When I say I love this crockpot queso chicken recipe, I mean I really love it. Shredded chicken is smothered in a creamy, cheesy queso sauce and slow-cooked in a crockpot for maximum flavor – it’s the ultimate comfort food, and it practically cooks itself! It’s delicious as a dip for tortilla chips, but my kids love it most when I use it as a filling for tacos or burritos!
I think I’ve made this crockpot queso chicken for every Superbowl and Cinco de Mayo party for the past few years! But recently, my family has been requesting it for weeknight dinners, too. I just throw all the ingredients in my crockpot and let it do its magic while I go about my day. The flavors get even better the longer it cooks, and the chicken falls apart at the touch of my fork. It’s seriously addicting!
What’s in This Crockpot Queso Chicken Recipe?
Did I mention this recipe has less than 5 ingredients? I honestly wouldn’t believe how delicious it is if I hadn’t made it myself!
- Chicken: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts work best for this recipe as they shred and cook easily.
- Taco Seasoning: Adds a little kick of flavor to the chicken without being too spicy.
- Rotel: Would this be a queso dip without Rotel?! A can of Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles) adds a tangy, spicy flavor to the recipe.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest queso sauce.
- Queso: This is what gives the dip its signature cheesy goodness! I recommend queso quesadilla or chihuahua cheese.
- Green Onion Tops: Optional, but adds a nice little crunch and freshness.
Variations To Try
If you want some extra heat, add some diced jalapenos or hot sauce to the mix. I rarely add these because my kids don’t like overly spicy foods, but when I do, it’s a game-changer!
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How to Store and Reheat
I usually leave my crockpot on the ‘keep warm’ setting when serving this queso chicken dip for a party, but it can also be stored in the fridge and reheated later. It stores well in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Then, I just pop it back into the crockpot for about 30 minutes and stir it every 10 minutes until it’s heated. It also reheats well in the microwave; just watch out for any hot spots!
How to Freeze
Let your slow cooker chicken queso dip cool before transferring to a freezer-safe container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating as above!
Notes and Tips
- Serve it as a dip with chips and veggies, or use it as a topping for tacos or nachos. It’s delicious as a dip AND a complete meal!
- Don’t open the crockpot lid too often while cooking. It’ll only add more time to the cooking process, and nobody wants to wait longer for queso.
- If your crockpot is big enough, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger crowds.
- Don’t worry about removing the chicken from the crockpot when shredding – just use two forks to shred it right in the pot for less dishes to clean!
- I usually cook the chicken on low for 7 hours to make it really tender, but it still shreds nicely when cooked on high for 3 hours. Choose whichever method works best for your schedule.
- You can add pre-cooked and shredded chicken to the crockpot for the final 15-30 minutes of cook time, rather than cooking the chicken directly in the queso. This is a great option for using up leftover chicken!
Top Reader Review
“I love this recipe. Made a double batch for a party and there was none left! Huge hit with everyone.” – Dawn Sullivan
Crockpot Queso Chicken (Dip or Meal!)
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 10 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 16 ounces queso cheese
- green onion tops optional
Instructions
- Prepare the liner of the Crockpot with a non stick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the liner.3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Top the chicken breasts with taco seasoning. Add the diced cream cheese and the cubed queso, and then top with the diced tomatoes and green chiles.1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 8 ounces cream cheese, 16 ounces queso cheese, 10 ounces Rotel
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours; or on LOW for 7 hours.
- Remove the lid and shred the chicken breasts (use two forks). Stir the contents well and serve as desired.green onion tops
Notes
- You can serve this either as a chicken queso dip or as chicken queso tacos. Either way they are DELISH!
How to Make Crockpot Queso Chicken Step by Step
Prepare the Crockpot: Spray the crockpot with some nonstick cooking spray before adding any ingredients.
Add the Chicken: Put three chicken breasts into the crockpot.
Season the Chicken: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning evenly over the chicken breasts.
Add the Queso Ingredients: Add 8 ounces of cream cheese (diced), 16 ounces of queso (cubed), and 10 ounces of Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles, 1 can) to the crockpot with the chicken.
Cook: Cover with the crockpot lid and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Shred the Chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken in the crockpot and stir everything until it’s well combined. Top with the green onion tops and enjoy!
What is queso cheese? That translates as cheese cheese.
Think of the white cheese dip you can get at the grocery store and heat up and it becomes a liquid!
Would a block of queso fresco work? This looks delicious and so easy!
It will change things up a bit.
Could you clarify which queso you use then? Like a jarred queso? Or velveeta? Thanks so much!
Jarred or premade!
I love this recipe. Made a double batch for a party and there was none left! Huge hit with everyone.
It’s one of our favorites!
Can pre-cook and shred the chicken? How long to cook?
You can precook and shred the chicken, then stir it back for the last 15-30 minutes of cook time.
What is queso cheese? Is queso a regular cheese block or is it supposed to say queso on the package?
QUeso is a type of Mexican cheese. It should say “Queso Fresco” or “Queso Blanco” on the package!
You should put “queso fresco” or “queso blanco” in the recipe as the type of cheese. Queso literally means cheese, so the type of cheese is Blanco or Fresco, not queso
I made this today and it was great! I added some corn and spinach (cuz I normally do!) and served it over rice as a meal. It was very yummy and filling!
i’m trying to understand how to make this recipe, the list shows Queso: This is what gives the dip its signature cheesy goodness! Use your favorite brand of queso fresco or queso blanco. In other comments you mention other types of cheese, and when I look up Queso Fresco, its not known to be a cheese that melts well, and is usually crumbled on top as a garnish. Can you please clarify what cheese is best to use to make this dip?
Hi Chad, we recommend queso quesadilla or chihuahua cheese!
Do you drain the rotel?
We did not!
What a hit with all I have made this for!!Perfect potluck addition or just toss in tortillas and some shredded lettuce YUM!