Crock-Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken

On days when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, a Crock-Pot is a wonderful thing.  Even though I typically associate Crock-Pot meals (like soup or stew) with winter, they're also perfect in the summer because you don't have to turn on the oven and heat up your house!  Since this recipe is made in a Crock-Pot, it requires minimal effort and as an added bonus, leaves you with a good amount of leftovers.  It has great Mexican flavors that pair nicely with cool summer ingredients like fresh tomatoes and avocado.  It is also very versatile.  You could make a different meal with it every day of the week!  Serve it on salad, with rice or quinoa and beans, on top of steamed veggies, with a sweet potato, in a soft taco or enchilada... the possibilities are endless!  Pictured below is how Rem ate it last night.  He had the chicken with quinoa and black beans, steamed broccoli, tomato, half an avocado with plain greek yogurt, and fresh lemon juice squeezed on top.  Rem always does such a beautiful job of plating his food, while my plates usually look more boring.  Last night (and today for lunch) I ate my chicken in a salad with spinach, tomato, and avocado.  While this is my favorite way to eat it, it was not as photogenic as Rem’s meal.  Any way you serve it, this chicken is delicious.  And I forgot to mention that your house will smell FANTASTIC while it’s cooking!

I should thank Trader Joe’s for the inspiration for this recipe, since I purchased almost all of the ingredients for it there!  If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, don’t worry.  All of the ingredients (or some version of them) can be purchased at most grocery stores.

The tomatoes in the picture are from the Granville Farmer's Market.  They were so fresh and full of flavor!  If you live in the area, support your local farmers by checking out the Granville Farmer's Market on Saturdays (May-October) from 8:30 am-12 pm in downtown Granville on the corner of Broadway and Main.  They have an excellent selection of local meat and produce for very reasonable prices!

Let me know if you try this recipe or make any yummy variations!

Crock-Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken 

2.5-3 lb. frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 medium onions, sliced thin

1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

1 12-16 oz. jar salsa verde (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Juice from 1 small lemon or lime

Place chicken in the Crock-Pot (frozen or thawed, either is fine).  Slice onions and place on top of chicken.  Pour tomatoes over onions and chicken.  In small bowl, mix together salsa verde, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and lime/lemon juice.  Pour this mixture on top.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours (or up to 10).  Half way through, stir everything a little to get it all incorporated.  About an hour before you are ready to eat, shred the chicken with a fork.  It should fall apart easily at this point.  Serve on salad, with rice or quinoa and beans, or however you wish!  Makes 8-10 servings.