Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Salsa Chicken for Sheet Pan Dinner
A simple, reliable slow cooker meal featuring chicken breasts cooked in salsa with chili powder, cumin, and black beans. This dish is tender, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 12 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (16 oz) jar of mild or medium salsa
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and trim any excess fat. Place them in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour the entire jar of salsa over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are covered. Gently toss to coat.
- Sprinkle chili powder and cumin evenly over the chicken and salsa.
- Add the rinsed and drained black beans to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until chicken reaches 165°F and is tender.
- Shred the chicken directly in the pot using two forks.
- Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and beans. Let sit for 15 minutes on low to meld flavors before serving.
Notes
Do not overload the slow cooker to ensure even cooking. Rinsing black beans removes excess sodium and starch. For a thicker sauce, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes. Chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts. Ensure salsa is not too watery to avoid a soup-like consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Shredded chicken wit
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 40
Keywords: crockpot, slow cooker, salsa chicken, easy dinner, meal prep, gluten-free, sheet pan dinner, 5-ingredient recipe