Ingredients
2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, with timing adjustment)
16 oz jar Salsa (chunky, medium heat recommended)
1 packet (1 oz) Taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade blend)
Optional: 15 oz can Black beans, drained and rinsed (added at the end)
Instructions
1. Lay the chicken in a single layer across the bottom of the slow cooker. Overlapping is fine, but avoid stacking.
2. Pour the salsa over the chicken and sprinkle the taco seasoning across the surface. Do not stir and do not add any liquid.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
4. Pull the chicken apart with two forks or a pair of tongs directly in the pot, then toss it through the juices. If it doesn’t shred easily, cook for another 30 minutes.
5. If adding black beans, stir them in now, cover, and leave for 30 to 60 minutes on Low to warm through. Without beans, leave the shredded meat covered for 10 minutes so it absorbs the sauce.
Notes
Always thaw chicken before it goes in the slow cooker. Frozen meat spends too long between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria multiply fastest.
Fill the cooker between half and two thirds. Too little scorches, too much may not cook through.
Every time you lift the lid, add about 20 minutes.
Do not add broth or water. The salsa and the chicken provide more than enough liquid.
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. You can also freeze it raw in a bag and tip it straight into the cooker after thawing.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 360
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-American