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This easy salsa verde chicken is a great no-fuss meal! Made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, this fall-apart tender shredded chicken is seasoned with salsa verde, staple pantry spices, onions, and peppers. It’s great in tacos, tostadas, burrito bowls, nachos, and salads!
A Note from Isabel
I’m always looking for new ways to make chicken exciting, and this salsa verde chicken has become my go-to recently. It’s one of those recipes that feels like cheating because it’s so ridiculously easy but tastes like you put way more effort into it.
The best part? I always have salsa verde on hand – either my homemade version or my favorite store-bought jar – so this is perfect for those “what’s for dinner” moments. You literally just dump everything in the slow cooker, set it, and forget it. By dinnertime (which is always a little hectic with my two kiddos), you’ve got this incredibly tender, flavorful shredded chicken that falls apart at the touch of a fork.
We eat this so many different ways in our house. I love making big batches for meal prep and serving it in bowls with cilantro lime rice and black beans for easy lunches. But for dinner, nothing beats warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas loaded with this chicken, cheese, and a dollop of Mexican crema.
This recipe has saved me on countless busy weeknights, and I have a feeling it’s going to do the same for you.
Salsa Verde Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breast: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs or even chicken tenderloins if you prefer.
- Salsa verde: The key to this recipe is a great salsa verde. I used my homemade salsa verde recipe for this, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought salsa.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano.
- Garlic, onion, and poblano pepper: I added minced garlic, chopped onion, and diced poblano pepper for extra flavor. I deseeded the pepper, but you can leave in the seeds for a little spice or even use a jalapeño instead.
- Lime juice and cilantro: Adding a garnish brings your meals to the next level. I like to add lime juice and cilantro for some citrus and fresh herbs.
How to Make Salsa Verde Chicken
Add ingredients to slow cooker. Place chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, minced garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion into your slow cooker. Toss the ingredients together until they’re evenly distributed.
Cover and cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. Shred with two forks and return the chicken back into the crockpot.
Garnish and serve. Add lime juice and chopped cilantro and give it a good stir. Serve warm in tacos, tostadas, burritos, or even enchiladas.
Recipe Tips
- Use a different cut of chicken. Instead of using chicken breasts, use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
- Find a good salsa verde. Finding a good store-bought salsa verde can be tricky. I find that they’re usually too sour or acidic. You can use my homemade salsa verde recipe, or use a store-bought salsa verde and play around with adding more seasonings as needed.
Instant Pot Method
To make salsa verde chicken in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot, close the lid, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, manually release the pressure using the quick-release valve and shred the chicken.
How to Serve Salsa Verde Chicken
Slow cooker recipes like this are great because they’re super versatile. You can use it in so many different ways in your lunches and dinners! Here’s some ideas where you can use this salsa verde chicken as the main protein:
More Chicken Recipes
Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Add the chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion to the slow cooker.
- Toss together to combine, cover, and cook on high for 2 ½-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
- Uncover, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred with two forks.
- Add it back into the slow cooker and stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
Instant Pot Method
- Add the chicken, salsa verde, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, poblano pepper, and yellow onion to the Instant Pot.
- Toss together to combine, close the lid, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, manually release the pressure using the quick-release valve.
- Uncover, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred with two forks.
- Add it back into the slow cooker and stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
Notes
- Use a different cut of chicken. Instead of using chicken breasts, use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
- Find a good salsa verde. Finding a good store-bought salsa verde can be tricky. I find that they’re usually too sour or acidic. You can use my homemade salsa verde recipe, or use a store-bought salsa verde and play around with adding more seasonings as needed.
- Storage: Leftovers can be store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated with new photos, more helpful tips, and an overall better recipe.
Photography by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
I got the dreaded burn message on my instant pot! I don’t even know how long the chicken was cooking.
Hi Chris. Oh no! If this happens again, let us know and we may be able to help!
Made this this evening for tacos. Prettty tasty!
Thanks
I’ve made this chicken many 5imes, reminds me exactly of my favorite taco at a local cali-mex restaurant 😋
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 ?
Hi Shelby! Yes, a serving is more or less a cup.
How would you go about reheating from freezer??
Hi Paige! You can reheat it in the oven!
Hi Isabel! Do you think this recipe would work well as a filling for tamales?
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!
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.
Hi Trey! If you wanted to use pork, we suggest using pork shoulder, or a cut that shreds easily!
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!!
Love this recipe! I also add in a little black pepper and one large seeded/ stemmed jalapeno when I’m using store bought salsa!
It was easy to make and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe!