Fiesta Chicken in the Crockpot

You don't need much with this easy slow cooker dinner! We like it made into a delicious burrito bowl with all the fixin's.

If you love coming home to a comforting meal try this crock pot creamy ranch chicken or my recipe for chicken spaghetti next.

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Fiesta chicken is budget friendly, creamy comfort food - and there's almost no prep time. Since it's made in a crockpot it's the perfect soccer night dinner - even your picky eaters will love it.

Just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and forget about it!

You might also want to take a look at this brothy, crockpot posole - the Mexican version of chicken soup!

🧾 Ingredients

You probably already have most of these pantry staples!

• You can use chicken breast or chicken thighs in this fiesta chicken recipe.
• Leave the chiles out if you like.
• Use plain diced tomatoes if you don't like a little spice.
• You can substitute a 16 oz jar of your favorite salsa for the Ro*Tel tomatoes. It gives it even more Mexican flavor.
• Frozen onion & bell pepper mix was not shown in the image.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

1. Add the chicken, drained and rinsed beans, corn, chiles, and tomatoes to the slow cooker.
2. Pour in the peppers and onions mix.
3. Top with the soup and cilantro. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
4. 30 minutes before serving add room temperature cream cheese cut in chunks and shred the chicken with 2 forks. Put the cover back on and let it continue to cook.
5. Serve fiesta chicken with your favorite toppings.

Instant pot instructions

1. Dump all of the ingredients except the cream cheese in your instant pot.
2. Press the poultry button.
3. Cook for a total of 25 minutes.
4. Let the pressure release naturally.
5. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and soften it in a bowl in the microwave.
6. Add the softened cream cheese to the instant pot and put the lid back on.
7. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
8. Stir to blend in the cream cheese and serve.

🎥 Full video

🥫 Storage

Store any leftover fiesta chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for longer storage.

I like to freeze this creamy chicken dinner in freezer bags. Lay them flat on a baking sheet and freeze overnight. Once they are frozen solid you can stack them easily or store them vertically to take up the least amount of space.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: Never put frozen chicken in a slow cooker. ALWAYS thaw it first (overnight in the refrigerator). Slow cookers don't bring frozen chicken up to safe temperatures quickly enough and harmful bacteria can grow.

• If you don't want to use the frozen pepper mix use ½ cup onions and ½ cup diced bell peppers.
• Pinto or kidney beans can be substituted for the black beans.
• Leave out the soup and cream cheese and add an extra can of tomatoes for a dairy free version.
• This is delicious spooned over baked potatoes.
• Add about a cup of milk if you'd like to serve this as fiesta chicken soup.

🍽️ Serve with...

I serve this easy chicken dinner over rice most of the time but you could serve it over tortilla chips for amazing nachos. It's even good over noodles!

Other side dishes are optional but a good, crunchy salad adds texture and color to the table.

Want to end the meal on a sweet note? My microwave Mexican Chocolate Cobbler is a quick, 10 minute dessert that would be a delicious finish to this meal!

Definitely check out this list of 75 things to serve with white chicken chili for more inspiration.

Related recipes

Be sure to check out my other slow cooker meals!

• Side Dish Recipes are always good - even for a one pot meal like this one!
• Perfect Pot Roast just makes you feel good inside. It's old fashioned comfort food.
• Brown Sugar Chicken can be made in the slow cooker or oven. I prefer the oven because I think the glaze is better. Either way it's one of those easy meals you go to again and again.
• Crockpot Smothered Chicken is pure southern comfort food.

📖 Recipe

4.71 from 184 votes

Crock Pot Fiesta Chicken

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Creamy fiesta chicken in the crock pot is an easy dump dinner with almost no prep time! Serve it over rice as a burrito bowl, spoon over chips for nachos, or add it to burritos or taco shells. Instant pot instructions included.

Course Main Dish - Chicken

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings:6

Calories:279

Author:Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• ▢
  Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 pounds chicken, breast or thighs
• ▢ 15 ounces black beans, or whatever kind you have. Drained & rinsed.
• ▢ 14 ounces diced tomatoes & green chilies, or plain diced tomatoes. Don't drain.
• ▢ 2 cups corn, drain if canned.
• ▢ 4 ounces diced chiles, drained
• ▢ 1 cup onion and bell pepper mix, in the freezer section
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground smoked paprika
• ▢ 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup, don't dilute
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature and cut in chunks

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

• Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. This makes clean up SO much easier.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the slow cooker.
• Add the remaining ingredients except for cream cheese.
• Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.
• 30 minutes before it's time to eat shred the chicken with 2 forks and add the cream cheese.
• Continue to cook for 30 more minutes.
• Stir until cream cheese is all mixed in.
• Serve over rice, baked potatoes, tortilla chips, or whatever

Instant Pot Instructions

• Dump all of the ingredients except the cream cheese in your instant pot.
• Press the poultry button.
• Cook for a total of 25 minutes.
• Let the pressure release naturally.
• Cut the cream cheese into chunks and soften it in a bowl in the microwave.
• Add the softened cream cheese to the instant pot and put the lid back on.
• Let sit for about 5 minutes.
• Stir to blend in the cream cheese and serve.

Notes

Expert Tip: Never put frozen chicken in a slow cooker. ALWAYS thaw it first (overnight in the refrigerator). Slow cookers don't bring frozen chicken up to safe temperatures quickly enough and harmful bacteria can grow.

• If you don't want to use the frozen pepper mix use ½ cup onions and ½ cup diced bell peppers.
• Pinto or kidney beans can be substituted for the black beans.
• Leave out the soup and cream cheese and add an extra can of tomatoes for a dairy free version.
• This is delicious spooned over baked potatoes.
• Add about a cup of milk if you'd like to serve this as fiesta chicken soup.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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First published September 28, 2020. Last updated January 25, 2021 to include more tips and serving suggestions.