked hen within the crock pot and so they shredded into tiny, robust little items that resembled noticed mud, that’s as a result of the hen was overcooked. Utilizing my technique of seasonings, slightly liquid, and 4 hours on low, the hen will grow to be stunning, lengthy, and luscious shreds.

I can’t wait so that you can do that recipe!

tongs scooping up shredded mexican chickentongs scooping up shredded mexican chicken

Add Salsa Hen to Cheese Enchiladas!

How you can Make Crock Pot Salsa Hen

Step 1: Add the components to the crock pot.

To a 6-quart Crock Pot, add the hen breasts, a jar of salsa, and taco seasoning mix. 

ingredients for crock pot salsa chicken in crock potingredients for crock pot salsa chicken in crock pot

Step 2: Stir to mix then sluggish cook dinner.

Stir the components to mix then cowl and cook dinner on LOW for 4 hours. Alternatively, you possibly can sluggish cook dinner the hen on HIGH for two hours when you’re in a rush, although 4 hours on low is my go-to (in case that wasn’t abundantly clear by now, LOL!)

On the finish of the cooking course of the sluggish cooker will appear to be it has a ton of liquid inside. Shred the hen breasts with two forks, and the hen will take up almost all the cooking liquid.

ingredients for crock pot salsa chicken mixed in crock potingredients for crock pot salsa chicken mixed in crock pot

Step 3: Use the shredded hen.

Whether or not your trying to make shredded hen nachos, or meal prep the salsa hen to make burrito bowls or salads for lunches all week — the hen is prepared for use as quickly as its cooked!

How you can Retailer and Freeze

Thrilled to inform you that crockpot salsa hen freezes fantastically AND makes wonderful freezer meal kits which can be nice for households with new infants, sicknesses, and so on. Listed here are the main points:

  • To retailer: cool the shredded hen then scoop into an hermetic container with a lid and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
  • To freeze: cool the shredded hen then scoop right into a gallon-size freezer bag, take away the air, seal, and freeze flat for as much as 6 months. Thaw within the fridge.
  • To make freezer meal packs: add the raw components right into a gallon-size freezer bag then take away the air, seal, and freeze flat for as much as 6 months. Thaw fully within the fridge earlier than following recipe instructions.

Irrespective of the way you eat this luscious salsa hen recipe, I hope you like each chew — get pleasure from!

bowl of shredded salsa chickenbowl of shredded salsa chicken

Extra Easy + Tasty Hen Recipes

Description

Crock Pot Salsa Hen is juicy, tender, and simple too — all you want is hen, salsa, and taco seasoning! Use the shredded hen in tacos, nachos, salads and extra!

Elements

  • 2lbs hen breasts
  • 16oz jar salsa
  • For the Do-it-yourself Taco Seasoning:
    • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

  1. Place hen breasts into the underside of a 6-quart crock pot then sprinkle on Do-it-yourself Taco Seasoning components and pour in salsa. Stir to mix then cowl and cook dinner on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for two hours, or till the hen shreds simply with two forks. The shredded hen will take in the cooking liquid because it sits.
  2. Use as desired.

Notes

  • I like Clint’s Delicate Salsa, which is gluten free.
  • You could use 2 Tablespoons of my Massive Batch Do-it-yourself Taco Seasoning Combine rather than the mix listed above.
  • Be happy to make use of boneless, skinless hen thighs — or a combination of those and hen breasts — to equal 2lbs.
  • To retailer: cool the shredded hen then scoop right into a storage container with an hermetic lid and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
  • To freeze: cool the shredded hen then scoop right into a gallon-size freezer bag, take away the air, seal, and freeze flat for as much as 6 months. Thaw within the fridge.
  • To make freezer meal packs: add the raw components right into a gallon-size freezer bag then take away the air, seal, and freeze flat for as much as 6 months. Thaw fully within the fridge earlier than following recipe instructions.

How you can use the shredded salsa hen:

  • Nachos: dollop tortilla chips with shredded hen and cheese then soften within the oven and cargo up together with your favourite toppings.
  • Tacos: fill crunchy taco shells with shredded hen then add your toppings.
  • Enchiladas: use the flavorful salsa hen because the filling in Hen Enchiladas.
  • Burritos: roll salsa hen with cooked rice, beans, salsa, and cheese in your favourite massive tortilla.
  • Tostadas: toast corn tortillas then unfold with Creamy Pinto Beans, the shredded salsa hen, and shredded cheese. Soften then dollop with guacamole.
  • Soups: add the tex-mex hen to Restaurant-Type Hen Tortilla Soup to avoid wasting your self a step.
  • Salads: chill the shredded hen then add to lettuce with shredded cheese, black beans, tomatoes, inexperienced onions, and tortilla strips. Serve with a combination of equal elements salsa and ranch dressing.
  • Burrito Bowls: pair the shredded hen with cilantro lime rice, black beans, and all of the recent fixins.
  • Quesadillas: pair with shredded cheese and tortillas then crisp to a golden crunch. Dip in a combination of equal elements salsa and guacamole.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

photo collage of crock pot salsa chickenphoto collage of crock pot salsa chicken

Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin

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