slow cooker mexican chicken and pineapple

This Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken is one of those recipes where you can just drop everything, walk away, and come back to a kitchen that smells so amazing you’ll think your family has been cooking all day. It was talking about biddingjuicy, perfectly spiced shredded chicken swimming in a sweet and savory pineapple salsa verde sauce is perfection. Please give it a try.

Serve in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, Cafe Rio salads, or just by itself with guacamole and a fork. Make it as soon as possible because it’s endlessly versatile and really delicious.

This Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pineapple Mexican Shredded Chicken is definitely one of my new favorites, but it’s also the result of being totally lazy, so yeah, there’s that too.

I’m just being completely honest with you. I was a little tired and needed a quick and easy chicken recipe. Oh, I know some of you use the Instant Pot and some of you use the slow cooker, so I’ll explain both methods. No matter what you choose, this slow cooker Mexican chicken will always deliver.

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken Ingredients

That’s what this slow cooker Mexican chicken is all about. Although the list of ingredients is short, each of these elements is significant. Here’s what you need and why it’s important.

Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best. Salsa Verde: A bright, tangy, slightly spicy base that will make your chicken taste like something you’d find at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Use the brand and heat level that your family prefers the most. Crushed Pineapple: Don’t skip this! The pineapple adds a nice hint of sweetness that balances out the spiciness of the salsa verde, making this sauce completely unique and totally addictive. Heavy cream: This gives the sauce a rich, slightly creamy finish and ties everything together beautifully. It also helps the sauce thicken during the slow cooker’s long cooking time. Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Add a deep, smoky, slightly sweet tomato flavor that takes your sauce to a whole new level. If possible, don’t replace them with regular canned tomatoes, as grilling them makes a big difference. Coriander, smoked paprika, and cumin: These three spices support the overall warm, smoky, and slightly earthy flavor of the dish. Salt: Simple but essential!

That’s the whole list! Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients come together to taste like you’ve worked a lot harder than you did. Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

How to make slow cooker mexican chicken

This slow cooker Mexican chicken might be the easiest part of this whole article to write because it’s really easy to make. Are you ready? Let’s go:

Crockpot instructions:

addition:. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir well to combine. Everything must be mixed evenly so that nothing sticks to the bottom. The taste blends well from the beginning. Cooking: Cover and simmer on low heat for 3 hours. Go away! Literally do something else. The crockpot has this. Shred:. After 3 hours, remove the chicken breasts and shred them on a cutting board using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and cook for another hour. This way you can soak up all the great sources. Eat: Serve on tacos, spoon over rice, or stuff into burritos. The possibilities are truly endless.

How to make an Instant Pot:

Drain: Drain any excess liquid from the salsa verde and crushed pineapple before adding anything to the Instant Pot. This prevents it from becoming too watery since the Instant Pot doesn’t have a long cooking time to reduce the moisture. Add: Add all ingredients to Instant Pot, stir, cover, and close valve to seal. Cook: Set to manual high pressure and cook for 10 minutes. that’s it! Shred: Remove chicken, shred on a cutting board, return to Instant Pot, toss with sauce, and serve.

If you haven’t seen our Instant Pot Cheat Sheet yet, be sure to check it out.

Whether you use your slow cooker or Instant Pot, this slow cooker Mexican chicken couldn’t be easier to make. You get a dinner table full of very happy people. That’s my recipe!

Substitutes and variations

Tomatillo Salsa Swap: Salsa verde and tomatillo salsa are essentially the same thing. Use your preferred temperature and use the heat level that works for your family. Mild, medium, and hot all work beautifully here. Frozen chicken: In a pinch, you can throw frozen chicken breasts into the Instant Pot. Natural pressure cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. Frozen chicken releases excess water, so for the best flavor, drain excess water after cooking. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes until everything comes together. Spice It Up: Love bold flavors? You can customize this slow cooker Mexican chicken spice blend to your liking. Try going in a different direction by adding chili powder, adobo, coriander, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, or a pinch of Mexican oregano. Make it dairy-free: If you need to omit the heavy cream, you can leave it out completely. The sauce is thin, but still absolutely delicious. You can also change to coconut milk.

How to prepare and store

This slow cooker Mexican chicken is a dream to make ahead of time! In fact, it tastes even better the next day when the chicken has soaked up all the sauce and rested. Once completely cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, making it perfect for preparing meals like tacos, burrito bowls, and quick lunches all week long.

To reheat, heat in a frying pan over medium-low heat, or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring at a time. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat when ready to eat.

what to eat with slow cooker mexican chicken

This chicken is so versatile that the hardest part is figuring out what to serve it with. Our cilantro-lime rice is the perfect colorful, buttery base, and with a dollop of Mexican black beans on the side, it feels like an authentic restaurant-worthy meal at home.

For corn lovers, One Skillet Cream Mexican Street Corn is sweet and creamy and ready in just 10 minutes. Top it off with some Spanish rice and you’ve got a Mexican meal that the whole family will love.

Once you make this Slow Cooker Pineapple Mexican Chicken, we promise it will be one recipe you come back to over and over again. The combination of sweet pineapple, tangy salsa verde, flame-roasted tomatoes, and warm spices creates a delicious sauce that you’ll want to drizzle on everything.

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