This week I played around with the concept for my classic Taco Chicken Bowls and made a “green” salsa version, or Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Bowls. Salsa is kind of a secret weapon when it comes to the using a slow cooker. It adds flavor, color, and texture to the pot all in one swoop. Although I did add a little extra seasoning to my chicken, you could practically just combine meat and salsa in a slow cooker and have it turn out quite delicious.
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Make it a Bowl, or Not
I kept this Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Verde fairly simple, then combined it with a few fresh ingredients to make a really amazing bowl meal. I’ve listed the ingredients for the “bowl” in the recipe and price calculation below, but this chicken would still be really awesome if you just served it over hot rice on its own (with a couple spoonfuls of the juices from the pot, of course!). So, you don’t have to get all fancy with the “bowl” concept like I did, if you don’t want to. ;)
What Type of Green Salsa is Best?
There is no right answer here. Just make sure it’s a green salsa that you’ve tried and that you know you like, as the salsa is the main flavor in this dish. I used Goya this time around because it was the most budget friendly. You can see a photo of the bottle in the step by step photos below the recipe.
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Verde Bowls
Servings 4Ingredients
SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE CHICKEN
- 1 yellow onion ( $0.25)
- 1 bell pepper ($0.87)
- 2 lb. chicken pieces*, skins removed ($4.22)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp salt ( $0.02)
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 16oz. jar salsa verde ($2.69)
BOWLS
- 4 cups cooked rice ($0.64)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($1.00)
- 1 jalapeno ($0.20)
- 2 oz. queso fresco** ($0.60)
- 1 lime ($0.33)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro ($0.25)
Instructions
- Slice the onion and bell pepper, then lay them into the bottom of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Place the chicken pieces on top of the onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle the cumin, salt, garlic powder, and some freshly cracked pepper onto the chicken pieces. Pour the salsa over top.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for 8 hours.
- After cooking, carefully remove the chicken pieces with tongs. Use the tongs to retrieve the onion an d bell peppers from the liquid in the slow cooker. Serve the chicken with the onion and bell pepper, and a spoonful or two of the juices from the slow cooker.
- To build the bowls, thinly slice the jalapeño and crumble the queso fresco. Drain and rinse the black beans. Place a cup of cooked rice in a bowl, add one or two pieces of chicken, 1/4 of the beans, a few slices of jalapeño, a little crumbled queso fresco (about 1/2 oz.), and some fresh cilantro leaves. Cut a lime into wedges and squeeze the juice over top just before serving.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down to see the step by step photos!
How to Make Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken – Step by Step Photos
Slice one yellow onion and one bell pepper. Place the slices in the bottom of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
Place 2 lbs. chicken pieces (skin removed) on top of the onion and bell pepper, then sprinkle 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, and some freshly cracked pepper onto the chicken. You can use any type of chicken pieces here, bone-in or boneless. Just make sure to remove the skin. Usually the skin can just be easily peeled off by hand.
Pour one 16oz. jar of salsa verde over the chicken.
Just because I know you’ll ask–I used this Goya salsa, mainly just because it was the best priced salsa at the store. It’s actually a 17oz. jar, but 16oz. will be plenty.
The salsa will not completely submerge or cover the chicken, but as the pot cooks the chicken and vegetables will release moisture and create enough moisture for the chicken to “stew” in the pot. Place the lid on the cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.
After which time it will look like this! The chicken will be SUPER tender at this point, so you have to carefully lift it out of the juices with tongs. You’ll want to fish out the onion and bell pepper with the tongs as well. The liquid in the pot is really delicious and flavorful, so you can use that to spoon over the chicken and whatever you serve it with.
I decided to use my chicken for “bowl” meals, so I prepped some toppings: fresh cilantro, queso fresco, and fresh jalapeño. Slice the jalapeño very, VERY thin. Oh, I also used one 15oz. can of black beans. Just drain and rinse the beans (sorry, forgot a photo!).
This is what the queso fresco that I used looks like. It’s salty, crumbly, and tastes kind of like fresh milk. Very yummy! If you can’t find something similar, Monterey jack or cheddar would also be good.
To build the bowls, just put one cup of cooked rice in a bowl, add a piece of chicken (or two) and some of the onions and peppers from the bottom of the pot. I also spooned some of the liquid from the pot over the chicken and rice. Then add some black beans, queso fresco, a few slices of jalapeño, and fresh cilantro. Cut a lime into wedges, then squeeze the juice over the bowl just before serving!
Can you use frozen peppers and onions? I a bag in my freezer I need to use up!
Yes, you could use those in this recipe. :)
So so good! It was such a success. I’ve already made it twice so far. It will be one of our go-to family recipes!
So, I went to make this today, had everything in the crockpot ready to go, up to putting all the spices on the chicken, when I realized I didn’t buy any salsa verde 😂
I made this an it was excellent. I mixed a little honey with the sauce an it was amazing an it toned down the the heat from the spices.
Where did you find queso fresco for $0 .60 an oz? I bought the exact same pack and it cost $6 so about double what yours cost. Excited to make this though!
Per 2oz I meant, sorry.
Unfortunately I don’t remember now where I bought it for this recipe (that was back in 2016), but I will say that I have seen quite a price difference in queso fresco from store to store. It seems like some stores have it priced super high, like it’s a specialty item, and other stores have it dirt cheap. Definitely check out any international markets if you have them.
I’m curious why no chicken skin? I love the extra fat..:)
Thanks
I don’t like using skin in the slow cooker because it turns kind of soggy, but you can certainly use it if you prefer. :) (I LOVE skin when cooking in the oven, because the dry cooking environment makes it nice and crispy)
I made this for dinner tonight! THIS WAS AMAZING! I used a little more seasoning than called for and it turned out amazing. It tastes authentic! Even my hubby who hates spicy food enjoyed it! Thank you for for posting this! Super good!
What settings and time would you use to cook this in an Instant Pot?
Unfortunately I’m not an expert at converting recipes to an Instant Pot, but I’d probably just try 30 minutes high pressure first.
This is delicious! I make this often!
Hi Beth, if I wanted to use boneless and skinless chicken thighs, would it still be 2lbs or 1.5lb to account for the no bones?
Thank you!
I think it’s flexible enough that the marinade could handle up to 2 lbs. boneless. :) 1/2 lb. difference shouldn’t affect the slow cooker cooking time, either. It may even be faster without the bones.
I had kind of a hard time getting the skin off the chicken legs (especially at the bottom of the bone). Any tips? It was easy to get it loose, but hard to get it off and to cut.
You can always use the tip of a sharp knife to break through the skin at that point.
You can use a dry paper towel. That gives you a good grip.
For groups, you may consider lining up the ingredients on the serving counter for a build-your-own-bowl assembly line.
You may use leftover or canned chicken or turkey meat and reduce cooking time.
Great just as is or may wish to serve with a green salad, warm tortillas or crispy tortilla chips.
On the table: extra cheese, salsa verde and picante.
The Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken is so freaking good!!! I used two boneless skinless chicken breasts to increase the servings to six, so I can have enough for dinner when I return home from work this week. My apartment smelled heavenly!! I served the chicken with some rice, black beans, cheddar cheese and lime. Thank you so much for the recipe, Beth!!! :-)
I loved this, I like it better than the original Taco chicken bowls. I made burritos out of these, added cheddar, jalapeños in a warmed tortilla. It was fantastic! The leftovers even tasted great cold. I used chicken breasts and they were not dry at all. I added a second bell pepper for more veggies, would even consider adding a third. I used Trader Joe’s salsa verde and it was tasty I would use it again.
I made this yesterday and it was a big hit! The best chicken dish I have had in a long time, and certainly the best one to come out of my slow cooker.
I used chicken thighs, three bell peppers, and feta cheese. I cooked it on low for about 7 hours.
I paired it with black beans I made in my instant pot, and quinoa (stovetop).
I made this tonight and served as soft tacos topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar. I cooked the rice in some of the liquid from the slow cooker for added flavor. Great quick and basic meal!
A nice change from the “original” taco bowls (which are AWESOME, btw). Servings are generous, I’ll probably stretch mine to six with the supplement of beans and rice. I really love these taco bowls Beth – they have been great to freeze ahead, then bring to work for lunches. Thank you!
Made this the other night. Absolutely delicious! Still enjoying the leftovers. I think I will use an extra bell pepper next time because I was craving some extra veggies with the protein.
Made this tonight and it was sooooo good! I’ve never used chicken thighs before and they were super tasty. Easy great recipe! I also used feta since I couldn’t find the queso fresco. I love your recipes, Beth, I recommend this site all the time, thank you!
Delicious! I left out the jalapenos because I’m a wimp, and I shredded the chicken back into the sauce. All very good and very easy, will make again!
Can I use frozen bell pepper strips. Do I throw them in the slow cooker frozen or should I defrost first.
I’m sure they’d thaw quickly in the cooker, so I don’t think you’d need to thaw them first (I never use frozen meat, though). They might break down quite a bit more than fresh bell pepper, though.
Just put this in my slow cooker! I used half a green and half a red pepper (the remaining halves will be used in another dish) and boneless skinless chicken breasts that were on sale this week. I think I will shred the chicken at the end and mix it back in for a nice meaty sauce to spoon over rice. Can’t wait!
I love this blog and have made many dishes with 100% success. I made this and the taste is outstanding and I will make again. However, I used chicken legs, crock-pot on high for 4 hours.
The chicken fell off of the bone, but I did not intend for this to happen. It was pretty bad because the ends of the drumsticks fell off too and it is difficult to find them. Every bowl so far I have bitten into a piece of bone.
BUt tastes great, just will not use drumsticks again )note, I peeled back the skin on the legs, maybe that was the issue?)
Angela, i’ve found every slow cooker is different. Mine for example seems to run pretty hot, and if I follow the cook times for most posted recipes here or elsewhere, I turn everything to soup. I cook for less time and check up on the food as it goes.
Very tasty! The chicken took quite a bit longer to cook, so next time I’ll adjust the time or use a different cut of chicken instead of drumsticks.
This sounds like a great recipe! Is there any way to convert it from slow cooker to a different cooking device like a rice cooker or oven? I don’t own a slow cooker :(
You could do it in an oven as long as you use a covered dish (like a dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid). Try 300 degrees for an hour, then check to see how tender the chicken is and cook longer if needed.
Question… Would adding more chicken (not one layer) work for this? Obviously I would need to increase the other ingredients as well. When I made this recipe, I told the boys to go ahead and eat without me and my only issue is, when I arrived home there was none left. :( The boys LOVED it! So I definitely need to amp up the meat or my hungry football players might starve. Poor things! Honestly, I don’t want to miss out next time!
I think that would work. I’d add the extra salsa in two layers, too, so that the chicken on top gets some of that flavor and moisture. :)
I did this w/chicken thighs last night and it was soooooo YUMMY! And just as good for lunch today 😋
Burrito bowls are my new go to. I’ve recently discovered I have to eliminate wheat and corn from my diet.
I just made up a bunch of slow cooker chicken taco bowls last night and froze all but one.
Mmmmmm…..yum. This looks totally amazing. I’m just starring at the screen looking at how delicious they look.
Tried this recipe today, used chicken thighs instead of legs. Came home from work to the delicious aroma of Salsa Verde Chicken in my crockpot. Tasted as good as it smelled, took a bowl over to the paraplegic woman I care for and got the thumbs up. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing it.
Are the black beans added to the bowl after draining. ie not warmed or cooked in any way?
I didn’t warm or cook them, but you certainly could if you prefer everything hot. :)
I used HEB’s medium That Green Sace for my Verde suace. I will use mild next time. Very tasty.
Yum! I’m thinking I’ll toss this in the Instantpot tonight and try quick cooking it (because I just bought one and now feel like I have to cook everything in there:) )
I was thinking instant pot too– although I don’t have one yet! How did it turn out?
I just bought an Instant Pot – let us know how it turned out and if possible details on how long you cooked it, etc! Thanks. I made it in my slow cooker last night – DELICIOUS! Wouldn’t change a thing. Can hardly wait for leftovers today :)
Okay ladies, took me a while, but here it is! I made the recipe exactly, used 2 lbs of still mostly frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs and cooked on high pressure for 28min with a 10 min natural pressure release. Also, (and I’m super excited about this!) I forgot to buy beans for the bowls, so I put the little metal trivet that came with my IP on top of the chicken and salsa and then a Pyrex bowl with I soaked beans and water (1:3 ratio) on top and cooked my beans simultaneously! Waiting for my hubby to come home to eat it, but opened the pot and everything is fully cooked, so I don’t know how it could go wrong!
What happens if you leave the chicken skin on? Would it just be too soggy and greasy?
Exactly. :)
Look so nice. I will try to cook it.
Feta is a great substitute for queso fresco. I live in Northern Alberta and queso fresco is nowhere to be found. When I took a cooking class in Puerto Vallarta the chef told me about subbing feta for the queso fresco
I LOVE salsa verde, and definitely looking forward to making this recipe soon!!! :-)
As a European I have no chance of finding queso fresco unfortunately, how similar is it to other options like feta or just fresh goat cheese?
Feta is fairly similar because it’s crumbly and salty, but I don’t think goat cheese is a good substitute. It’s too creamy and tangy. :)
That looks yumm! Well done, love the colours too :P
Do you think the cooked meat could be frozen? Maybe freeze with some of the cooking liquid?
Beth might have a different opinion, but I would think that freezing the chicken would work well but probably be easiest if you pulled the chicken off the bone first rather than freezing with the bone in :)
I agree with the other commenter that it might be best to take the chicken off the bone before freezing. :) And yes, in some of the liquid would help preserve the flavor and prevent freezer burn.