Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

- Total Time
- 5 to 6 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1½cups jarred salsa verde
- 1(4-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
- 8garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and diced
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 1teaspoon onion powder
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 3scallions (green and white parts), thinly sliced
- 1small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh lime juice, to taste
- Any combination of rice, tortillas, pepitas, queso fresco, diced avocado and crushed tortilla chips, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the chicken thighs, salsa verde, green chiles, chopped garlic, jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Stir to evenly combine. (Don’t add salt now; jarred salsas are often high in sodium.) Cook on low until the chicken is tender and the flavors are blended, 5 to 6 hours. (If you will be away for 8 hours or more, set the cook time for 4 hours on low and set the slow cooker auto-switch to warm for the remaining time.)
- Step 2
Use two forks to coarsely shred the chicken. With the heat on low, add the scallions and cilantro, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and lime juice. Serve with rice or in tortillas, if desired, with accompaniments.
Private Notes
Comments
World's easiest and most delicious salsa verde that will change your game: Roast in a sheet pan quartered onion, jalapeno, lb or so of tomatillos, a few garlic cloves, all tossed in olive oil, until soft and just beginning to brown. Dump into a blender with an entire bunch of cilantro, stems and all. Pulse it. Season. Done. Great for chile verde, chilaquiles, and this recipe.
I may be the only person who can’t tolerate chicken thighs so would breast meat dry out too much? Adjust the time?
I just want to thank NYT Chefs for not giving upon the slow cooker. I’m an essential worker in the time of COVID and nothing helps more than a slow cooker recipe that takes an honest 15 min in the morning and at night and is healthy (relatively ) and delicious. Please keep them coming for those of us who can’t spare 45 minutes to 1 hour in the evening for dinner start (fridge) to table!
Can you use chicken breast instead of thighs? I didn’t see answer to this question below… and I also prefer breasts to thighs.
I’ve made this multiple times over the past 5 years and we love it. I use corn tortillas and pan fry the tacos with the cooked chicken and a mixture of Monterey Jack and sharp white cheddar…….then top it off with chopped avocado and my homemade salsa red or green whichever I have……if it’s green I like some chopped tomatoes too. The chicken also freezes very well so now that my boys have moved out and I’m feeding less people I can still use the recipe as is.
Lightly sauteed garlic and veg (I had a golden beet and a turnip; a handful of mini potatoes.) Everything went into my Dutch oven and I baked for 2 hours at 350. Delish! The lime and cilantro complimented the spices and jalapeno. I served with Greek yogurt to bring down the heat. Everyone LOVED it.
