One of the easiest recipes for a frozen chicken breast is to place it in a crock pot, cover with salsa, and cook it! That is really all it takes. A couple hours on low and you go from freezer to table with LITTLE effort.
What do I do with crock pot salsa chicken? I love shredding up the chicken and adding it to tacos, on rice bowls or in salads. You can even keep the chicken whole or slice it up.
You can use this recipe for fresh chicken breasts, a different cut of chicken or even with a different sauce/seasoning.
This crock pot chicken breast is one of the best recipes for tacos! I usually shred it and use it as the taco meat. Another one of my favorite (seen on the right) is my sweet asian taco meat.
What Do you need to make some frozen salsa chicken in the crock pot
First things first is a crock pot or slow cooker of course. I use the original crock pot brand and I love using the liners for easy clean up; however, you do not have to. Make sure you grab a meat thermometer too, that can stay in a closed crock.
- Frozen chicken breast
- Salsa
- Taco seasonings (optional)
Yes, that is all.
I use a pound of frozen chicken breast; however, you can make this recipe with fresh chicken breasts. In addition, you can substitute a different cut of chicken, such as tenderloins or thighs, if you prefer that.
I typically use store bought salsa to make this recipe. That is to keep it very easy and simple. I love grabbing a fresh salsa from the deli section or using my favorite jarred version. However, you can also make your own salsa. Try out my homemade skinny salsa recipe.
Seasonings
I typically will add taco seasonings onto the chicken because I love flavor and needs tons of flavor in all my dishes. However, if you find that just the salsa is good enough, you can skip the taco seasonings.
I always have my homemade taco seasonings on hand, I make them exactly how I like them and I think they are better than anything you can buy. Plus, when you buy a seasonings mix, you never really know what is in it. However, this frozen chicken in the crock pot recipe is supposed to be very easy so you can always buy a packet.
This is the taco seasonings recipe that I live and breathe for, hey, I love tacos, and is perfect to season the pork for this recipe. However, you can also buy a packet, just use 2/2.5 tablespoons of it!
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Adjust any of these seasonings to your liking in this recipe, or just omit them. This mix is not spicy; however, you can make it spicier with the addition of ground red pepper. However, if you are watching your salt, you can reduce that as well. But I do not think there is too much salt in this.
How fun is this build your own taco bar!
How to make frozen chicken in the crock pot
I suggest using one of these crock pot liners for easy clean up, situate that on the crock pot first. You can add in 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth to keep the chicken moist.
Add the frozen chicken breast to the bottom of the crock pot. Pour on the salsa and the seasonings, giving it a little stir.
Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 2.5 to 3 hours. If using fresh chicken, cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. When the chicken has thawed enough (1.5 to 2 hours), I like to put in a meat thermometer to monitor the chicken. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked before removing it from the crock pot.
I like to shred my chicken (using a hand mixer) and use it in tacos, rice bowls or salads. Then, I will add it back into the salsa in the crock pot. to allow all the juices to absorb into the chicken. However, you can eat it whole or cut into slices.
Other Flavors to Try
You can also use this recipe to make the frozen chicken in the crock pot; however, try out different flavors. Try out a BBQ sauce flavor or an Italian flavor using jarred dressing.
Frozen Chicken in the Crock Pot
One of the easiest recipes for a frozen chicken breast is to place it in a crock pot, cover with salsa, and cook it! That is really all it takes. A couple hours on low and you go from freezer to table with LITTLE effort.
Frozen Chicken in the Crock Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons taco seasonings
- ½ jar salsa ½ a 15 ounce jar
Instructions
- I suggest using one of these crock pot liners for easy clean up, situate that on the crock pot first. You can add in 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth to keep the chicken moist.
- Add the frozen chicken breast to the bottom of the crock pot. Pour on the salsa and the seasonings, giving it a little stir.
- Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 2.5 to 3 hours. If using fresh chicken, cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. When the chicken has thawed enough (1.5 to 2 hours), I like to put in a meat thermometer to monitor the chicken. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked before removing it from the crock pot.
- I like to shred my chicken (using a hand mixer) and use it in tacos, rice bowls or salads. Then, I will add it back into the salsa in the crock pot. to allow all the juices to absorb into the chicken. However, you can eat it whole or cut into slices.
[…] usually do not use frozen chicken; however, if that is what you have, it will work out perfectly fine too. Place the lid on the crock […]