Short on time? This easy crockpot chicken recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and is one of the simplest recipes you’ll ever make! Plus it’s also delicious, filling and inexpensive. No wonder it’s a favorite!
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This Creamy Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken is one of my absolute favorite recipes ever!
It’s probably the easiest recipe I make, it tastes amazing, and it makes enough that we usually can enjoy it for a second meal too.
The only bad thing I can think of is that it isn’t exactly the most beautiful dish you’ve ever seen. But hey, you can’t have everything!
Why We Love Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
- Super Easy. It’s as simple as dumping everything in the crockpot, cooking it, then shredding the chicken.
- Makes A Lot. This is one of those recipes that you can make once and enjoy in a variety of ways for several meals. Or use it to feed a crowd instead!
- Budget Friendly. Made with inexpensive ingredients, this is the perfect cheap family dinner!
- Freezes Well. If you can’t eat all of the leftovers at once, no problem, just freeze for later.
- Kid Friendly. Even our pickiest child loves this Mexican chicken!
Watch Video: Learn How to Make This Recipe
Mexican Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Black Beans. Drain well!
- Salsa. For a spicier flavor use hot salsa.
- Corn. Can use frozen, fresh, or canned corn
- Cream Cheese. Swap for Neufchatel cheese if preferred.
- Salt. Just enough for taste.
- Optional Ingredients for Serving. Cooked rice, tortillas, shredded cheese.
How to Make this Crockpot Mexican Chicken Recipe
STEP 1: Place the chicken, black beans, corn, and salsa into the crockpot. Top with cream cheese.
STEP 2: Cover and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours on high.
STEP 3: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Then add it back in and stir.
STEP 4: Serve over rice or use as a tortilla filling. Feel free to top with shredded cheese if desired.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Storing: Keep leftover Mexican chicken in a container or bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Not thick enough: If this seems like it is going to be really soupy, you can leave the lid off for the last ½ hour to help thicken it.
- Freezing: Once the chicken has cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. You can also let it thaw overnight.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over rice or quinoa.
- Use as a tortilla filling. When I do this, I often mix a bit of cooked rice into the chicken mixture to make it even heartier and to stretch it a bit further.
- Add lettuce for a salad bowl of sorts.
- Make nachos by layering the chicken mixture over tortilla chips and topping with cheese.
- Serve as a baked potato topping.
- Serve over toast.
- Treat it like taco meat and eat it with corn chips and lettuce.
Really, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed any way that you try it. It’s a favorite here, no matter how I serve it!
More Easy Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Mexican Rice Bowls
- Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps
- Easy John Wayne Casserole
- Crockpot Tamale Pie
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
Crockpot Cream Cheese Mexican Chicken
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 can corn, drained (opt.)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- salt to taste
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
- cooked rice
- tortillas
- shredded cheese
Instructions
- Put chicken, black beans, salsa and corn into crockpot and place cream cheese on top. Cover.
- Cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
- Shred chicken (I love using my favorite scissors for this) and serve over cooked rice or use as tortilla filling. (If using as a tortilla filling, I often still use rice, but just mix it into the chicken mixture at the end of the cooking time.)
- Top with shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
Maggie Unzueta
This looks incredibly delicious. Yum!
ThriftyFrugalMom
We think it is! 🙂
Cbailey
I’ve made this and LOVE IT! Soooooo good. I REALLY wanted make it tonight and just realized i dont have black beans, I wonder if anyone has tried refried black beans or if it would work or be good w refried instead..or what i could substitute for black beans.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh shucks! I hate when I go to make something and then discover I don’t have all the ingredients. You could probably substitute another kind of bean such as kidney, pinto or even navy or great northern without it affecting the taste too much. I’m not sure the flavors would work super well with refried beans, but I doubt it would be awful either. 🙂 If you do end up trying refried beans, I would wait and mix them in at the end or even just heat them up and add them since I think that they might get burnt and tend to stick to the Crockpot insert if you mixed them in at the beginning. Of course, you could always just leave the beans out altogether too! You might miss them a bit, but it should still be tasty! If you do try refried beans, I’d love to know how it worked out and if you liked the taste…because now you have me curious! 😉
Cbailey
I opted against refried this time, maybe next time! Do you think the black beans would cook enough if I throw them in the last hour. My hubby is bringing some home for now and I want to add them the last hour. What do you think?
ThriftyFrugalMom
Well, if they are canned beans, they are already technically cooked, so really you just need them to get hot so they taste right with everything else and aren’t cold. I think one hour would be enough to heat them well, but if you want to be doubly sure, you could always heat them a bit on the stovetop or in the microwave before you add them.
Can you tell that I do this kind of improvisation way too often? 🙂
Cath
Yum yum yum!!!! Thank you for this super easy and incredibly delicious recipe.
ThriftyFrugalMom
So glad that you enjoyed it, Cath! Hearing that always makes my day. 🙂
Alyssa Perez
Do you think using fat free cream cheese would work for this recipe? It’s all I have and I’m trying to avoid a trip to the store for a single item!
ThriftyFrugalMom
It should work just fine! I have often used the Neufchâtel cheese, which is basically lower fat cream cheese, and it’s just as delicious as ever.
Kyris
When do you add the beans in? I assume with the chicken at the beginning but it doesn’t say.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh dear…thanks for letting me know that! Yes, you add them with the other ingredients. I recently switched the recipe over to this printable recipe card and edited the instruction a bit to make it more clear and in the process must have missed that key detail. I appreciate you letting me know!
Jenn
Is this with frozen chicken and if not should I double the time?
ThriftyFrugalMom
The recipe is for thawed chicken. If you are using frozen, I’m not sure what to tell you as far as the cooking time since I’ve never done that. Enjoy!