This flavor packed Crockpot Mexican Chicken slow cooks all day under a crown of black beans, corn and salsa until perfectly tender. Serve it over rice, in tacos, on salads and more! Bonus: You only need 5 ingredients!
Crockpot Mexican Chicken
This extra easy Crockpot Mexican Chicken is one of my favorite easy weeknight dinner recipes that only needs 5 ingredients. It is one of those magical slow cooker recipes where you dump everything into the crockpot and turn it on. After a few hours, you shred the chicken and dinner is ready!
You can use this Mexican Chicken in so many different ways from tacos, to salads, burrito bowls and even soup! Just add some chicken extra chicken broth to the crockpot and you will have a delicious and easy Mexican Chicken Soup! The options are endless and this is a wonderful starter recipe you can use to make as your own.
If you are on a time crunch, you can also toss everything into an instant pot as well! I will give directions in the recipe below for cooking this Mexican Chicken in the slow cooker as well as the instant pot. Both ways create a flavorful and extra easy delicious dinner!
Ways to serve Mexican Chicken:
There are so many various ways you can utilize this Crockpot Mexican Chicken! You can serve it one way the first day and then use any leftovers in another version the next day to keep things fresh. Here are our favorite ways to use Mexican Chicken:
- Served as tacos in corn or flour tortillas.
- Wrapped up in a burrito with rice.
- Served as a burrito bowl over rice or cauliflower rice.
- Add chicken broth and create a delicious Mexican Chicken Soup.
- With lots of cheese in a quesadilla.
- Served on the side of rice, sweet plantains, etc.
- Enchiladas – rolled up inside tortillas with cheese and coated in enchilada sauce.
Just 5 Ingredients
You only need 5 easy ingredients for this Crockpot Mexican Chicken:
- Boneless Chicken Breast or Thighs
- Rotel or Salsa
- Black Beans
- Corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
- Taco Seasoning – we used homemade taco seasoning, but store bought is great too!
Salsa vs Rotel
You can use Rotel or salsa depending on your personal preferences. We personally like to use Rotel because we love the flavor and the chunks of tomatoes at the end and it has a little less liquid in it when compared to a traditional salsa.
We like to use the original version of Rotel, because it’s a low heat that adds more flavor than heat. If you are not a fan of heat at all, I recommend using Mild Rotel instead. On the flip side, if you like things spicy, try their hot version!
Optional Additional Ingredients/Toppings:
- Cilantro: we like to use this on top as a garnish, but can also be minced and mixed into the chicken after cooking.
- Fresh Lime: great squeezed on top or even mixed in! The hit of acid is great with the chicken.
- Minced Garlic: if you love garlic, mince up a few cloves of garlic and add it to the mixture before cooking.
- Diced Onion: onion is a great addition as well to add before cooking with the beans and corn. It adds even more flavor!
- Avocado/Guacamole: great as a topping.
- Sour Cream: another great topping.
- Chicken Broth: if you want to turn this into Mexican Chicken Soup, add a quart of chicken broth/stock before cooking. When I make this as a soup, I also like to add onion, garlic and fresh lime juice!
How to make Crockpot Mexican Chicken:
Step 1: Spray crockpot with a little nonstick spray. Spread 1 can of Rotel on the bottom of the crockpot. Lay chicken breasts or thighs on top of the Rotel. Sprinkle half of your taco seasoning onto the chicken.
Step 2: Top chicken with black beans, corn, and Rotel. Then sprinkle on the remaining taco seasoning.
Step 3: Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or high heat for 4 hours. Shred chicken and serve as desired!
How to make Mexican Chicken in an Instant Pot:
When you make this Mexican Chicken in an instant pot, you will need to add liquid so you do not get the dreaded burn error! So do not drain your Rotel and you will need to add 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
Step 1: Spray bottom of instant pot with a little nonstick spray. Add 1 can of Rotel to the bottom of the instant pot. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Lay chicken on top and sprinkle with half of your taco seasoning.
Step 2: Top chicken with black beans, corn, and second can of Rotel. Then sprinkle on the remaining taco seasoning.
Step 3: Seal the pressure cooker with the lid. Select Manual (or Pressure Cook button depending on your instant pot model) and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Don’t forget, it will take about 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure and then the timer to start counting down.
Step 4: When the cook time finishes, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10 minute natural release (meaning do not touch the instant pot for 10 minutes after it says it’s done cooking). Then turn the steam release knob to Venting to release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
Step 5: Shred chicken and serve as desired! There will be more liquid in the pot when this Mexican Chicken is cooked in the instant pot versus the crockpot. So I like to remove my chicken breasts and shred them in a different bowl and then scoop out the corn/beans/tomatoes with a slotted spoon and add them to the shredded chicken.
Can I make Mexican Chicken ahead of time?
Absolutely! As with most braised meats, this shredded Mexican chicken tastes just as delicious the next day! Maybe even better since the flavors get to meld together even longer. So feel free to make this recipe a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
Meal Prep: You can also meal prep this recipe if you would prefer. I toss everything into a ziplock bag and then freeze or refrigerate it depending on how far in advance I am meal prepping. When you are ready, add everything to the crockpot and turn it on! Dinner is done!
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 5 days. Keep in mind that more liquid can be absorbed during storage, so if you want it saucier, you may need to add a splash of chicken broth or extra salsa.
Freeze It: You can also freeze your leftovers for an easy dinner anytime! I always make a double (and sometimes triple!) batch of this recipe so we have tons of leftovers for extra easy dinners the following weeks. To freeze, place cooked and shredded Mexican Chicken in a ziplock and remove all the air possible. Lay flat in the freezer (to save on freezer space) and freeze until ready to use!
This is one of our favorite easy Mexican recipes with almost zero work on your part! Just dump in the ingredients and set the crockpot (or instant pot!) and forget about it. Dinner is done when you come home at the end of the day!
Looking for more easy crockpot recipes? Try these reader favorites
- Crockpot French Onion Chicken
- Crockpot Shredded Beef – makes amazing roast beef sandwiches!
- Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Soup – 0 Points on WW+!
- Best Pulled Pork in the crockpot!
Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Flavor packed Crockpot Mexican Chicken slow cooks all day with black beans, corn and salsa until perfectly tender. Serve it over rice, in tacos, on salads and more! Bonus: You only need 5 ingredients!
Ingredients
- 2 (10 oz) cans Rotel (mild, original or hot)
- 1.5 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- 1 oz packet Taco Seasoning
- 1 (15.5 oz) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
- 10 oz Frozen Corn Kernels
- **1/2 cup chicken broth - only if making this in an instant pot!
Instructions
- CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS: Drain the extra liquid out of the cans of rotel. Spray crockpot with a little nonstick spray. Spread 1 can of Rotel on the bottom of the crockpot. Lay chicken breasts or thighs on top of the Rotel. Sprinkle half of your taco seasoning onto the chicken.
- Top chicken with black beans, corn, and Rotel. Then sprinkle on the remaining taco seasoning.
- Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or high heat for 4 hours. Shred chicken and serve as desired!
- INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS: Spray bottom of instant pot with a little nonstick spray. Add 1 can of rotel (do not drain) to the bottom of the instant pot. Add chicken broth. Lay chicken on top and sprinkle with half of your taco seasoning.
- Top chicken with black beans, corn, and second can of Rotel. Then sprinkle on the remaining taco seasoning.
- Seal the pressure cooker with the lid. Select Manual (or Pressure Cook button depending on your instant pot model) and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Don’t forget, it will take about 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure and then the timer to start counting down.
- When the cook time finishes, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10 minute natural release (meaning do not touch the instant pot for 10 minutes after it says it’s done cooking). Then turn the steam release knob to Venting to release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
- Shred chicken and serve as desired! There will be more liquid in the pot when this Mexican Chicken is cooked in the instant pot versus the crockpot. So I like to remove my chicken breasts and shred them in a different bowl and then scoop out the corn/beans/tomatoes with a slotted spoon and add them to the shredded chicken.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4 servingsServing Size:
1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 459Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1462mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 61g
Hi .. What about using any other kind of beans. Have everything to make this right now except for the black beans. I have white, red they should work wouldn’t they?
Either will work! I personally would prefer the white beans more, but red would work just fine too!
Can I make this without rotel/salsa?
You can, but it won’t have half of the flavor. You will want to add a few splashes of chicken broth so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Stovetop directions please:)
Hi Aida, you could add it to a skillet with a lid and simmer it until the chicken is shreddable. You may need to add a little broth as it cooks down.
Do I need to add water to the crock pot before I cook it?
Nope! No water needed!
This is super easy and very good! I did add red onion, cilantro and a little lime juice! Will definitely make again!
Can I use Chicken already cooked and shredded that I am in the freezer?
Hi Tami! Sure, but it won’t have the same flavor in the chicken as it would if the chicken was cooked together with everything. You would just need to heat everything, so I’d only do 1 hour in the crockpot since the meat is already cooked.