Description
My easy slow cooker Southwest Chicken recipe is savory, tangy and spicy deliciousness! You’ll love this juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender chicken as a main dish and in a wide variety of meals throughout the week. It’s a naturally gluten free recipe that is also dairy free. It’s chicken meal prep heaven!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 – 5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (5 – 7 pieces)
- 1 cup jarred hatch green chilies (8 oz)
- 2 Tablespoons of my Southwest seasoning (Use store-bought if it’s all you have, but the chipotle chili powder and other spices in my seasoning are what really brings the Southwest flavor to this chicken.)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon lime zest
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Arrange chicken breast pieces in a single layer in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add in the Southwestern seasoning, water lime juice and zest, along with the bay leaf and green chiles.
- Stir everything, turning the chicken a time or two to fully distribute the ingredients.
- Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 160°.
- Remove the chicken breast pieces from the slow cooker and allow to rest on a platter or cutting board. Loosely tent the chicken breasts with foil and allow them to rest about 10 minutes. The residual heat, should bring the chicken up to the USDA recommended internal temperature of 165° as it rests. (This resting period is critical for juicy, tender chicken breast pieces.)
- Serve with Mexican Rice, black beans or pinto beans and a green salad. Or, allow southwest chicken to fully cool and then cut into thin slices for use in future meals.
- Store in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
Notes
Southwest Seasoning Recipe
- 2 Tablespoons chipotle chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Take care to be sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Store Southwestern seasoning in an airtight container in a cool dry place. It should last up to one year.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 150 min
- Category: Main Dish, Meat, Chicken
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Southwestern