Crock pot Santa Fe chicken is tender shredded chicken breast slow cooked with black beans, corn, tomatoes and mild green chilies in a cumin and garlic broth, finished with scallions and cilantro. Everything goes into the slow cooker in 5 minutes. Hours later you have a big pot of saucy, lightly spiced chicken to spoon over rice, roll into tortillas or pile onto a salad. It makes 8 servings, and it is a favorite for meal prep.
How to make crock pot Santa Fe chicken: Stir chicken broth, drained black beans, frozen corn, canned tomatoes with chilies, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne and salt in a slow cooker. Lay 1 1/2 pounds of thawed, salted chicken breasts on top. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 6 hours, to 165°F. Shred the chicken, stir it back in and serve over rice or in tortillas.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five minutes of work. Open the cans, stir and cover.
- No browning. Nothing is cooked on the stove first.
- Full of good things. Chicken, beans, corn and tomatoes.
- Many ways to serve. Rice bowls, tacos, burritos, wraps and salads.
- Great for meal prep. A big batch that reheats well.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts. One and a half pounds, or 24 ounces. They must be thawed before they go in.
Diced tomatoes with mild green chilies. One 14.4-ounce can.
Black beans. One 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained.
Corn. Eight ounces, frozen.
Chicken broth. One 14.4-ounce can.
Cilantro and scallions. A 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro and 3 chopped scallions.
Spices. One teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. Use less cayenne for a milder pot.
Salt. To taste.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, thawed
- 1 can (14.4 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces frozen corn
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 can (14.4 ounces) chicken broth
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Salt, to taste
How to Make Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
1. Combine the base. Add the chicken broth, drained black beans, corn, tomatoes with green chilies, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne and salt to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
2. Add the chicken. Season the thawed chicken breasts with salt and lay them on top of the mixture. Cover the slow cooker.
3. Slow cook. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Before removing the chicken for shredding, check its thickest part with a food thermometer. Poultry must reach 165°F.
4. Shred and return. Thirty minutes before serving, once the chicken has reached 165°F, remove and shred it. Return it to the slow cooker, stir it into the bean mixture and adjust the salt and seasonings to taste.
5. Serve. Serve over rice or in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Can Frozen Chicken Go Straight Into the Crock Pot?
No. Thaw it first. You will see slow cooker recipes that say frozen chicken is fine, and it is tempting, because it saves a step. Food safety guidance is clear on this point: always thaw meat and poultry before putting it in a slow cooker.
The reason is how slowly a slow cooker heats. A frozen block of chicken takes a long time to warm through, and for much of that time the meat sits at lukewarm temperatures where bacteria grow well. Thawed chicken heats up and gets out of that range much sooner.
| How to thaw | What to know |
|---|---|
| In the refrigerator | The easiest way. Move the chicken from the freezer the night before |
| In cold water | Faster. Keep it in a sealed bag, and cook it right away once thawed |
| In the microwave | Fastest. Cook it immediately afterward |
| On the counter | Do not thaw chicken this way |
Leftovers are a different matter. Cooked Santa Fe chicken that you have frozen can be reheated straight from the freezer on the stove or in the microwave, as long as it reaches 165°F. Just do not use the slow cooker to reheat it.
When to shred, and how to check
Check before you shred. Push a thermometer into the thickest part of a breast, and look for 165°F. Then lift the chicken out, pull it apart with two forks and stir it back into the pot about half an hour before you plan to eat. That last stretch lets the shredded meat soak up the broth and seasoning.
Tips for Success
Why rinse the beans?
The liquid in the can is starchy and salty. Rinsing keeps the sauce clean and the salt under your control.
Why put the chicken on top?
Laid over the vegetables, the breasts cook gently in the steam and broth and are easy to lift out for shredding.
Low or high?
Either. Low gives the most tender chicken, and high is for days when you start later.
How spicy is it?
A full teaspoon of cayenne gives real heat. Start with less if you are cooking for children, and add more at the end.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless thighs are a common swap, and they stay very moist.
How do I thicken it?
Leave the lid off for the last half hour, after the shredded chicken goes back in.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers, and use them within 3 to 4 days. For longer keeping, freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F on the stove or in the microwave, not in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Spoon it over rice, fill tortillas for tacos or burritos, or use it in bowls, wraps and salads, with cheese, sour cream, avocado or salsa on top. For more slow cooker chicken, try the 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken, the 3-ingredient slow cooker cream cheese chicken or the slow cooker brown sugar chicken. There is also the slow cooker chicken and baked beans, the slow cooker chicken pot pie and the slow cooker Amish chicken and sweet potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can frozen chicken go directly into the slow cooker?
No. Thaw raw chicken before slow cooking it.
When should I shred the chicken, and how do I check that it is done?
About 30 minutes before serving, after a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part.
How should I store and reheat the leftovers?
Refrigerate within 2 hours, keep for 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F on the stove or in the microwave.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cooked leftovers freeze for 3 to 4 months.
Final Notes
I move the chicken from the freezer to the fridge the night before, so the pot takes five minutes to fill in the morning. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts 24 ounces; thawed before slow cooking
- 1 can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies 14.4 ounces
- 1 can black beans 15 ounces; rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces corn frozen
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 can chicken broth 14.4 ounces
- 3 scallions chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the chicken broth, drained black beans, corn, tomatoes with green chilies, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne and salt to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Season the thawed chicken breasts with salt and lay them on top of the mixture. Cover the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Before removing the chicken for shredding, check its thickest part with a food thermometer. Poultry must reach 165°F.
- Thirty minutes before serving, once the chicken has reached 165°F, remove and shred it. Return it to the slow cooker, stir it into the bean mixture and adjust the salt and seasonings to taste.
- Serve over rice or in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
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