Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken and White Beans

This slow cooker salsa verde chicken combines tender shredded chicken with creamy white beans, corn, and a tangy green salsa. It takes about 10 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker handles dinner while you work, run errands, or prep the rest of the week. Serve it in bowls, tacos, or burritos, or portion it with rice for easy lunches.

Quick overview

• Best for: Weeknight dinners, taco night, and meal prep
• Hands-on time: About 10 minutes
• **Slow cooker size:** 5 to 6 quarts
• Cooking options: 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH
• Yield: 6 servings

The salsa verde provides most of the seasoning, while cumin, oregano, onion, and garlic round out the flavor. Cannellini beans make the finished dish more substantial without requiring a separate side dish.

Ingredients for salsa verde chicken and white beans

You will need boneless, skinless chicken breasts, jarred salsa verde, cannellini beans, frozen corn, chicken broth, yellow onion, garlic, cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper. Fresh lime juice and cilantro are optional finishing ingredients that brighten the dish just before serving.

Choose a salsa verde with a flavor and heat level you enjoy. Since jarred salsas vary in saltiness and spice, wait until the end before deciding whether the dish needs any extra salt.

How to make slow cooker salsa verde chicken

1. Spread the diced onion and minced garlic across the bottom of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
2. Place the chicken breasts over the onion. Sprinkle with cumin, oregano, and black pepper.
3. Pour the salsa verde and chicken broth over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Check the thickest part of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. It must reach 165°F before shredding.
5. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or cutting board. Shred it with two forks.
6. Stir the drained cannellini beans and frozen corn into the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken, cover, and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans and corn are hot.
7. Stir in lime juice, if using. Taste and season with salt only if needed. Spoon into bowls and finish with cilantro, if desired.

Practical tips for a better slow cooker dinner

Keep the chicken from drying out

Chicken breasts vary in thickness and can finish at different times. Start checking for 165°F at the early end of the cooking range. Once cooked, shred the chicken and return it to the salsa mixture only long enough to heat through with the beans and corn.

Adjust the consistency after shredding

This dish should be spoonable rather than soupy. If there is more liquid than you want after shredding the chicken, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir once or twice so the chicken stays coated in the salsa verde.

Make it as mild or spicy as you like

Mild salsa verde makes a family-friendly base. For more heat, choose a hotter salsa verde or add a diced jalapeño with the onion. Avoid adding extra salt until the end, especially if your broth and salsa are both salted.

Substitutions and variations

• Chicken thighs: Use 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the breasts. They may be more forgiving during the longer end of the cooking range. Confirm they reach 165°F before serving.
• Different white beans: Great Northern beans or navy beans can replace cannellini beans. Drain and rinse them before adding.
• No corn: Leave it out or replace it with 1 diced red bell pepper. Add the bell pepper at the beginning with the onion.
• More vegetables: Stir in baby spinach after shredding the chicken. Cover for a few minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
• Creamier finish: Stir in 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt after turning off the slow cooker. Do not boil the mixture after adding yogurt, since it can separate.

Ways to serve salsa verde chicken

For a simple dinner, spoon the chicken and beans over cooked rice or quinoa with avocado and a squeeze of lime. It also works well tucked into warm corn or flour tortillas with shredded lettuce, diced onion, and crumbled cheese.

For meal prep, divide the chicken mixture among containers with a cooked grain and a sturdy vegetable such as roasted broccoli or bell peppers. Pack fresh toppings, including cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado, separately.

Storage and meal-prep guidance

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

For freezing, cool the chicken mixture promptly, portion it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze. The beans may become a little softer after thawing, but the dish remains suitable for bowls, tacos, and burritos. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator.

Reheat leftovers in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave, stirring as needed, until the center reaches 165°F. Add a small splash of broth if the mixture has thickened during storage.

MACRO SIMMER RECIPE

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken and White Beans

Tender shredded chicken, white beans, corn, and salsa verde cooked in one slow cooker for an easy, protein-focused dinner or meal-prep option.

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PREP

10 minutes

COOK

4 to 5 hours on LOW, or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH, plus 20 to 30 minutes after adding beans and corn

TOTAL

4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes on LOW

YIELD

6 servings

SLOW COOKER

5 to 6 quarts

SAFE TEMP

165°F for chicken

Equipment5 to 6 quart slow cooker, can opener, cutting board, knife, measuring spoons, instant-read thermometer, two forks

Scale ingredients

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar, 16 ounces, salsa verde
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cans, 15 ounces each, cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, optional, plus more only if needed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional, for serving

Instructions

1. 1Spread the onion and garlic in the bottom of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
2. 2Arrange the chicken breasts over the onion. Sprinkle the chicken with cumin, oregano, and black pepper.
3. 3Pour the salsa verde and chicken broth over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
4. 4Check the thickest part of each chicken breast with an instant-read thermometer. When the chicken reaches 165°F, transfer it to a plate and shred with two forks.
5. 5Stir the cannellini beans and frozen corn into the liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken and its juices to the cooker.
6. 6Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans and corn are heated through.
7. 7Stir in lime juice, if using. Taste and add the optional salt only if needed. Serve with cilantro, if desired.

Allergens

This recipe does not contain a major allergen as written. Check the labels on salsa verde and chicken broth, since packaged products can vary and may contain allergens or be processed in facilities that handle them.

Substitutions

Use 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts, checking for a safe internal temperature of 165°F before serving. Great Northern beans or navy beans can replace cannellini beans. For a vegetable variation, replace the corn with 1 diced red bell pepper and add it at the beginning with the onion.

Storage, freezing and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Freeze cooled portions in freezer-safe containers for later meals. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until the center reaches 165°F, adding a splash of broth if needed.