Free paleo recipes

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Salad turns plain chicken breasts into a smoky, spicy dinner with almost no effort. The slow cooker braises the chicken with salsa, tomatoes, peppers, and a bold trio of cumin, chili powder, and pepper until everything shreds together. Serve it over greens with avocado slices for a fuss-free feast.

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Salad

This hot and spicy Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Salad is a super easy way to liven up plain old chicken breasts! The simplicity of this one-pot meal leaves with you with a great-smelling house and easy cleanup! Be creative and vary the vegetables in the recipe, or be bold and incorporate some hot chili peppers or jalapeños for added spice.
Serves 4

16-ounces Slow-Cooked Spicy Salsa (see recipe in Chapter 6)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili powder
1 large onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
1 cup (240 ml) frozen (or fresh) diced bell peppers
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Mixed salad greens, to taste
Avocado slices, for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, combine the salsa with the pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
2. Place the onion and peppers on the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the onions and peppers. Cover the chicken with the salsa and tomatoes. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Shred the chicken with a fork inside the slow cooker, and stir everything together to combine. Serve over mixed salad greens garnished with avocado slices.

Pro Tips

• Layer the onions and peppers under the chicken — they caramelize in the braising liquid and stop the breasts from sticking to the pot.
• Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with two forks so it reabsorbs all that spicy braising liquid instead of drying out.
• The salsa does most of the seasoning work, so use one you genuinely enjoy eating — a smoky chipotle salsa gives the best southwestern depth.
• For bolder heat, add minced jalapeño or a chopped hot chili pepper with the onion and peppers at the start of cooking.
• Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and are excellent stuffed into sweet potatoes or piled onto plantain tostadas as well as salads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Yes — thighs are more forgiving in the slow cooker and stay extra juicy. Cook them for the same 8 hours on low; the shredding step is identical.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

Very much so. Shred and cool the chicken completely, then freeze it flat in bags with the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and rewarm gently before serving.

Can I make it on high heat instead of low?

You can cook it on high for about 4 hours, though the low-and-slow route gives more tender shreds. Either way, the chicken is done when it shreds effortlessly with a fork.

What can I serve it with besides salad greens?

It's delicious over cauliflower rice, stuffed into roasted peppers, or spooned into lettuce cups. The avocado garnish cools the heat nicely however you serve it.

Stav Kogan

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Salad

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Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 340

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 large onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
• 1 cup frozen (or fresh) diced bell peppers
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Method

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 42gFat: 12g

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