• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
5 Secrets to Mexican Cooking

sign up to get my top 5 secrets to help you master mexican meals at home!

trending now: March Cooking Challenge!
  • About
  • Press/Advertise
  • Contact

Isabel Eats

Easy Mexican recipes for home cooks

  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Dinner
      • Sides
      • Desserts
      • Appetizers
      • Drinks
      • Soups & Stews
      • Salads
      • Salsas
      • Sauces and Condiments
    • Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Carb
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Chorizo
      • Pork
      • Turkey
      • Seafood
    • Occasion
      • Christmas
      • Cinco De Mayo
      • Easter
      • Game Day
      • Summer
      • Thanksgiving
    • Type
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • Mexican Basics
      • Freezer Friendly
      • Grilling
      • Healthy
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Enchiladas
      • Tacos
  • Dinners
  • Kitchen Tips
  • Life
  • Shop
  • About
  • Subscribe!

    sign up to get my top 5 secrets to help you master mexican meals at home!

Browse by Course/Type/Diet

  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Soups & Stews
    • Salads
    • Salsas
    • Sauces & Condiments
  • by type
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • Mexican Basics
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Grilling
    • Healthy
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Enchiladas
    • Tacos
  • by meat
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chorizo
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
  • by diet
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • by occasion
    • Christmas
    • Cinco De Mayo
    • Easter
    • Game Day
    • Summer
    • Thanksgiving
Jump to latest Browse All Recipes
HomeRecipesDinner

Salsa Verde Chicken

rate recipe Shareshare
Share on:
4810 shares
By: IsabelPosted: 2/13/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer.

Jump to Recipe

This moist, tender and fall-apart Salsa Verde Chicken can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot for the easiest dinner ever! It’s made with chicken breasts or thighs, salsa verde, onions, garlic and a few herbs and spices that make the dish extra flavorful. Great in tacos, tostadas, enchiladas and Mexican rice!

Salsa verde chicken topped with cilantro and shredded

Perfect for quick meals, this flavorful salsa verde chicken recipe is one of my go-tos for adding protein to my burrito bowls, tacos, enchiladas, salad and more. It’s made with a handful of ingredients that I always have in my kitchen and requires very minimal prep work. That’s a win-win in my book!

Best of all, it can be made in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, making this an easy no-fuss weeknight dinner recipe the whole family will love.

Ingredients in salsa verde chicken on a table

Ingredients in Salsa Verde Chicken

Every single ingredient in this recipe is something that I always have on hand, which is why I love it so much! Here’s what you need:

  • Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts but you can also use chicken thighs if your prefer.
  • Salsa Verde: You can use any store-bought version you like or make your own homemade salsa verde. I definitely prefer the homemade version, but when I’m in a hurry I like using the Herdez brand salsa verde.
  • Onions and Garlic: Adds some more flavor that helps round out the dish.
  • Spices and Herbs: Some ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano (or regular dried oregano), garlic and onion powder deepen the flavors of the salsa verde and make it irresistible. No bland chicken here!
  • Cilantro and Lime Juice: This is mixed in at the end when the chicken has been shredded. It adds some brightness and acidity to the salsa verde that gets better and better the longer it sits.
Salsa verde being poured onto chicken breasts

How to make salsa verde chicken

To make this in the slow cooker, it’s as easy dumping everything into the crock pot and cooking it on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

To make this in the Instant Pot, place everything in the pot and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. When it’s done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure.

The chicken will be fall apart tender and all you have to do is pull it apart with some forks. Then mix in some chopped cilantro and lime juice to really take it to the next level and that’s it!

shredded salsa verde chicken in a slow cooker crock pot

Tips and Storage

Once everything is mixed in, give it a taste and season it with salt as necessary. I don’t recommend adding salt during the cooking process because a lot of times, the store-bought salsa verde is already very salty.

To add even more flavor, you can use skin-on thighs or breasts and sear the outside so that the skin is crispy and golden brown. Then add it to the slow cooker or Instant Pot and cook as directed.

To store the salsa verde chicken, let it cool, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will keep for up to 5-6 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3-4 month if you’d like!

Salsa verde chicken on top of a tostada

Ways to use it

I love having this salsa verde chicken on hand to use in all sorts of easy meals. You can use it in any recipe that calls for shredded chicken or pair it with your favorite Mexican sides. Here are some of my favorite ways to eat it:

  • on top of homemade tostada shells (like the photo above!)
  • in tacos, burritos and enchiladas
  • served with cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a great low carb option
  • as the filling for chicken taquitos
  • in soups like this chicken tortilla soup

Recipe

4.77 from 13 votes

Salsa Verde Chicken

Serves: 8 servings
Print
Rate
Salsa verde chicken topped with cilantro and shredded
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total : 4 hours 5 minutes
Salsa Verde Chicken that's fall-apart tender and made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Made with chicken breasts or thighs, salsa verde and seasonings!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 1/2 cups salsa verde (homemade or store bought)
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice of 1 lime)
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Add chicken, salsa verde, onions, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin and dried oregano to a slow cooker.
  • Stir everything together to combine, cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
  • Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice, taste and season with salt if necessary.
  • Serve in tacos, tostadas, burritos, salads or over rice and beans.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Add chicken, salsa verde, onions, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin and dried oregano to an Instant Pot.
  • Stir everything together to combine, cover, seal the pressure valve and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.
  • Once the cook time is up, allow the pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Then flip the pressure valve to quick-release the remaining pressure.
  • Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice, taste and season with salt if necessary.
  • Serve in tacos, tostadas, burritos, salads or over rice and beans.

Isabel’s Tips:

  • Once everything is mixed in, give it a taste and season it with salt as necessary. I don’t recommend adding salt during the cooking process because a lot of times, the store-bought salsa verde is already very salty.
  • To add even more flavor, you can use skin-on thighs or breasts and sear the outside so that the skin is crispy and golden brown. Then add it to the slow cooker or Instant Pot and cook as directed.
  • To store the salsa verde chicken, let it cool, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will keep for up to 5-6 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3-4 month if you’d like!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 155kcal (8%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 25g (50%) Fat: 3g (5%) Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) Cholesterol: 73mg (24%) Sodium: 134mg (6%) Potassium: 453mg (13%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 366IU (7%) Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 18mg (2%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Author: Isabel Eats
Course:Dinner
Cuisine:Mexican
Salsa verde chicken topped with cilantro and shredded
Did you Make my Salsa Verde Chicken?Leave a comment below and tag @isabeleats on social media!
@isabeleats

You may also like…

  • These crispy and crunch Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas are topped with a layer of delicious refried beans, salsa verde chicken, tomatoes, cilantro queso fresco and avocados.
    Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas
  • This easy, cheesy and super creamy Salsa Verde Queso Dip made in the slow cooker is the perfect no-fuss appetizer for your next game day party! (gluten free, vegetarian, low carb, crock pot)
    Salsa Verde Queso Dip
  • This Salsa Verde Breakfast Frittata is what breakfast dreams are made of. Topped with a salsa verde yogurt sauce, this vegetarian dish is perfect for brunch on those lazy weekends. Is gluten free, vegetarian, paleo and low carb.
    Salsa Verde Breakfast Frittata
  • On the party menu is this dangerously good Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe topped with bleu cheese crumbles and freshly chopped chives. I promise everyone will be asking you for the recipe by the end of the night! - fromcatstocooking.com
    Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
free ebook!

download my top 10 recipes book

Subscribe and receive a free e-cookbook of our Top 10 Easy Mexican Recipes!

Get My Copy!

Download my top 10 easy Mexican recipes!

Mexican chicken marinade grilled chicken
Previous Post
Mexican Chicken Marinade
Flan on a plate with a slice cut out
Next Post
Easy Flan Recipe

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you and seeing what you made!
Recipe Rating:




  1. Roya says

    Posted on 10/11 at 6:31 pm

    Hi for the instant pot way, there’s no need to add water into the pot in addition to all the ingredients?

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 10/13 at 10:53 am

      Hi Roya! When we recipe tested this we didn’t think we needed to add it, but you are definitely welcome to add about 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth.

      Reply
  2. Lynn Hansz says

    Posted on 8/15 at 11:53 am

    If you want to cook this stove top or in the oven…temperature and for how long. I don’t have a slow cooker or hot pot.

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 10/13 at 10:55 am

      Hi Lynn! For stovetop instructions, I would recommend placing all the ingredients in a pot or dutch oven, and adding about 1 cup of chicken broth. Place it over low heat for about 2 hours and cover, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded. You may need to check on it and make sure it has enough liquid, but that should work for your stovetop!

      Reply
  3. Karolyn says

    Posted on 3/23 at 9:18 am

    Hello? Can I make this in the IP with frozen chicken?

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 3/23 at 10:23 am

      Hi Karolyn! Yes that should work!

      Reply
  4. Chris says

    Posted on 7/15 at 10:57 pm

    I got the dreaded burn message on my instant pot! I don’t even know how long the chicken was cooking.

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 1/31 at 11:31 am

      Hi Chris. Oh no! If this happens again, let us know and we may be able to help!

      Reply
  5. Denny G says

    Posted on 5/3 at 8:27 pm

    5 stars
    Made this this evening for tacos. Prettty tasty!
    Thanks

    Reply
  6. Morgan says

    Posted on 4/19 at 7:34 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this chicken many 5imes, reminds me exactly of my favorite taco at a local cali-mex restaurant 😋

    Reply
  7. Shelby says

    Posted on 3/26 at 10:30 am

    Hello! I have this in the crockpot and it’s cooking now ! I followed the serving per 8 and i was just wondering how to measure 1 serving ? Is it 1 cup ?

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 2/25 at 11:24 am

      Hi Shelby! Yes, a serving is more or less a cup.

      Reply
  8. Paige says

    Posted on 11/16 at 11:01 pm

    How would you go about reheating from freezer??

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 2/25 at 11:45 am

      Hi Paige! You can reheat it in the oven!

      Reply
  9. Perla E. says

    Posted on 11/6 at 2:03 am

    Hi Isabel! Do you think this recipe would work well as a filling for tamales?

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 2/7 at 12:05 pm

      Hi Perla! Yes this would be great in tamales! The only thing we would suggest is adding more salsa verde, maybe even doubling it for tamales since the masa absorbs some of it and to avoid the filling being dry. Try it and let us know it goes!

      Reply
  10. Trey says

    Posted on 9/19 at 3:13 pm

    Hi, quick question about this great recipe: Can I sub in pork chops for the chicken?
    If so, any recommendations on cooking time?
    Would you use thick or thin pork chops?
    Bone-in or not?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 2/16 at 3:00 pm

      Hi Trey! If you wanted to use pork, we suggest using pork shoulder, or a cut that shreds easily!

      Reply
  11. Holly says

    Posted on 8/23 at 2:41 pm

    5 stars
    Isabel, you’ve made me so happy!!! I live in Miami and the lack of good Mexican food is astounding. Your recipes are giving me hope! Just made this and the salsa verde….Fantastic!!

    Reply
  12. KR says

    Posted on 6/9 at 4:40 pm

    Love this recipe! I also add in a little black pepper and one large seeded/ stemmed jalapeno when I’m using store bought salsa!

    Reply
  13. Lisa says

    Posted on 3/19 at 11:52 am

    5 stars
    It was easy to make and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Isabel Orozco-Moore, Founder of Isabel Eats
¡Hola!

i’m isabel

A first-generation Mexican American who loves to cook! Here at Isabel Eats, you’ll find a mix of all your favorite authentic Mexican recipes with a twist!

Read More

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

free email series!

5 Secrets to Mexican Cooking

My top 5 secrets to help you master Mexican meals at home in no time!

Sign me up!

Sign up to get My top 5 secrets to help you master Mexican meals at home in no time!

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

Authentic Recipes

This Mexican Pork Chile Verde is made of tender pieces of pork simmered in a flavorful tomatillo and chile broth. Serve in a bowl or with a side of rice for an authentic Mexican meal! (low carb, gluten free, paleo)

Chile Verde Recipe

Masa for Tamales

Masa for Tamales

Six bolillo breads on a baking sheet ready to eat.

Bolillo Bread (Mexican Rolls)

Pozole verde in a bowl topped with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, cilantro, and lime juice.

Chicken Pozole Verde

Pozole Rojo (Red Posole) recipe

Pozole Rojo Recipe

Cooked Mexican rice in a pot with peas mixed in.

Authentic Mexican Rice

Reader Favorites

Beef empanadas on a plate served with a side of guacamole.

Beef Empanadas

Chile relleno on a plate with red salsa.

Chile Relleno Recipe

Cooked canned black beans with tomatoes, onions and garlic in a bowl.

How to Cook Canned Black Beans

Chicken enchiladas in a baking dish topped with cilantro.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Juicy pork carnitas in warm corn tortillas topped with cilantro, onions and limes.

Easy Carnitas Recipe

Conchas in a bowl ready to be eaten.

Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

5-star faves

Frozen margaritas in glasses topped with lime wedges.

Frozen Margaritas

These were absolutely delicious. So fresh and the perfect amount of sweetness.

A bowl of borracho beans

Borracho Beans

These beans are delicious! Garlic, onion, beer and bacon…you can’t go wrong, lol! I loved these!

Chile Colorado

This recipe is so perfect and delicious. My entire family loved it! Big kudos to you for such an authentic masterpiece!

follow along @isabeleats

Favorites

  • Tacos
  • Sides
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Salsas

Browse By Meat

  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Seafood
  • Turkey
  • Chorizo
Back to Top
  • About
  • Press
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
© 2023 Isabel Eats Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled