Salsa Slow Cooker Chicken from Frozen Chicken
I’m sure you are like me, and are always on the look out for super easy meals that your family will love. I have just the meal for you! It is a very easy slow cooker chicken recipe. It’s one of those amazing recipes where you don’t even need to thaw the meat! Just pull the ingredients from the freezer and cupboards, dump in, turn on and walk away!
This is a favorite dish in our home. Even my kids eat this! And it is a favorite of the Husband’s. It does make a large portion, so it also has great leftovers which are awesome for the Husband to take to work/school for lunch the next day.
Craving more comforting chicken options? Check out our Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe for a fiesta of flavors, or dive into the richness of our Chicken and Bacon Carbonara recipe for an extra creamy indulgence. Or opt for an easy budget-friendly Chicken noodle casserole for a busy weeknight. Your comfort food casserole adventures are just beginning!
*This is an updated recipe of a previously published recipe in January 2013.
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken
This recipe is very simple to put together. It takes less than 10 minutes prep work. And produces an amazing result that will have your family singing your praises at the dinner table. But since it is cooked in the slow cooker you will need a little planning on your part.
I learned of this recipe from fellow friends we’ve met in the army. It’s been passed around between us all and each person has their own version based on what their family enjoys. This is my version. I took the same basic idea and added to it to make it the best mix for my family.
It’s always best when using Farm Fresh Chicken. I buy my meat in bulk through a community Co-op called The Savory Butcher. I’m able to get superior quality products at a better price than our local grocery stores can offer.
The meat arrives FRESH from the Farm, never frozen and the chicken is already hand trimmed! So it’s immediately ready to be used, canned or frozen!
If you want High Quality Chicken, Ground Hamburger and Bacon – for less than you pay at the store, you need Savory Butcher!
They just launched from beta testing, and are working on adding new states/cities to their delivery routes. If you want to help get Savory Butcher to your area quickly, Join the community leader program in your area. This will help them see where the service is wanted and they can get to you faster.
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Once I have the chicken in stock in my freezer, then this recipe becomes even easier. I can take the chicken straight from the freezer to the crockpot. No need to thaw!
Simply gather all your ingredients together and start throwing them into your crock pot. Place your frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins into the slow cooker. Then top with the black beans, corn, salsa, cream cheese, sea salt, lemon juice, ranch dip mix, and red pepper. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Often I don’t get this into the slow cooker until lunch; and since we like dinner earlier than 6pm; I start cooking on low and then at about 4PM I turn it up to High to ensure it is ready for dinner. Be sure to come back and stir a little every 2 hours.
About 30 minutes before dinner time, I turn the slow cooker off; so that it will have ample time to thicken. During cooking it does tend to get a little runny. But if you allow it to cool a little, it will thicken. And it gets even better the next day. There are quite a few ways to serve this dish once it is cooked.
Slow Cooker Chicken dish ideas
Once the Slow cooker chicken is cooked you can serve it in a rice bowl, bread bowl or on a plate of fresh rice. Or if you are talking to our children, they just want it straight on a plate with nothing added.
But our favorite method is in a chicken wrap. Take a warm large flour tortilla. Spread on some shredded cheese. Add the slow cooker chicken. Add sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, lettuce and olives. Roll and enjoy! You can also use a large Greek pita in place of the tortilla. It is just as delicious.
This slow cooker Chicken is one that stores well in the fridge and is just as good the next day! That is the biggest benefit of this dish, is that everyone will eat the leftovers! Even ME! I hate leftovers. I rarely eat them. But this one; I’m quite fond of! I always make a large batch, to ensure that we have leftovers for the next day. Well, that is if the Husband leaves any for me after he packs his lunch to take to work the next day. He really loves this too.
The slow cooker chicken is very family friendly and is given thumbs up by all in the house!
Looking for more great chicken recipes? Check out our popular Chicken Carbonara recipe and Italian Baked Chicken made from Frozen Chicken! We also have a great Weight Watchers Chicken Parmesan and Chicken and Potato Stuffed Croissants.
Salsa Slow Cooker Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless FROZEN chicken tenderloins
- 1 package cream cheese
- 1 can drained and rinsed Black beans
- 1 can drained Whole Kernel Corn
- 10-16 oz fresh salsa- Recipe: or one can of Rotel-- in our experience the fresh salsa gives more flavor and kick, but Rotel works in a pinch
- 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 pkg (1.0 oz each) Ranch dip mix (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
Instructions
- Place Chicken in crock pot.
- Add Black beans (ensure they are rinsed otherwise it affects the flavor), corn, cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, sea salt, and Ground red pepper on top.
- Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Stir every 2 hours.
- Turn off 20 minutes before serving to allow mixture to thicken.
- Serve on top of rice
- Or rolled in a tortilla or Greek Pita with lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, sliced black olives, sour cream and shredded cheese.
I make this all the time at home to serve over rice but never thought to put it in a pita. Genius!
Oh my! This looks so easy (which I love!) and so tasty (which I love even more). I think we’ll be trying this next week!
Got it simmering in my crock now! I didn’t have quite enough for each person to have an individual breast, but this is a perfect way to stretch it. Probably serving it over rice or mashed potatoes here
This looks so yummy and simple to make. My family would love this recipe!
Yum!! That looks delish! Looks like a really tasty crock pot chicken dish that everyone will love!
This sounds delicious, I wonder how it would do without the stirring. When I do the Crockpot I put it in before I go to work.
I have to get a crock pot again. I had one years ago and loved it but after a while forgot about it. They really are great.
this looks amazingly delicious – my kind of food 🙂
Wow, that looks so delicious!! The perfect combination of ingredients! I love chicken and salsa!
Yum! Looks like a great combination of ingredients.
OMG that looks absolutely amazing. And so easy to do! YUM! Thanks 🙂
Oh, yum! I am always searching for new and delicious crock pot recipes. Thanks for posting this one. I am going to pin it to make next week.
This looks so good and easy! I love crock pot meals for those super busy days.
YOu’re so good with your food post. I’d love to try it but w/out the cream cheese. Thanks for sharing.
RECIPE PIN http://pinterest.com/pin/148548487680981767/!
My kind of food — and prep too! Looks great and I will add it to my repertoire.
We love crock pot meals. This looks like a super delicious one.
Yes, I would definitely eat it! Love crock pot recipes.
This is a recipe that I am sure to try out, thanks for the great post!
I love any recipe that has cream cheese.
This looks really good. I love using my crock pot as often as I can
This looks so yummy… I really think i’ll be making it soon!!
My mouth literally filled with saliva! This sounds amazing!
Yum! Reminds me of Southwestern Egg Roll filling. I will add spinach for some green and shred the chicken in the crockpot!!
This recipe looks very tasty. Thanks for sharing!
Hello,
I’m making this tonight, I will come back and write a review.
I’m making this tonight, but I think I will shred the chicken at the 30 min mark (before it’s time to eat) and then make some pasta to go with it! =)
Oh I think that will turn out amazing Jordan!! Yum!
This looks so good! I will have to make this for the family. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
How many people does this recipe serve?
I think it really depends on how much each person normally eats. It fills our large 7 qt crock pot about half full. After our family of husband, 2 tween boys, kindergarten daughter and myself finish, we have about 1/4 left to be stored for the next days lunch. So for us it feeds at least 5 with left overs. But that is also with the husband taking 3rds and sometimes 4ths.
Is there a way you can adapt this recipe if you are working all day and won’t be home to stir every 2 hours?
Thanks!
I think if you soften the cream cheese before and mix it smoothly with the salsa or Rotel before putting it into the slow cooker and then giving a stir before you leave, you should be good. Then stir again when you get home. 🙂
I was not sure … but threw everything in … super fab … used thighs and breasts, frozen corn & garlic herb salad dressing mix (dry), scooped it up using Tostitos Scoops, chopped green onions & sour cream on top, OMG!!! Brilliant!!! xx, C.
oh my goodness, I need to add chopped green onions and sour cream on top next time. That would be amazing!
Is it ok to reheat next day?
Yes, it is! It actually reheats well. When I know we will be busy for a while, I make a big batch and then we enjoy the leftovers for a few days.