Description
This Salsa Verde Chicken recipe is a simple, flavorful dish perfect for busy weeknights, combining tender chicken thighs and/or breasts with zesty salsa verde and fire-roasted green chiles. Ready in just over four hours when cooked in a slow cooker or quickly in an Instant Pot, it’s an effortless meal packed with Mexican-inspired flavors and minimal prep time.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts (we like to use 1 pound of each)
Sauce and Seasoning
- 1 (12-ounce) jar Salsa Verde (such as Trader Joe’s)
- 1 (4-ounce) can fire-roasted green chiles
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Fine salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs and/or breasts dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick and the meat cook evenly.
- Combine ingredients: In the crockpot or Instant Pot, add the salsa verde, fire-roasted green chiles, ground cumin, dried oregano, and a pinch of fine salt and pepper. Stir to mix the seasonings evenly.
- Add the chicken: Place the chicken thighs and/or breasts into the sauce mixture, ensuring they are coated with the salsa and seasonings.
- Cook the chicken: For slow cooker: Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. For Instant Pot: Seal the lid, set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release of 10 minutes before opening.
- Serve: Once cooked, shred or slice the chicken as desired. Serve it with rice, tortillas, or as a topping for tacos, garnished with fresh cilantro or avocado if desired.
Notes
- This recipe requires only about 5 minutes of prep time and minimal hands-on effort, making it incredibly easy and convenient to prepare.
- The chicken can be cooked either in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, depending on your available equipment and time.
- Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more green chiles or a pinch of chili powder if you prefer extra heat.
- Leftover chicken stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be frozen for meal prep.
- Shredded chicken is perfect for tacos, burritos, or salads, making this a versatile base recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 oz chicken without toppings
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 495mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
