Slow Cooker Green Chile Shredded Chicken

I have experimented with several shredded chicken recipes in my slow cooker and this by far is the easiest.  This slow cooker green chile shredded chicken is a favorite of both my husband and kids.  It is so versatile, you can eat it in a burrito bowl, burrito, tacos, on a salad or just plain with a scoop of guacamole!  There are just 6 ingredients and the prep time literally takes 10 minutes, tops.

MCCORMICK MARINADE PACKETS FOR THE WIN!

I used bone in half chicken breasts.  I have found that this cut of chicken is by far the most inexpensive and because it’s bone in and skin on, turns out really tender and moist in the slow cooker.  The key to super flavorful and tender chicken is marinating it the night before. I love these McCormick marinade packets—we always have them on hand.  They are a must for grilling!

I mix the marinade directly in an extra large Ziploc bag.  I throw the marinade packet, the juice of two limes, 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar and about 2 TBSP of avocado oil, 1 TBSP of kosher salt along with a cup of chicken broth in the bag, zip it and shake.  Then it’s ready for the chicken.  I usually double the batch.  Place the chicken in the bag, mix it around and place in the fridge overnight.

5 minutes prep!

The next morning, I place the chicken and all the marinade in the slow cooker along with a cup of salsa verde.  I used a salsa verde from Salsa God I found at Safeway, but any green salsa will do.  Look for one with no added sugar. Another key step is cooking the chicken only 4-6 hours.  That’s it.  If you try to go all day, you will end up with dry and stringy chicken. Trust me.

Once the chicken is done, shred it up in a big bowl or sheet pan and moisten with the cooking liquid and more salsa.  I like to add a bit of creaminess with coconut cream.  If your family is not dairy free, mix it up with a bit of low fat sour cream!

Recipe

Serves 6-8

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time 4-6 hours

• 1 package of bone in half chicken breasts
• 1 McCormick Mojito Lime Marinade packet
• 2 TBSP Avocado Oil
• 2 TBSP Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 TBSP kosher salt
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Salsa Verde

Mix up marinade packet with avocado oil, lime, vinegar, salt & chicken broth in gallon ziploc bag and then add chicken.  Shake to distribute the marinade.  Marinade overnight.  The next day, dump entire contents of marinade in the crockpot along with 1 cup of salsa verde into a large crockpot.  Cook for 4-6 hours on low.  Remove from crockpot and shred chicken.  Add some of the extra cooking liquid, extra salsa and salt & pepper to moisten and season.