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A serving dish with salsa verde chicken, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.
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5 from 1 vote

Salsa Verde Chicken

Tender and flavorful shredded chicken, slowly cooked in a vibrant salsa verde. We love this on taco salads, in tacos, or as an enchilada filling. Make a simple meal by layering it on rice or cauliflower rice with your favorite salsa!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 165kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless, or boneless chicken thighs
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups salsa verde

Instructions

  • Heat a skillet over medium high heat, and drizzle in avocado oil.
  • Add boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, and brown each side for about 4 minutes. Don't cook chicken throughout.
  • Place the browned chicken into a crockpot, and cover with salsa verde. Slow cook on low for 3 hours, or on high for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
  • When done, remove the chicken, and shred it. Drizzle in the sauce and mix it into the chicken.

Video

Notes

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SALSA VERDE CHICKEN

Salsa verde chicken is great for meal prep. The slow cooking method and the flavorful sauce keeps the chicken moist for days. Store it in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken by adding it to a skillet and stir frying it for about 5-7 minutes over medium high heat until hot.

CAN I FREEZE SALSA VERDE CHICKEN?

Yes! I love this recipe for ready-to-go protein in the freezer. Add salsa verde chicken to a freezer safe container and freeze up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for several hours, before reheating. I like to freeze it in individual portions to make lunch time easy.

CAN I MAKE SALSA VERDE CHICKEN IN A PRESSURE COOKER?

Yes! Heat an Instant Pot on the saute setting, and then add the avocado oil. Add chicken, and brown each side for about 4-5 minutes, seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the chicken has browned, add the salsa verde, and turn off the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to Manual for 10 minutes, and then seal the pot. Once it has finished cooking, release the steam, and shred the chicken. If desired, turn the pot back onto saute, and simmer the sauce to allow it to thicken more before mixing it in to the shredded chicken.

CAN I BAKE SALSA VERDE CHICKEN?

Absolutely! I use my dutch oven to bake meat dishes often. Similar to the method I use to make Beef Birria, use a dutch oven to brown the chicken. Once it has browned, remove the dutch oven from heat, and add the salsa verde. Cover the dutch oven with a lid, and bake it at 325º F for 2 hours. Shed the chicken, and mix the salsa verde into the shredded chicken to serve.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALSA VERDE CHICKEN

  • Salsa Verde Chicken Bowls: Layer brown or white rice, or use cauliflower rice for a low carb version, along with salsa verde chicken, avocado slices, black beans, sweet corn, and a pico de gallo style salsa.
  • Salsa Verde Tacos: Toast corn tortillas, and fill them with shredded chicken, shredded cabbage (or this delicious Mexican Cabbage Salsa!), sour cream, cheese, and avocado slices.
  • Green Chicken Enchiladas: Use salsa verde chicken as the filling for enchiladas. Use corn tortillas, stuffed with salsa verde chicken and white cheddar cheese. I actually love to use a traditional red enchilada sauce, even with this chicken!

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 506mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.4mg