Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken (Crock Pot)


I make Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken pretty frequently. It's versatile, easy, and delicious- it can be shredded, diced, left whole, whatever is needed. You can make several meals out of it, and you can freeze what you don't use right away.

You're busy; this is something that doesn't require a lot of prep or fussing over.  



Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken (Crock Pot)

Printable recipe

Ingredients:
4.5 to 5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, visible fat removed
2 (16 oz.) jars salsa (I like Walmart's World Table Roasted Tomato Chipotle Salsa)*

Directions:

Place chicken breasts evenly in a 6 quart slow cooker. Cut larger breasts in half so everything will cook at about the same rate. Sprinkle chicken breasts lightly with salt, if desired. Pour both jars of salsa evenly over chicken to cover all. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. Of course, you know these times are approximate- everyone's crock pot seems to cook a little differently.

When the chicken breasts are done to your liking, you can leave them whole (with the sauce spooned over them), chunk them for stews, shred for tacos, whatever you like. It will look like you have a lot of sauce in the pot, but when you shred the chicken, it soaks up a lot of it.


This chicken freezes really well for a long time. I don't think you're supposed to freeze cooked chicken for over about 6 months, but I found a bag of this in the back of the freezer the other day (unlabeled, arrgh), and it might have been close to a year old. It was delicious and we didn't die, but you should probably be more responsible than that.




Bonus! :) One of my favorite ways to use Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken is in this soup (also easy, and fast):


Southwestern Black Bean Soup 

Printable Recipe
Makes 3 quarts

1 cup uncooked instant brown rice

2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (do not drain) I like Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes.
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 small can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles (do not drain)
1 cup shredded Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken

In a large saucepan, combine rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add everything else, bring to a boil again, and simmer, uncovered, for another 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Freezes well.




*Cook's Notes: Use a good, flavorful salsa when preparing Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken. I have used several different kinds and flavors, including a peach salsa that was very good.





Southwestern Chicken may have been taken to some of these fun parties!

This post was written by me and was originally published at Texas Women Bloggers.

73 comments:

  1. Dear Joy, This sounds delicious and so easy! I love the idea for the soup...there is nothing more comforting on days like these than a nice bowl of chicken soup...love the added spice. Stop by soon because I'm hosting a fun giveaway this weekend and would love for you to be a part of it. Blessings, Catherine

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    1. Catherine, the cookbook in your giveaway is lovely- thank you for the invitation to enter! :)

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  2. You can't beat a recipe that only has two ingredients. I make a lot of soups over the winter, so I'll add this one to my menu.

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    1. Kristia, this is the kind of hearty dish that we like during the colder months, too! If you try it, I hope you enjoy it!

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  3. yum.. can't wait to try!

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    1. Lisa, if you try it, I hope you like it as much as we do! Thanks for coming by! :)

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  4. Ummm...yum! I like easy! Thanks for sharing!

    I’d love for you to enter my giveaway: http://tocrave.blogspot.com/2013/10/elemenopillows-giveaway.html
    Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thank you, Jamie, and thanks for the invitation! :)

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  5. Oh Goodie! Two-fer Recipe Post - Sounds delish, and I just LOVE food you can stuff into a flour tortilla.

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    1. JoAnn, me, too! I will eat almost anything in a tortilla! :) Thank you for stopping by!

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  6. Joy, wow, this looks way too delicious to be so easy! I had to chuck over you finding it in the back of the freezer because I've done a few times! Love the idea of eating this in a tortilla and a perfect during the week meal when things are so busy! Thank you for sharing your recipe and pinning! Have a great evening and see you tomorrow at Let's Get Social!

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    1. Cindy, thank you so much! Yes, the freezer excavation was such an adventure, I may have to try it again soon. ;) You are so sweet to come by, and thank you for pinning!! I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow. :)

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  7. Wow! Two ingredients! I'm saving this! And so glad you lived to write another recipe for us! Once I pop something into the freezer I figure it's good for a lifetime! Probably taking too many chances but that's the way I expedite my cooking!

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    1. Ha! Yes, I like the "lifetime" freezer dates- works for me! :) I'm glad you liked the recipe- if you try it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

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  8. Your chicken recipes sound delicious!! =)
    and easy!

    have a great weekend!

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    1. Melissa, it is definitely both of those things! You are so nice to come by- thank you, and I hope you're having a great weekend, too! :)

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  9. That chicken sounds wonderful and I think I have everything for both it and the soup out in the cupboards -- I'm trying to live out of them this week! I loved your freezer comment "It was delicious and we didn't die" but may I just add I love I am so glad I invested in a FoodSaver! Extends that year even longer!

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    1. I have wanted to get a food saver for a long time- I may have to ask Santa for one this year! :) Thanks for the idea, and thank you for coming by!

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    2. You will love it -- wish I had gotten mine long ago. I'm asking Santa for some of the accessories this year!

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  10. This looks awesome Joy! And I love how minimum the ingredient list is for a tasty looking dinner. Thanks for the great recipe! :)

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    1. Anne, thank you- it's a favorite around here! Thank you for coming by! :)

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  11. This looks really tasty! Thanks for sharing :) Stopping by from #SITSsharefest and I liked your FB page ;)

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    1. Wendy, thank you, and thanks so much for stopping by SITS Sharefest! I enjoyed my visit to your blog and FB page! :)

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  12. Replies
    1. Thank you, Ashley, we really like it! :) Thank you for coming by!

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  13. This looks so easy and delicious! Love it! Thanks for sharing on Facebook! <3

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    1. Serena, thank you for the fun party on your FB page! :)

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  14. Joy, I have made chicken with salsa in the crockpot in the past and it is delicious. It's definitely time to get the crockpot out and make it again. But what I really want to try is that soup recipe. After I make the chicken, of course. Yum!

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    1. Nancy, they are both such easy recipes- the soup, especially, is a frequent go-to! Thank you for coming by- it's great to see you! :)

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  15. We love this kind of chicken and you are right - it is so versatile! :)

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    1. And it goes really well with Poke Cakes of all kinds! ;) Thank you for coming by, Jamie! :)

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    2. Pinned this to our "Freedom Fridays - Links We Love" board! Thanks for linking up to Freedom Fridays! I hope you'll join us again tonight! :)

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  16. Oh, this looks so easy! And I love a good crock pot recipe. I'm pinning....maybe I'll do it this week as I'll be getting home late a couple of days and this will be ready when we get home. Thanks for sharing. Visiting from the Good Neighbor Blog Hop.

    ~Ann

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    1. Ann, thank you so much for visiting from the Good Neighbor Hop, and thanks for pinning! Hope you have a great week ahead! :)

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    2. I just made this for tacos today. So easy and good. I wanted to let you know that you will be featured tomorrow at The Good Neighbor Blog Hop.
      http://summersacres.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-good-neighbor-blog-hop-2.html

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    3. I was excited to be featured- thank you so much! I'm so happy you tried the chicken and that you enjoyed it! I'm lovin' The Good Neighbor Blog Hop- thank you for hosting! :)

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  17. Oh my goodness..two ingredients and a crockpot! You know I pinned it. I love everything about this recipe. Thanks so much for coming by the Good Neighbor Hop.

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    1. Lynn, thank you for the Good Neighbor Hop, and for coming by! I certainly appreciate the pin, too! :)

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  18. Well this is 3 times the fun - the original - the tip to use them shredded in tacos and the soup recipe - so three times the thank you! I love an easy comfort meal for cool November days. Stopping in again today from the Grand Social.

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    1. Barb, you are so much fun! Three times the thank you for coming by! ;)

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  19. I do the same thing though I have not made it in awhile...I just call it "Salsa Chicken" LOL and thought I was an absolute genius the first time I made it :) Genius or not, it's probably been a year since I've done it...thanks for the reminder ! AND...I always just combined it with rice; never thought of using it for tacos, duh!!! Next time I will! :)

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    1. Ooo, I like the idea of serving it over rice! I like your name better- "Salsa Chicken" is easier than "Two Ingredient Southwestern Chicken", LOL! Thank you for coming by! :)

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  20. What a simple and versatile recipe. My sister and I collect vintage cook books too. We just did a blog on a recipe called The White Moon Cake. I would love it if you would check it out.

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  21. I love cook once eat twice recipes like this! Your Southwestern Chicken sounds delicious as does your Southwestern Bean soup. I'm pinning this to my Chicken Dishes board - it's the kind of easy recipe I really enjoy having on hand! Thank you for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul hop, Joy. xxx

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    1. Thank you, April! I'm so glad you came by. And as always, thank you for hosting Hearth and Soul! :)

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  22. Hi Joy! What a wonderful recipe! This is definitely a recipe my hubby and I would love:) I have used that brand of salsa and it's delicious:) Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe on The Great Blog Train Ride! Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

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    1. Lynn, thank you for coming by, and for hosting the fun Great Blog Train Ride! :)

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  23. I love easy! Thank you for sharing! Definitely pinning.

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    1. Hi, Michelle, thank you so much for coming by, and for pinning! :)

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  24. That two ingredients recipe is fantastic! And black bean soup is one of my absolute favorites. Hope you have a wonderful day.

    Heidi’s Wanderings

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    1. Thank you so much, Heidi- both of these are real favorites of mine! Thanks for coming by! :)

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  25. Wow, both meals look incredibly delicious Joy! You can't beat a meal that only has two ingredients! :)

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    1. Thanks, Lisa- we really like it. Some days I just can't count higher than "two", lol! ;)

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  26. Hi Joy,
    What a great recipe, we would love both of these recipes! Hope you are having a great day and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

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    1. Thank you very much, Miz Helen. I always enjoy Full Plate Thursday! :)

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  27. I just had Mexican food for lunch, but now I am wanting more! These dishes look great. This post was the most viewed at the In and out of the Kitchen Link party! You will be featured at the next party. Thanks so much for sharing this bit of delicious.

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    1. Thank you!! I’m so happy you liked it, Cynthia! Thank you for hosting In and Out of the Kitchen! :)

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  28. What a great busy weekday meal. I'm always looking for new crockpot recipes to try. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.

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    1. Thank you, Susan, and thanks for hosting Inspire Us Thursday! :)

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  29. Oh, two recipes! They sound great! Taking one meal and adding or changing it to another is always a great idea. Thanks for sharing the recipes and I teamed up with Linda @ The Tumbleweed Contessa for What'd You Do This Weekend and featured this post :-) Have a great night!

    --Ashley

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    1. Ashley, we really enjoy these recipes- I'm so glad you liked them, too! Thank you for featuring them on What's You Do This Weekend- I'm so glad you're hosting it with Linda! :)

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  30. I love this quick and easy recipe, and the photos are really pretty! I have always loved those brightly colored dishes but haven't gotten them for myself. I'll just enjoy looking at yours :) Thanks so much for linking up with us at Saturday Night Fever!

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    1. Thank you, Andi, I do love my Fiesta dishes. Thanks for coming by and for hosting Saturday Night Fever! :)

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  31. I love doing chicken and salsa in the crock pot! Sometimes I add some frozen corn to the finished product to cool it down for the kids. Yummy!

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    1. Hi, Rabia! The addition of corn sounds really delicious, and a great way to get it cooled off quickly. Besides, I love corn in any form or fashion! ;)

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  32. We make this all the time and my family loves it! I originally got the recipe from a weight watchers group meeting! I haven't tried the soup for the leftovers but I will be!!

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    1. Teena, I'm so glad you mentioned that you got the recipe at a WW meeting- I had thought it was probably very WW friendly (probably the soup, too), but didn't really know. If you try the soup I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

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  33. Looks amazing, love love love that you use two ingredients, like Ina would say, how easy is that?? Thank you for sharing at my Chicken Party!

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    1. Hahaha! Nettie, you are so much fun! Thanks for having all of us over to your place! :)

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  34. I pinned these delicious looking recipes! Thanks so much for stopping by Saturday Dishes and linking up.
    Blessings,
    Diane Roark
    www.recipesforourdailybread.com

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  35. 2 ingredients had me interested, but throw in the crockpot, and I'm all over this dish! I love such easy meals!
    I've always wondered with recommended freezer times if it will make you sick, or if it's just the flavor will be off. I've recently been finding a lot of unlabeled freezer bags- I have no idea why I did so terribly labeling! :)
    Thanks for sharing at Saturday Dishes- pinning!

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  36. I have three crock-pots and many times use all 3 of them at one time. I love easy recipes! Thanks for linking up at Saturday Dishes "CROCK-POT" blog hop.
    I pinned it.
    Blessings,
    Diane Roark
    www.recipesforourdailybread.com

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  37. I am featuring this recipe on my blog. Stop by and check it out. Your picture links bank to you.
    Blessings,
    Diane Roark
    http://recipesforourdailybread.com/2014/02/15/featured-crock-pot-recipes-from/

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