This recipe for Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken is so easy and delicious. You only need five simple ingredients for a hearty and flavorful chicken dinner that is not too spicy. Serve this gluten-free dish with cooked rice and steamed vegetables for a healthy meal.

crockpot chicken thighs with green chiles on table

Cooking chicken in the crockpot is just so easy! The long cooking time at low heat helps keep the chicken from drying out. And, since chicken thighs naturally have more fat than chicken breasts, they end up tasting juicy and delicious.

Contents hide
1 Why You Need This Recipe
2 Key Ingredients
3 Recipe Steps
4 Recipe Tips & Substitions
5 Recipe FAQs
6 Other Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like
7 Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Five ingredient recipes are the best! If you keep avocado oil, taco seasoning, and green chiles in the pantry you can just pick up chicken thighs and rosemary whenever you want to cook this recipe.
  • It only takes ten minutes to prep and then into the slow cooker it goes. Prep it in the morning and by dinnertime it will be done!
  • It goes with and on everything but tastes especially great with rice. For a super simple and speedy dinner serve with steam-in-the-bag brown or white rice.

Key Ingredients

ingredients for slow cooker green chile chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts are perfect for this dish, along with a few other simple ingredients.

You can definitely use chicken breasts for this chicken recipe, but I recommend chicken thighs. Why? They are more flavorful. Chicken thighs have more fat than chicken breasts, so that translates into flavor.

Avocado oil is a heart healthy oil perfect for sautéing. It has a high smoke point which means it won’t burn even when used for high heat cooking. See my list of the best healthy cooking oils.

Taco seasoning is an excellent seasoning to have in your spice cabinet. It goes great on chicken, beef, beans, and vegetables.

Canned green chiles add sweet heat to the chicken, plus so much flavor!

Rosemary has a strong flavor and a little goes a long way. One sprig is the perfect amount to impart it’s pine-like essence. You can also use dried rosemary or dried oregano, if you prefer.

Recipe Steps

This Crockpot Chicken Thighs with Green Chiles is such an easy and delicious way to make chicken. It’s easy too! Let me show you exactly how to do it.

Step One

Sauté the chicken in a pan on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker to give it extra flavor.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

How to make crockpot chicken thighs with green chiles

Step Two

Add the chicken, green chiles, taco seasoning, and sprig of fresh rosemary to the crockpot. Set it to cook.

Step Three

Once the cooking time is up, then just remove the lid and give it a stir. Serve your Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken with rice, cauliflower rice, and/or sliced fresh avocado.

slow cooker with chicken and green chiles

Recipe Tips & Substitions

  • It’s important to buy pasture-raised chicken from a source you trust. If you are shopping at the supermarket, you can also look for organic to ensure that the chickens were raised on GMO-free feed.
  • I recommend a 5-quart Crockpot for this recipe since it’s not the largest recipe by volume. I also like the Primal Palate taco seasoning, since it’s GMO-free and organic.
  • You can easily double this recipe and freeze the leftovers.
  • This recipe keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days after cooking. Reheat before serving.
  • For added flavor, serve this dish with a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
  • If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
  • If you don’t mind spicy foods, increase the taco seasoning to 1 teaspoon.
  • If you don’t have taco seasoning, you can use a pinch of each ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried garlic, dried oregano, and dried chili powder.
chicken cooked in a crockpot

Recipe FAQs

What do I serve with this slow cooker chicken dish?

If you’re doing a Whole30 or you’re on a strict paleo diet, then I would suggest serving this dish with sautéed cauliflower rice. Otherwise, you can serve this over cooked brown or white rice. A squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkling of fresh chopped cilantro is nice too!

Does chicken get overcooked in the crockpot?

No, because it cooks on a low temperature and the moisture stays inside the pot.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs in this recipe?

Yes, you can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, boneless or bone-in. Just be sure to remove the bone before serving.

overhead photo of chicken served with rice and avocado.

Other Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like

Or, see my full index of healthy chicken recipes.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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crockpot chicken thighs bowl.

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

★★★★★

5 from 11 reviews
Print Recipe

This recipe for Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken is so easy and delicious. You only need five simple ingredients for a hearty and flavorful chicken dinner that is not too spicy. Serve this gluten-free dish with cooked rice and steamed vegetables for a healthy meal.

  • Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil, for sautéing
  • 1.75 pounds organic, boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 2 4–ounce cans of diced green chiles
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

  1. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Use tongs to add the chicken thighs to the pan. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 3 minutes each side, turning the thighs over one time to cook evenly.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a 5-quart slow-cooker.
  4. Pour the green chiles over the chicken and sprinkle on the taco seasoning. Add the sprig of fresh rosemary on top.
  5. Cover the slow-cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
  6. Serve hot with your choice of cauliflower rice, cooked brown or white rice, or your favorite side dish. 

Equipment

Notes

  1. You can easily double this recipe and freeze the leftovers.
  2. This recipe keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days after cooking. Reheat before serving.
  3. For added flavor, serve this dish with a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
  4. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
  5. If you don’t mind spicy foods, increase the taco seasoning to 1 teaspoon.
  6. If you don’t have taco seasoning, you can use a pinch of each ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried garlic, dried oregano, and dried chili powder.
  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Crockpot slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: crockpot chicken thighs, chicken dinner, chicken thighs, slow-cooker chicken, whole30 chicken

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