My family adores this creamy salsa chicken because it’s so tasty, and I love how easy it is to make in my Crockpot with only 3 ingredients! Cook up some chicken breast, salsa, and cream cheese in a slow cooker, shred it up, and dinner’s ready. This creamy shredded chicken is perfect for making tacos, sandwiches, rice bowls, and so much more!
Top Reader Reviews
One of the best recipes that I’ve ever tried. We absolutely love it!
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We make this often and it’s always a hit! Even with my picky kids!
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Slow Cooker Salsa Cream Cheese Chicken
This super creamy salsa chicken has become a family favorite over the years, so it has really put my slow cooker to work! And while my Crock Pot cooks dinner for me, I get to do basically anything else. Any kind of shredded chicken is super versatile, and this recipe is too. So even though I make this cream cheese chicken all the time, it never gets boring!
Boneless chicken breasts, my favorite jar of chunky salsa, and a brick of cream cheese are really all it takes to make this creamy chicken in my Crockpot. You can use traditional salsa, salsa verde, or something with black beans and corn…really anything you like! Or try seasoning the chicken with ranch or taco seasoning before adding it to the Crockpot. There are so many ways to make this versatile salsa chicken with so few ingredients!
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Cream Cheese Optional
Adding cream cheese makes this shredded chicken extra creamy and tasty! But you can omit the cream cheese to make a very simple 2-ingredient salsa chicken for any occasion.
Crockpot Salsa Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6-8 ounces each*)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 24 ounces chunky salsa (1 jar**)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 brick, optional)
Instructions
- Spray a large crockpot with nonstick spray.
- Add the chicken to the bottom of the Crock Pot and top with the salt and pepper.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pour salsa over the chicken and then top with the cream cheese.24 ounces chunky salsa, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Cook on HIGH for 3½ hours or on LOW for 6-8; or until chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temp).
- Stir together and then shred chicken with 2 forks (should shred easily). This can be done directly in the pot, or on a plate.
- Stir again to fully coat in the salsa mixture.
- Use for tacos, nachos, sandwiches, and more!
Notes
- Spray your Crock Pot with a little non-stick spray before adding in your ingredients.
- To cut down on calories, you can use a low fat cream cheese.
- If you want a simpler shredded salsa chicken, skip the cream cheese.
- Chicken should be cooked through to an internal temp of 165F before consuming.
- For some heat, add chopped jalapeños or hot sauce for an even spicier dish! Green Chiles would be another great addition for something more mild
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Variation Ideas
I’ve made this creamy salsa chicken so many times, my Crock Pot is just about ready to go on strike. But there are so many ways to change up this recipe, I just can’t help myself.
Readers have had success with all kinds of additions, including black beans and corn, mango salsa, Sriracha or another hot sauce, Rotel and Green Chiles, and sour cream instead of cream cheese. So I know I have even more recipe variations to try out with my own family. Let me know what worked for you!
Watch me make this on Youtube!
Dump a few ingredients in, let it cook, shred, and serve. It couldn’t be easier!
How to Make Creamy Salsa Chicken in a Crockpot Step by Step
Prep: Grab chicken breasts, a jar of salsa, and cream cheese. That’s it!
Add Chicken to Crockpot: Spray a large Crockpot with nonstick spray. Add 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker, and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Add Salsa and Cream Cheese: Then pour 24 ounces of chunky salsa over the chicken, and top with 8 ounces of cream cheese. You can place the whole brick of cream cheese in as is, or chop into cubes beforehand to help it melt more evenly.
Slow Cook: Cook salsa chicken on HIGH for 3½ hours; or on LOW for 6-8 hours. Be sure the chicken is fully cooked through (165°F internal temp).
Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, stir everything together. Then shred the chicken using 2 forks. I find it easy to do this directly in the Crockpot. Give it another good stir to fully coat the shredded chicken in the creamy salsa mixture.
Serve: Use the cream cheese salsa chicken as you please. Make tacos, nachos, sandwiches, or serve with rice or pasta. To make tacos, simply scoop the salsa chicken into warmed taco shells, then add additional toppings if you like!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover Crockpot salsa chicken in an airtight container or resealable bag.
- Fridge: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This chicken can be eaten cold straight from the fridge–perfect for salads or sandwiches.
- Freezer: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. If using cream cheese, keep in mind that it might not hold up well after freezing. But if you’re only using salsa and chicken, it will freeze wonderfully long-term.
- Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. Or reheat a larger batch in a 350℉ oven for about 15 minutes.
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