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    Home » Recipes » Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes

    Crockpot Green Chili Chicken

    Modified: Jun 4, 2025 · by Shelby Stover · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Black slow cooker with shredded chicken in a creamy green chili sauce with black tongs and text on the image.
    Two images with text between them the top of chicken tacos and the bottom of shredded chicken in a slow cooker.
    Two images with text between them the top of chicken tacos and the bottom of shredded chili chicken in a ramekin with avocados.
    White ramekin with shredded chile chicken in it and avocados and red onions on top of it and text on the image.

    Deliciously simple this crockpot green chili chicken is the ultimate meal prep recipe. Tender, juicy shredded chicken in a strong, spicy seasoning. This gluten-free weeknight dinner comes together with only 5 main ingredients.

    White ramekin topped with shredded chicken, onion and avocados on a cutting board.

    Busy weeknights just got better with this green chili chicken!

    It’s a super creamy, flavorful shredded chicken that you can make easily in your slow cooker.

    As a Certified Nutrition Coach, we use it for chicken tacos, on top of burrito bowls, or mixed into noodles for a quickie pasta night. No matter how you spin it this slow cooker chicken recipe is one you’ll want to bookmark.

    Learn everything you need to know about slow cookers before you start this recipe.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    Easy to make: this gluten-free dinner is a “set it and forget” it meal. Add the main ingredients into your crockpot in the morning and come home to finish it off in just a few minutes.

    Meal prep: you can use this crock pot green chile chicken in so many ways to create a new dinner each and every time making is a great way to rock gluten-free meal prep.

    Adjustable: this chicken comes with a bit of a kick from the salsa verde. Scale back the spice by adding a little less.

    Low carb: easy, healthy, and a wicked protein hit. This green chile chicken is dairy-free, gluten-free, and totally keto (depending on how you serve it).

    Ingredients You Need

    Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: make sure to use boneless chicken breasts as you’ll need to shred them. You can use chicken thighs also but know that much more juice will be given off. The same goes for this 5-ingredient crockpot chicken.

    Salsa verde: a potent spice blend you can buy. It’s made with tomatillos (green tomatoes), seasonings, and green chilis to give it a kick of heat.

    Salt: you need a hint of it to bring out the flavor from the salsa verde.

    Dairy-free cream cheese: regular cream cheese works too. Use whichever brand that suits your personal preferences (I personally like Violife).

    Diced green chilis: you buy these in a can at the store (they are what make the dish spicy) or you can chop up some fresh jalapenos yourself. Make sure to only add the seeds of the jalapenos though if you LOVE spice. This slow cooker Chipotle chicken is a great one for spice-lovers too.

    Chicken breasrs, salsa verde, green chilis, salt and cream cheese in bowls with text labels.

    How To Make It

    Green chili sauce being poured into raw chicken breasts in a black slow cooker.
    Black slow cooker with chicken breasts covered in green chili sauce.

    Step 1: Add the chicken breasts, salsa verde, and salt to the slow cooker and stir to coat.

    Step 2: Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on low.

    Black crockpot with chicken in a green chili sauce being shredded with forks.
    Black crock pot with cream cheese, chicken and sauce in it.

    Step 3: Use a fork to shred the chicken.

    Step 4: add the dairy-free cream cheese and green chilis.

    Black slow cooker with shredded chicken in a creamy green chili sauce
    Two white ramekins with shredded chicken in them topped with avocados, red onion and cilantro with a fork beside them.

    Step 5: stir until the cream cheese is melted and everything is mixed.

    Step 6: Serve with your favorite toppings

    Expert Tips To Make It

    Soften the cream cheese before adding it. This way it blends quicker. Also, make sure to use a full-fat one. The light cream cheese blends don’t mix as well.

    If you use chicken thighs in place of breasts, know that there will be much more juice released.

    In place of salsa verde, you can use plain (regular) salsa instead if you want to scale back on the spiciness of the recipe (this works well for kids!).

    Likewise, to eliminate a bit of spice in the shredded chicken, scale down the green chilis.

    Store leftover green chili chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    Freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container after letting it cool. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it in the microwave in intervals or in a small pot on the stove over low to medium heat.

    How To Serve The Shredded Chicken

    The reason that this gluten-free slow cooker chicken makes such a great meal prep recipe is that it can be used for almost everything. Plus it packs a punch of protein. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!

    Typically, we use it to make chicken tacos. For that, you’ll want to prep:

    • Warm gluten-free tortillas (or keto tortillas if necessary)
    • Diced red onion
    • Diced bell peppers
    • Sliced avocado
    • Cashew sour cream
    • Lime wedges

    Our favorite, however, is to use leftovers and mix them in with gluten-free noodles to make pasta, on top of zucchini noodle bowls, over rice for stir fry, or just on top of my salad for lunch.

    My daughter especially loves this crockpot green chili chicken in a quesadilla with extra cheese for lunch or you can learn how to make hard shell tacos for a whole new, tasty dinner.

    It’s a flavorful chicken that works with everything.

    Three chicken tacos topped with cilantro, avocado and red onions with ingredients around them.

    Skip Dinner Stress

    The Busy Mom's Cookbook is where frazzled moms get high-protein dinner on the table fast without sacrificing nutrition or sanity.

    Two hands holding an e-book titled the busy moms cookbook with more images of pages from the e-book behind it.
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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Are green chilis the same as jalapenos?

    For the most part green chilis and jalapenos are the same. Both come from the green chile family. Some cooks may use them uniquely in dishes but for everyday cooking, they can be interchanged.

    What is salsa verde?

    Salsa verde is a spicy salsa made from tomatillos (green tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, lime, and seasonings.

    Can you freeze crock pot green chili chicken?

    Yes! Let it cool completely and then store it in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Like this, it will keep for roughly three months. To thaw it, let it sit in the fridge overnight (there may be some extra liquid). Reheat it on the stove over low to medium heat.

    Other Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Recipes

    • Slow cooker honey mustard chicken
    • Dairy-free Tuscan chicken
    • Slow cooker teriyaki chicken
    • Slow cooker hunters chicken
    Three chicken tacos topped with cilantro, avocado and red onions on a wooden cutting board.
    White ramekin topped with shredded chicken, onion and avocados on a cutting board.

    Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

    Shelby Stover
    With only 5 main ingredients this crock pot green chile chicken results in tender shredded chicken in a strong, spicy seasoning. Perfect for any meal prep.
    5 from 83 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 6 hours hrs
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time 6 hours hrs
    Course dinner
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 129 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Slow cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts sor skinless chicken thighs
    • 16 ounce jar salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 8 ounces Dairy-free cream cheese softened
    • 4 ounces Diced green chiles

    Instructions
     

    • Add the chicken breasts, the jar of salsa, and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to coat the chicken evenly in the salsa.
      Green chili sauce being poured into raw chicken breasts in a black slow cooker.
    • Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 5-6, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork.
      Black crockpot with chicken in a green chili sauce being shredded with forks.
    • Carefully shred the chicken breasts in the crock pot with two forks.
    • Turn to low and add the cream cheese, and green chilis, stir together until cream cheese is melted and everything is mixed well.
      Black crock pot with cream cheese, chicken and sauce in it.
    • Serve as is, or in warmed tortillas and served with toppings of your choice.

    Notes

    Soften the cream cheese before adding it. This way it blends quicker. Also, make sure to use a full-fat one. The light cream cheese blends don’t mix as well.
    If you use chicken thighs in place of breasts, know that there will be much more juice released.
    In place of salsa verde, you can use plain (regular) salsa instead if you want to scale back on the spiciness of the recipe (this works well for kids!).
    Likewise, to eliminate a bit of spice, scale down the green chilis.
    Store leftover crockpot green chile chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
    Freeze the crock pot chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container after letting it cool. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it in the microwave in intervals, in a small pot on the stove over low to medium heat, or of course in a crock pot on low for about an hour.
    Disclaimer:

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"

    Nutrition

    Calories: 129kcalProtein: 24gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 420mgVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.4mg
    Keyword slow cooker chicken dinner
    Have You Tried This Recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment below. Mention @fitasamamabear or tag #fitasamamabear!

    More Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes

    • Slow cooker Hawaiian chicken with peppers and pineapples in a crockpot.
      Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken [Gluten-Free]
    • Sheet pan baked meatloaf with barbecue sauce and roasted vegetables.
      Gluten Free Mini Meatloaf Sheet Pan Dinner
    • Baked sweet potatoes stuffed with sloppy joies.
      Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes [Gluten-Free]
    • A plate of seared shrimp with chimichurri sauce.
      Dairy-Free Chimichurri Shrimp

    Comments

    1. Sapphire says

      February 16, 2024 at 7:31 am

      5 stars
      I made this crockpot green chili chicken for a dinner party last weekend. Everyone loved how tender and flavorful the chicken was and the spice level was just right for my taste. We enjoyed it in quesadillas and it's definitely a perfect meal that I'll be making again and again!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        February 16, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Omg in quesadillas, yum!

        Reply
    2. Elizabeth says

      February 16, 2024 at 4:04 am

      5 stars
      The chicken is so juicy and the salsa verde adds the perfect kick. Used it in a chicken taco and it was the perfect meal. So simple to make yet so delicious!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        February 16, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Happy you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Hannah says

      February 16, 2024 at 3:40 am

      5 stars
      I'm shocked by how delicious this is! With so few ingredients, I was a little hesitant. But it was awesome! The people at our Super Bowl party LOVED it. Thanks!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        February 16, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Simple is key lol

        Reply
    4. Yuri says

      February 16, 2024 at 3:06 am

      5 stars
      Used regular salsa instead of salsa verde to tone down the spice a bit, and it was perfect. The cream cheese added a nice creaminess to the dish - definitely making this again! Thank you for the tip about softening the cream cheese first, made it so much easier to blend!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        February 16, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Ohh perfect! Yep any salsa should work, and that's an easy flavor switch.

        Reply
    5. Ross says

      February 16, 2024 at 1:53 am

      5 stars
      Used dairy-free cream cheese for a lighter version, and it added a nice creaminess to the dish. Loved how versatile it was, served it over cauliflower rice for a complete meal.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        February 16, 2024 at 11:32 am

        So happy you liked it!

        Reply
    6. Joanna says

      January 25, 2024 at 12:02 pm

      I loved this with tacos! Very simple too. The flavors are amazing, It was creamy and a bit spicy.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        January 30, 2024 at 7:59 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Maya says

      January 25, 2024 at 9:45 am

      I went on adding some sprinkles of chili flakes (was really craving some spicy) - literally the ones I made were devoured by my friends and me! What a bomb

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        January 30, 2024 at 7:59 am

        Mmm chili flakes make everything better!

        Reply
    8. Tommy says

      January 25, 2024 at 8:16 am

      5 stars
      This was my first time using Daiya cream cheese and loved it! The chicken came out great and I'm actually looking forward to the leftovers.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        January 25, 2024 at 9:30 am

        I don't use it all the time but it's a nice twist when I do! Glad you liked it.

        Reply
    9. Pearl says

      January 25, 2024 at 7:09 am

      5 stars
      The salsa verde and diced green chilis add so much flavor to the chicken. And the chicken was fork-tender. My husband is super impressed with my cooking.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        January 25, 2024 at 9:30 am

        Yay!

        Reply
    10. Kari says

      January 25, 2024 at 6:34 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for sharing this recipe! My taste buds are forever grateful! ☺️
      Love how this is easy to make.

      The spice level is just right but if you want more kick, it's pretty easy to adjust.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        January 25, 2024 at 9:30 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5 from 83 votes (75 ratings without comment)

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