When it comes to cooking, I am very lazy. I like quick, low effort, and easy cleanup. That’s one of the biggest reasons why I will use my slowcooker any chance I get. Just dump and walk away? Yes, please. ANYWAY, this has become one of my staple recipes. It’s super easy and reheats really well. I’ve even used leftovers for breakfast tacos! I’m going to walk you through how I choose to plate/eat my salsa chicken, but feel free to substitute or take out where you see fit and make it your own! Also, if you happen to be an ALDI nerd like me, this recipe can be made will all ALDI ingredients!
Ingredients:
Chicken Thighs
Salsa
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
Beans (I prefer black)
Peppers (4-6 small sweet or 1 bell)
1/2 onion
Rice
Shredded Cheese
Tortilla Strips
First thing you need to do is rinse your chicken. I always pat my chicken dry after as well. For this recipe, I tend to use thighs with the skin and bones. I find that they seem to add more flavor, but I have made this with boneless skinless and it’s still absolutely delicious so the choice is yours. I’m sure that this would work with breasts or legs as well.
Place your chicken in the crockpot and cover with salsa. You don’t have to use the whole jar, just make sure that the chicken is covered. Keep in mind that the salsa and chicken juices will cook down.
Now it’s time to add some seasoning. I used approximately 1/2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp black pepper. Of course, everyone has different tastes and cooking isn’t an exact science like baking so you do you booboo. You can mix the spices in with the salsa or leave them on top. Turn the crockpot on low and leave that baby to do it’s magic for at least 6 hours (I usually leave it until I get home from work so more like 8-10 hours)
When your salsa chicken is done, it’s time to start on our fixings and pull the meal together. If you used chicken with skin and bones, this is where I’d usually give the salsa chicken a few stirs and try to dig out the bones and skin to make it easier later.
If using beans, drain and add to the salsa chicken, giving it a sitr.
If your rice will take 10 minutes or more, I would start that now. I love this Spanish style yellow rice from aldi. It takes about 25 minutes to make. When extra lazy or crunched for time though, I am always a fan of grabbing a quick bag of the 90 second microwave rice, so if that’s you today, I would wait until after the peppers and onions are done to start on that.
Slice peppers and onion and sauté with a bit of olive oil. For peppers, I typically use the small sweet peppers but bell peppers will work just fine as well! I like to season mine with some black pepper, paprika, and sometimes a little jalapeno garlic seasoning. Once soft, set aside.
Assemble your meal however you’d like. I prefer to layer rice, chicken, cheese, peppers and onions, then tortilla strips.
Like I said before, this meal is super versatile. I’ve used leftovers for breakfast tacos and even nachos. I’ve also frozen the chicken/bean mix multiple times for quick easy meals when I need them. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I do!
Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2-3 lb Chicken Thighs
- 1 can Salsa
- Chilli Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
For the Fixings
- 1 can Beans
- Pepper(s) Depending on how many servings/how much you want – I usually use a bunch of the small sweet peppers
- 1 Onion
- Rice
- Shredded Cheese
- Tortilla strips
Instructions
- Place chicken in crockpot and cover with salsa.
- Add seasonings to taste and give a stir.
- Cook on low for a minimum of 6 hours.
- When ready to serve, drain beans and add to chicken/salsa mixture. Stir to combine.
- Start rice. While rice cooks, slice pepper and onion.
- Sauté pepper and onion in a drizzle of olive oil and season to taste.
- Assemble and enjoy!
