Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken is flavored with lime and finished with melted Mozzarella for a tasty dinner that’s low-carb and gluten-free! And this family-friendly Salsa Chicken dinner idea has only five ingredients!
PIN Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken to try it later!
I bet this Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken will become a favorite for lots of my readers who like flavorful dishes without many ingredients. But if anyone is looking at the photo and thinking it doesn’t look like a slow cooker chicken recipe, let me share how we came up with this final version of the Salsa Chicken (which we thought was perfect.)
We started out to make simple chicken baked breasts with salsa and cheese, and the first version tasted okay, but was too watery. For our second attempt we simmered the salsa to reduce the amount of liquid (a good idea), but the oven-baked chicken seemed overdone. For our final keeper version the chicken cooks on high in the slow cooker with reduced salsa and lime and then it’s put in a small casserole dish, covered with Mozzarella, and put under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese.
This may seem like too much trouble, but trust me on this, because this method produced perfectly-cooked moist chicken with spicy salsa flavor and gooey melted cheese!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
- fresh-squeezed lime juice, I used my fresh-frozen lime juice
- grated Mozzarella cheese
Why I love Pace Picante Sauce for the Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken recipe:
Pace Picante Sauce is so flavorful and low in carbs that I’ve used it for years when I want that spicy salsa flavor in a recipe. Check out Low-Carb Recipes with Pace Picante Sauce for all my favorite recipes using this tasty sauce.
How low in carbs is this Salsa Chicken recipe?
This easy and tasty Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken only has 3 net carbs and 33 grams of protein per serving!
Want to make Salsa Chicken in the Instant Pot?
Check out the Instant Pot version of Salsa Chicken if you prefer using the Instant Pot!
What slow cooker did I use for Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken?
I used a 3.5 Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe, but any slow cooker that’s close to that size will work.
Want more low-carb recipes for the slow cooker?
Check out my huge collection of Keto Crock Pot Recipes for more slow cooker meals that are low in carbs!
Want more ideas for slow cooker chicken dinners?
This recipe is included in 20 Low-Carb CrockPot Chicken Dinners on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site. There you’ll find 15 delicious low-carb slow cooker dinner ideas from around the web.
How to Make Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Simmer two cups salsa on low until it is reduced to one cup. (We used Pace Picante Sauce, medium heat, but I’d use mild salsa if you’re making this for kids.)
- Trim four boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise. (I save the trimmings to make homemade chicken stock.)
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Mix the reduced salsa with the lime juice and pour over the chicken.
- Cook for 60-90 minutes on high, or until the chicken is cooked through. (Cooking time doesn’t have to be exact for this, but I wouldn’t go much more than 2 hours or the chicken will start to shred apart.)
- Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray, then use a slotted turner to lift the chicken pieces out and arrange in one layer in the dish.
- Then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the thicker parts of the salsa and dish it over the chicken, leaving the more watery salsa in the slow cooker. Scoop out enough salsa from the slow cooker that the chicken pieces are well-covered with the thickened salsa.
- Sprinkle a cup of grated Mozzarella over the chicken and place under a pre-heated broiler.
- Broil until the cheese is all melted and starting to lightly brown (probably under 5 minutes for most broilers.)
- Serve hot, with low-fat sour cream if desired.
- If you have a large slow cooker, this recipe would be perfect to double and have leftovers for later in the week.
Weekend Food Prep:
This Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat leftovers during the week!
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
You could serve Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken with Spicy Mexican Slaw or Spicy Lime Coleslaw on the side for a low-carb meal. This chicken is also perfect to shred apart and serving in low-carb tortillas for tasty chicken tacos!
More Tasty Recipes for Chicken:
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
This Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken is flavored with lime and then finishes up under the broiler with melted Mozzarella for a tasty dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 cups mild or medium salsa, simmered to reduce to 1 cup
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, for seasoning chicken
- 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (or less if you’re not that into lime)
- 1 cup grated Mozzarella
Instructions
- Put 2 cups of Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link) or other low-sugar salsa into a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until enough liquid has evaporated that the salsa has reduced to 1 cup. (We used medium-heat salsa which was pretty spicy after being reduced; if cooking for kids I would use mild salsa and add hot sauce at the table.)
- Trim all visible fat and undesirable parts from the chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise.
- Put the chicken in a single layer in a slow cooker that you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray.
- Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- When the salsa has reduced to 1 cup, stir in the lime juice and pour the mixture over the chicken.
- Cook on high for 60-90 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (Depending on how hot your slow cooker gets, cooking time may be a little more or less, but don’t cook too long or the chicken will start to shred apart.)
- When the chicken is cooked through, preheat the broiler and spray a small glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- Use a slotted turner to lift out chicken pieces with whatever salsa clings to the chicken and arrange in a single layer in the casserole dish.
- Then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chunkier parts of the salsa and spoon it over the chicken. (Just use enough so the chicken is well-covered with chunky salsa; leave the more watery salsa in the slow cooker.)
- Sprinkle 1 cup grated Mozzarella over the chicken and put the dish under the broiler until the cheese is melted and starting to lightly brown. (This will be about 5 minutes with most broilers, but watch it carefully!)
- Serve hot, with a little low-fat sour cream to add at the table if desired.
- This will keep for a day or two in the fridge.
- For best results when reheating, put it in a small glass dish covered with foil and reheat in a toaster oven. (If you must reheat it in the microwave, use lower heat so the chicken doesn’t dry out.)
Notes
I used a Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link). You need a slow cooker that’s big enough to put the chicken in a single layer.
I used a 9″x7″ glass casserole dish; any size close to that would work.
See Instant Pot Salsa Chicken if you prefer making this in the Instant Pot.
This recipe created by Kalyn and Jake with some inspiration from Salsa Chicken in Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two. (affiliate link)
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 234Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 4gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 96mgSodium 654mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 33g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
If you use a low-sugar salsa like Pace Picante Sauce, this Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken recipe is great for low-carb or Keto diets. Low-carb eaters would probably prefer full-fat cheese. If you use low-fat mozzarella and salsa without added sugar, this recipe would be a great main-dish for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken was first posted in 2013, and it’s been popular ever since. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2024.
63 Comments on “Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken”
My mouth is watering reading this! Sounds SOO good and I can’t wait to make this dish!!!
Thanks Jen; hope you enjoy!
Hi! Quick question. Why didn’t you use your casserole slow cooker? I was just reading your recipe for buttery butternut squash and you’ve sold me on the casserole slow cooker. I’m just trying to see if I would use it enough to warrant the purchase! Love your recipes. Thanks!!
Hi Marsha. The Casserole Crock is great. There is also a smaller size Casserole Crock that’s more oval shaped that I like too. I made this recipe before the Casserole Crock was even invented, but it would have worked well!
Do I double the time if I cook it on low? Thanks!
I haven't cooked on low so I can't say for sure how long it would take. I'd start to check after a few hours.
Came across this recipe while looking for something to cook for Valentine's dinner with some friends. It turned out great! Right about 2 hours in the crockpot. As a side we made the low carb spaghetti squash fritters from another site. Everyone loved the "low carb" meal! (have to say that the next night we fixed a lemon dill chicken from another side – not impressed at all. We will definitely be sticking to your recipe!
So glad you liked it!
Pace Picante Sauce (Medium) is my favorite cooking medium. This recipe is right up my alley. Can't wait to try it. I do have to agree with other commenters on only using 1 dish. I think that I would reduce the Picante sauce, pour it over the chicken in a baking dish, cover it and bake in the oven on a low setting…maybe 275 for a couple of hours until the chicken is tender. Then cover with cheese and broil. I will experiment. Thank you for sharing your recipe and techniques.
Medium is the one I always buy! I liked using the slow cooker because I thought it infused the chicken with the flavor of the hot sauce more than just baking it in sauce, but of course use the method you prefer.
This looks like a good recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it!! It was just sort of confusing to read through all your iterations of the different versions that did NOT work out.
I include that type of information so people don't think they can skip the steps that worked for me. Hope you enjoy it.
This looks delicious! About how long does it take to reduce the two cups of Salsa down to one cup? Do you need to stir constantly during this process or only occasionally?
Shirley, it will take about 15-20 minutes to reduce the salsa, depending on how hot you have the stove. I would stir a couple of times, but you don't have to stir too often, just keep an eye on it.
I hate this blog. I had to copy and paste the so called "printer friendly" recipe. There are too many ads. Won't be back.
There's no reason you should have to copy and paste the printer-friendly recipe, it's working perfectly. And if you had looked a bit more closely you might have noticed that the ads will not print when you print the page, there is a notice saying that. I don't want to promote products for money as so many bloggers do, so I appreciate the many readers who are able to understand that ads are the alternative.
Wow, hate is such a strong word! I, too, found out that the printer-friendly version of this doesn’t condense well. (I try to keep my recipes to a single page.). I copied and pasted into a Word document, and fiddled with sizing and fonts to get it to fit. (Hope you don’t mind, Kalyn!). The recipes here at TOTALLY worth the extra few minutes of work for me!
Feel free to do whatever works for you! I wish every recipe was only a page, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen.
What should the temperature be set at on the broiler
Most ovens just have a setting called broil. Big there are temperatures it should be high heat.
I'd grown tired of boneless/skinless chicken, because it became kind of boring. This is the first recipe that 'lit my fire' and I'm making it tonight! I bought a 'cheap' salsa from Aldi, and added lime juice and garlic while reducing it. I'll serve with your Lemon Rice with Scallions, Red Bell Pepper, Cilantro, and Pine Nuts. Thanks Kalyn!
Candice, that sounds like a very good idea.
I did reduce the salsa so I'm thinking that you are probably correct about the chicken having added water. I always buy in bulk then separate and freeze it so I never would have thought to check the label beforehand. Either way once I drained it I loved the flavor. My very very picky husband even liked it, He called me at work to tell me 🙂 I will try cooking the chicken for a little while in the crockpot first draining it and adding the salsa next time.
Candice did you reduce the salsa to cook out most of the liquid? That would definitely make it watery if you skipped that step.
Also, some chicken nowdays is injected with water so it may have partly been the chicken you had.
I ended up having everything except lime juice at home so I made this last night. I must have done something wrong though because after 2 hours on high in the crockpot the chicken still wasn't done. It took closer to 3. And then it was very watery. I ended up eating something else while waiting for it to finish, but I brought it for lunch today. Once I drained all the extra liquid off it tastes fantastic! Definitely a keeper if I can figure out where I went wrong.
Candice, it's hard for me to suggest sides since I don't know what would appeal to you, but there are plenty of Phase One Vegetables and Side Dishes to pick from.
This sounds so good. It's going on the menu next week! What are your suggestions for phase 1 sides? I get stuck on green beans and broccoli and my husband is now refusing to touch either.
You might be able to make it in the oven on very low heat and in a dutch-oven type pan with a tight fitting pan, then finish under the broiler, but I couldn't give advice on how long to cook since I haven't done it that way. Let us know how it turns out if you try.
how to make this without a slow cooker? Would an oven suffice?
Some kind of rice, like this one might be good with it.
What would you recommend as a side dish?
Teresa, glad you liked it!
I just made this tonight and it was yummy! I agree however that it would not be a quick fix if starting from scratch after working a long day.
Thanks for the recipe Kalyn.
Teresa
Thanks Glen. The C for cup is a mistake but I use T for tablespoon as an abbreviation all the time. Will edit to spell out cup though. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Kalyn, lovely looking recipe!
Thought you might like to know though that two of the words in your ingredients list are half missing. It says 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice, and 1 C grated low-fat Mozzarella. I'm hoping that the T is tablespoons because that's what I'm about to try haha.
My pleasure; hope you enjoy!
I am going to try this, it sounds wonderful. I really appreciated the "printer friendly" version. Thank you!
Thanks Mel; I was glad we kept trying!
This is truly a perfect recipe! Sometimes it takes a few tries – looks absolutely delicious, Kalyn!
Shannon, glad you enjoyed it!
I've made this more than once now and it has quickly become a favorite topped with fresh homemade guacamole! Oh. My. Goodness. It is delicious! Thank you as always! I really enjoy your blog!
Shannon
Stephanie, I didn't time it but I'd guess about 20 minutes. It's best to measure and stop simmering when the salsa is reduced to one cup.
How long did you simmer the salsa for?
So glad you enjoyed it!
Loved this.. ended up making this is the oven, uncovered so the sauce thickened.. DELISH…. will be making this many times over… Made a side of zucchini pasta ..PERFECT dinner.
Of course you're free to make it however you want, but we thought when we just baked it all together the dish was far too watery. Reducing the salsa added a lot of flavor, and we loved how the slow cooker tenderized the chicken and infused it with the salsa flavor.
This sounds delicious, but I think I'd just bake it, uncovered, in the oven. It would reduce the salsa, the cheese could be melted and it would eliminate two things to wash — the pan from reducing the salsa and the slow cooker.
Also, like Rachel I'm a solo diner and I could easily make just one portion.
I had the same thought about washing both my slow cooker and a baking dish. I’ll bake it covered in the oven, then remove the cover, turn the oven to broil to brown the cheese.
Your choice of course! Would love to hear how that works.
I avoid my crock pot because of memories from the 80's of overcooked food. Slow cookers have made a resurgence and I see that cooking in them has changed for the better. This recipe sounds like a good start to reintroduce me.
I made this tonight, was a big hit! I have always shredded my slow cooker salsa chicken for tacos, so this recipe was a nice change. Thanks so much.
Barbara please try in the pressure cooker and I will link to your recipe here for people who want to try it that way!
I'm thinking this would be a great pressure cooker meal too.
Vic, you could try it; I'm guessing it would take less than 30 minutes in the pressure cooker. I'm not sure it would infuse the chicken with the salsa flavor in the same way though.
What about cooking that chicken breast in a pressure cooker instead of a crockpot? 60-90 minutes makes this a weekends-only dish. Could you do it in 30 minutes in a pressure cooker? Maybe don't reduce the salsa so much to get more liquid, since you strain it with a slotted spoon before serving anyway. Just a thought.
Thanks for the nice feedback everyone.
Rachel, you could cook all the chicken in the slow cooker and then broil each piece with the cheese when you eat it, but I wonder if the broiling will heat the chicken adequately if it's been refrigerated. Maybe heat a little with foil on it, then broil.
Celeste I'd guess these chicken breasts would be about 10 oz. before trimming, maybe 8 oz. after.
What a fantastic idea! And I agree with Kelley…this doesn't seem like too much work at all. I love your top photo, Kalyn!
What is the approximate weight of your chicken? Most of the breasts are so large now that they're 8-16 oz. each.
Whoa! I wouldn't have paired lime and cheese together but now I'm certainly intrigued!
As a solo diner, I can see cooking one breast at a time, over the next 4 days. Or, could it be frozen and then put under broiler as required?
Adding this to my menu list for next week! Looks delicious!
I love recipes like this that use ingredients I always have in the pantry, combined in a new way. Finishing the chicken under the broiler makes it easy to get that nice "crust" on the melted cheese. Can't wait to try this.
It doesn't seem like too much work at all. In fact, it seems really simple- love the slow cooker for that! The flavors are great!!