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!

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken shown in baking dish

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.)

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.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken with Lime and Melted Mozzarella process shots collage

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.)

  1. 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.)
  2. Trim four boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise.  (I save the trimmings to make homemade chicken stock.)
  3. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer.  Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Mix the reduced salsa with the lime juice and pour over the chicken.
  5. 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.)
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Sprinkle a cup of grated Mozzarella over the chicken and place under a pre-heated broiler.
  9. Broil until the cheese is all melted and starting to lightly brown (probably under 5 minutes for most broilers.)
  10. Serve hot, with low-fat sour cream if desired.
  11. 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!

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken in baking dish angled right

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
Yield: 6 servings

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

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 youโ€™re not that into lime)
  • 1 cup grated Mozzarella

Instructions

  1. 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.)
  2. Trim all visible fat and undesirable parts from the chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise.
  3. Put the chicken in a single layer in a slow cooker that you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray.
  4. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  5. When the salsa has reduced to 1 cup, stir in the lime juice and pour the mixture over the chicken.
  6. 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.)
  7. When the chicken is cooked through, preheat the broiler and spray a small glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.)
  10. 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!)
  11. Serve hot, with a little low-fat sour cream to add at the table if desired.
  12. This will keep for a day or two in the fridge.
  13. 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 aย Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link).ย  You need a slow cooker thatโ€™s big enough to put the chicken in a single layer.ย 

I used a 9โ€ณx7โ€ณ 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 inย Not Your Motherโ€™s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two.ย (affiliate link)

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount 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.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Square image for Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken shown in baking dish with melted cheese.

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 Kalynโ€™s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโ€™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.

Pinterest image of SLOW COOKER SALSA CHICKEN

Share This: