I originally found this dish at Skinnytaste, but have made some adjustments to fit me. Each time I take a bite of this dish for the first time, I think how good it tastes for the little amount of effort that went into it. This makes me happy.
Salsa chicken can be eaten in so many versatile ways. My favorite is in a burrito bowl with a little rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, and pickled jalapenos. I would like to try it in a salad this summer when the farm stand veggies come back into season, too. My husband prefers it as a burrito. I have also just eaten plain with a touch of salsa. It is salsa chicken, after all.
Some of the adjustments to the original recipe is the cooking time and the spices. The original called for the chicken to be cooked for four hours. I find that my crock pot dries meat out when it is in there for that long. I have adjusted my total cook time to three and a half hours for this reason.
We also do a lot of Latino cooking in my household, so I have a ton of spices to use. I added cayenne for heat, which can be easily adjusted up or down depending on preference. Then I added oregano and extra cumin to crank up the depth. In the future, I am thinking I will add some chipotle peppers and liquid smoke to make a smokier version... with cheddar cheese. Yes.
Salsa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
1 cup and 2 Tbsp. salsa, divided
2 Tbsp. cayene (if you don’t like spicy, I suggest 1 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
Ground black pepper to taste
1 15 oz. can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
Directions
1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Add 1 cup of salsa, cayenne, garlic salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Cook the chicken on low for three hours (see note about cooking time above).
2. Take the chicken out and set aside. Measure 1 cup of the salsa broth from the pot and set aside. Drain the crock pot basin.
3. Add the black beans and the reserved salsa broth and extra salsa back to the crock pot. Set it on warm.
4. Shred the chicken with a fork. Add it back to the crock pot and stir the ingredients. Leave it in the crock pot to warm for half an hour.
Serve either by itself, as a burrito, as a burrito bowl, or in a salad. Enjoy!
