Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken (5-Ingredients)
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.
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. Many of these types of recipes use cream cheese, but I’ve kept this recipe simple and healthy without any added dairy, sour cream, or cheese.
This crockpot green chile chicken recipe is the perfect meal prep recipe for busy weeknights.
Green Chile Chicken Benefits
- 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 burrito bowl, serve with steam-in-the-bag brown or white rice. You can also use corn tortillas. Or, for a low-carb option, serve with cauliflower rice or low-carb tortillas.
Ingredients
- 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. Feel free to add additional spices like garlic powder.
- Canned green chiles add sweet heat to the chicken, plus so much flavor! You can also use canned green salsa, if you prefer. Look for both in the ethnic or canned food section of most grocery stores.
- Rosemary has a strong flavor and a little goes a long way. One sprig is the perfect amount to impart its pine-like essence. You can also use dried rosemary or dried oregano, if you prefer.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact measurements.
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.
Step Two
Add the chicken, green chiles, taco seasoning, and sprig of fresh rosemary to the crockpot.
Step Three
Set it to cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
Step Four
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, fresh cilantro, lime juice, black beans, fresh corn, fresh jalapeños, tomatillo salsa, or sliced fresh avocado.
I hope this slow cooker meal becomes one of your new favorite slow cooker recipes!
Recipe Tips & Substitions
- 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 in an airtight container.
- 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.
Recipe FAQs
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!
No, because it cooks on a low temperature and the moisture stays inside the pot. Feel free to add a few tablespoons of chicken broth if you feel the chicken is getting dry.
Yes, you can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, boneless or bone-in. Just be sure to remove the bone before serving.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like
- 5-Ingredient Chicken Salad
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Lentils and Spinach
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- Instant Pot Coconut Chicken
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken & Potatoes
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Sweet Potato Coconut Chicken Curry
Or, see my full index of healthy chicken recipes.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken
Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken (5-Ingredients)
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
- 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
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- 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.
- Transfer the chicken to a 5-quart slow-cooker.
- Pour the green chiles over the chicken and sprinkle on the taco seasoning. Add the sprig of fresh rosemary on top.
- Cover the slow-cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- Serve hot with your choice of cauliflower rice, cooked brown or white rice, or your favorite side dish.
Notes
- 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.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Crockpot slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pieces
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 256.5 mg
- Fat: 17.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is studying to be a holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.
I am absolutely team dark meat, so this recipe jumps out to me! I’ve never done chicken in the crock pot, but it sounds like a great idea. I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try
Yum !! You’ve got me drooling. Feels just like how I’d like my dinner and to add to it, this looks easy. Thanks for sharing, we’re always in search of dinner recipes like these
This looks like the perfect weeknight dinner! Love all the green chillies too, I bet it tastes amazing!
I love these chicken thighs…I make them all the time!!!
I am vegetarian but my husband buys chicken having in mind all the tips you said. He would love this recipe, simple but packed with flavor.
I’m obsessed with gluten free dinner meals and this looks like the next thing I’m going to try out for dinner.. Looks delicious !!!
Yum, how tasty does this recipe look?! I love crockpot recipes and I love Whole30 recipes…so this is perfect for me to add to my rotation! YUM
Yesssss love a great crockpot recipe! And that it uses chicken thighs which are always cheaper (and I think has more flavor!) Can’t wait to try 🙂
Simple, healthy and delicious, this dish has it all! Perfect meal for any day of the week! I would love to have this in front of me right now!
Hubby loved this one!