Updated 4/9/25
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Our easy crockpot fiesta chicken is a delicious “dump and go” recipe for a creamy Mexican-style chicken dish. It makes a great taco filling with incredible flavor! This recipe is a best friend to any busy person because it has just a few easy-to-find ingredients and virtually no prep time! The crockpot does all the heavy lifting.
You throw everything in the crockpot in the morning, and when you come home, shred the chicken, add the cream cheese, and serve it on tortillas, nachos, or over rice.
If you love Mexican-inspired food as much as we do, I hope you’ll try our white chicken enchiladas, cheesy chicken enchiladas, unique chicken posole, and hearty stew-like Mexican chicken soup.
CROCKPOT FIESTA CHICKEN INGREDIENTS LIST
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Beans: I like to use either black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans.
- Green Chiles: Save some time and buy the chopped version. They have very little liquid in the can, so go ahead and add it.
- Diced Tomatoes: I like to use petite diced tomatoes. Add the liquid too.
- Corn: You can use canned or frozen corn. If you use canned, drain and discard the liquid.
- Black Olives:
- Onion: Use a yellow onion. It’s added raw to the crockpot, so there’s no need to sauté it first.
- Taco Seasoning: I like to use mild taco seasoning to keep this recipe kid-friendly.
- Cream Cheese: Do not add until the chicken is cooked. Then stir into the mixture.
TIPS
Temperatures: Remember that all crockpots run a little differently, so the cooking time may vary slightly.
Add Cheese: Feel free to add shredded cheese to the mixture. Add when you add the cream cheese.
Add Some Kick! Add minced jalapeno peppers, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes.
STORING + FREEZING
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This slow-cooked chicken will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.at
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
- Can You Freeze This? This crockpot creamy fiesta chicken is fresh and the best. It’s so quick to put together, so why bother freezing it?
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
If you’re using this slow cooker fiesta chicken recipe to make tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls, serve with tortillas, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, avocados, guacamole, pico de Gallo, and tomatoes. I like to have a small plate of lime wedges so everyone can add a squeeze of fresh lime on their tacos or burritos. This really may be the easiest way to cook chicken tacos!
If I’m short on time, I serve this over cooked white rice, but when I have time, I serve it over my restaurant-style Mexican rice. We like to serve this with jalapeno cornbread, KFC coleslaw for some freshness, or my Mexican corn salad.
Try my non-alcoholic margarita cake. If you’d like a cocktail, try our pink margaritas and pineapple margaritas to top things off!
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT FIESTA CHICKEN
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Add all ingredients to the crockpot except the cream cheese.
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Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours or until chicken is extremely tender.
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Remove and shred chicken with two forks. Add it back to the crockpot. Add the cream cheese, cover, and continue to cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir well. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, and serve with tortillas or over rice.
***See the full instructions below.
HOW TO MAKE FIESTA CHICKEN IN THE INSTANT POT
Ingredients: The Ingredients for the crockpot fiesta chicken below are the same, except we need to add 1/4 cup of water and 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese.
Instructions:
- Lay chicken breast on the bottom of the instant pot, then add water (1/4 cup), beans drained and rinsed, green chiles not drained, tomatoes not drained, corn not drained, olives drained, onion, taco seasoning, and dry ranch mix.
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Lock the lid and set the valve to seal. Set the function to “manual mode-high pressure” for 20 minutes. The Instant Pot will start on its own.
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When the cook time is finished, do a QUICK RELEASE of the pressure.
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Transfer the chicken to a plate and, when it’s cool enough to handle, shred it.
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While the chicken is out of the pot, stir in cream cheese and pepper jack cheese.
- Turn the Instant Pot onto the saute function. Stir or whisk the mixture until the cream cheese and pepper jack cheese are melted, and the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Return the shredded chicken to the instant pot.
- Serve as a filling for tacos or burritos.
MORE MEXICAN-INSPIRED RECIPES
- Carne Guisada
- Pozole Verde
- Carne Picada
- Taco Chili
- Mexican Spaghetti
- Mexican Pollo Asado
- Charro Beans
- Fiesta Chicken
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Crockpot Fiesta Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chiles, with liquid
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 1 (8-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (6-ounce) can black olives, drained
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 envelope taco seasoning
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to crockpot except cream cheese.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours or until chicken is extremely tender.
- Remove chicken and shred. Add back to crockpot. Add cream cheese (8 ounces), cover and continue to cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir well and serve with tortillas or over rice.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
I’ve made something very similar to this for a while now. Mine is modified due to food allergies, but we love it!
Do you know appox how many this would feed? I’m thinking of this for a potluck for work
I think it would easily feed 12 if you’re making tacos. I estimating that 1 chicken breat will make 3 tacos. If you want to be more conservative you can figure 8-10. Hope that helps 🙂 Kathleen
I was wondering why there are onions and tomatoes in the picture, but not listed on the ingredient list?
Hey Vickie! Thanks so much for noticing. I’ve been transferring all my recipes from my old blog to this blog. You are absolutely right. I’ve amended the recipe to reflect the corrections. Thanks again 🙂 Kathleen
Fast and easy, just the way i like making my food. Richard
Ha ha ha “stunt photo”, glad I'm not the only one to do that.
Kathleen!!!You just blew me away with the cream cheese, try with tuna as well, you'll be surprised. The next time your making tuna sandwiches.
Either way I love recipe, when someone throws an unexpected ingredient, but in the end the taste is just over the top!!! Keep it up!!!
Stop by crockpotking.com, I have other mexican recipes as well. It must freeze well also, right???
Now that it's starting to get cold out this sounds so good. I love crock pot meals in the Fall/Winter, although they are great any time!
Yum! Can't wait to throw this one together!!! Looks like a real winner!
Woof! Woof! TASTY!!! My mom always wanted to have a crock pot … now she really wants one. Golden Thanks for sharing. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
BTW: started a weekly Tasty Tuesday Blog HOP. Maybe someday you join us … we do (started) accepting human food. check it out, details on my blog. Golden Woofs
Oh that looks fantastic!
This is just what I need. I love tasty crockpot meals, and this sounds perfect:)
Whenever I see a delicious crock pot recipe, I'm so tempted to buy a crock pot. But as a SAHM, I feel like it's a waste as I stay at home most of the day. But still, I think this is a great cooking gadget!! Your chicken dish looks fabulous!
Being a SAHM is not a good excuse not to use a crock pot. There are some really great meals out there. Plus, if all you have to do for dinner is dump a few ingredients in the cp in the morning, it frees you up for other activities. You can set it, go to the zoo, and come home to dinner!!
Hi Megan. I agree with you a crock pot is a great tool for everyone!
I’m a S@HM and I can not live without my crock pot. It is so easy to put whatever I’m making in there and not worry about it until dinner time. It frees up more time for me to spend with my kids. It also helps our budget bc dinner is done and I’m not tempted to order out.
I totally agree with you Moose
I’m a SAHR (Stay at Home Retired) & Love my crock pots – that’s right I have more than one. I love chillin in the am while I slowly come alive (old bones……), watch the news, & drink my tea. A perfect activity for a slow runnin multitasker is preparing dinner in the slow cooker. So when I’m finally revved up & have things under control, I spend the day wondering how on earth I ever had time to work. Beats me ????
Lol, Debbi! Hope you enjoy this recipe in your crock pot!
Working 6 days a wek I need delicious stand bys like this.
I love a good crock pot recipe. Nothing like coming home from work and having a meal almost ready! Kathleen, I agree a meal doesn't always have to be gourmet to be good.
Karen
Id like to invite everyone to my blog Amish Stories today to read a post from old order Mennonite Jean of New York state. Jean has taken-in a foster child named Michael whose parents are no longer able to take care of him. He's English and Jeans family is old order Mennonite (horse and buggy) but that makes no difference in the love that this young man is receiving from this family. Thank you folks and i hope to see some of you drop by the blog. Richard
I'll be saving this recipe. Looks perfect for dinner on a busy weekday.
This sounds simple and delicious – my kind of food!
Crockpot meals are perfect for a busy anyone!
I need some crock pot recipes and this sounds yummy! Thanks! ?
Yum! This sounds so delicious an super easy to make. I'm going to give it a try but use reduced-fat cream cheese