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Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Bowl – an easy burrito-style Mexican rice bowl that’s easy to make and so delicious! Slow-cooked chicken in a mix of red salsa, salsa verde, and hot sauce. The chicken is then served over bowls of rice with a creamy homemade cilantro lime sauce. Of course, don’t forget to add all your favorite extras. Salty tortilla chips, pickled onion, and avocado are my favorites.
When my brothers and I were in middle school and high school, they would snowboard after school. This called for a second lunch/pre-dinner meal when they got home.
It was at this time when my love of cooking for others began. I’d often make them chicken and cheese quesadillas, which was their favorite (I really should share that recipe with you all!).
Other times, I’d make them burrito bowls, similar to what they would get at Chipotle.
The boys used to really pile their burrito bowls high, mainly with rice, chicken or steak, then salsa, a creamy sauce, and always an extra side of chips.
It’s still fun to make them burrito bowls when they’re back in Colorado.
Which is exactly what I ended up doing a couple of weeks ago when the entire family was visiting. This was the perfect crockpot recipe to make because I could easily feed everyone! Plus, I knew they all would really enjoy this! I doubled the chicken and made three batches of my homemade tortilla chips!
Everything was eaten and very much enjoyed!
Here are the details
Verde Chicken Ingredients
- chicken breasts or thighs – I like thighs best for the crockpot, but I use both breast and thighs since my mom prefers breast meat
- chunky red salsa – I love the Whole Foods 365 salsa. I usually buy the spicy
- salsa verde
- hot sauce – I use Franks
- salted butter
Cilantro Lime Sauce Ingredients
- fresh cilantro
- garlic
- lime juice
- mayo
- honey
Ingredients – for serving
- shredded lettuce – you can also use cabbage
- steamed rice – I like to stir in fresh cilantro
- tortilla chips
- pickled red onion
- avocado
- shredded cheese is delicious
- whatever else you enjoy in a burrito bowl!
Special Tools
You’ll need a crockpot for this recipe. Plus a blender or food processor for the sauce. You can also make the chicken in under 30 minutes in a dutch oven on the stove-top.
Steps
Step 1: mix and cook the chicken
Working inside the bowl of your crockpot, combine all of the ingredients: the chicken, red salsa, salsa verde, hot sauce, butter, and then add about 1/2 cup of water.
Slow-cook the chicken for a few hours. Slow cooking the chicken allows it to easily shred.
Or, as mentioned, cook on the stove.
Step 2: stir and shred the chicken
When the chicken is ready, give it a really good stir. As you’re stirring, the chicken should easily fall apart and shred.
Season the chicken with salt and keep it warm.
Step 3: the sauce
Start with the cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in the food processor. Pulse until the cilantro is finely chopped and almost into a paste.
Using a spoon, mix in the mayo and honey. Don’t blend the mayo in the food processor. If you do, the mayo may “break”, and the sauce will then be too thin.
Season the sauce with salt.
Step 4: create your bowls
Start with finely shredded lettuce on the bottom. Then pile on the rice and the chicken. To the side of the chicken, add plenty of tortilla chips. Then add pickled onions, avocado, and fresh limes. I like to add green onions too.
Then, add whatever other toppings you enjoy. We always add grated cheese to the steamed rice (so it melts). We usually skip the beans, but I know so many of you love them. Add what YOU like! Finish your bowls with a few spoonfuls of the cilantro sauce, plus extra sauce on the side.
This comes together simply. It’s a fun, family dinner for sure!
Looking for other Mexican recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
Crispy BBQ Salmon Tacos with Avocado Mango Salsa and Jalapeño Cream
Crispy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Bowl, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Bowl
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 438 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 cups chunky red salsa
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- salt and black pepper
- rice and tortilla chips, for serving
- shredded lettuce, avocado, limes, and green onions, for serving
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 big cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoon honey
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bottom of the crockpot bowl, mix the chicken, red salsa, salsa verge, hot sauce, taco seasoning, butter, and 1/2 cup of water. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours.2. Remove the lid and stir the chicken until it falls apart and shreds – season with salt. 3. To make the sauce. Add the cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to a blender/food processor. Pulse until chopped. Stir in the mayo and honey – season with salt. 4. Add a big handful of lettuce/cabbage to a bowl. Spoon over the rice. Add a couple spoonfuls of chicken, then chips on the side. Add avocado, onions, and lots of cilantro lime sauce. Enjoy!
Stove
- 1. In a Dutch oven, mix the chicken, red salsa, salsa verde, hot sauce, taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water – season well with salt and pepper. Set over medium heat and cook 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. 2. Stir the chicken until it falls apart and shreds easily – season with salt. 3. To make the sauce. Add the cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to a blender/food processor. Pulse until chopped. Stir in the mayo and honey – season with salt. 4. Add a big handful of lettuce/cabbage to a bowl. Spoon over the rice. Add a couple spoonfuls of chicken and then chips on the side. Add avocado, onions, and lots of cilantro lime sauce. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on February 27, 2025
Absolutely delicious! My husband’s comment: “this one has to go into the regular roatation!” I did add onions and garlic because of the “salty” comments. Topped with green onions & pico too. So so good!
Love to hear this, Jill! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your feedback! Have a wonderful week! xxT
Do you add butter to the stove top recipe? Or does the water replace the butter? Thank you!!!
Hi Felicia,
You can add the butter to step 1 as well. I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hi Tieghan!
Is there a recipe for the homemade tortilla chips?? I searched the blog and didn’t see anything. Thanks so much!
Hey Tori,
You bet! Here you go:
https://fett-weg.today/essentials/#sides%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
The proportions are all wrong in this recipe. I used more chicken than called for and it’s still too saucy. If I made it again I would cut the salsa measurements in half.
Hi Kirstie,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear you felt the proportions were off, I doubled checked everything and it’s all good! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Absolutely delicious! Such wonderful blend of flavors. Used the stovetop method and it turned out wonderfully.
Hey Michelle,
Fantastic!! Thank you so much for trying this dish and your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday:)
Any substitute for cilantro?carol bradley
Hi Carol,
Any other fresh herbs like parsley will work nicely for you. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
looks easy, YUM + right up my alley – but no crock pot. approx how long to cool in a dutch oven? really enjoy your recipes – thanks!!! 😍
Thanks so much, Melisa! You can go ahead and follow the stove top instructions written above:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi,
When you double the chicken do you double all the ingredients?
Thanks
Hi Denise,
Yes, if you are planning to double the chicken, I would double all of the ingredients. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Too soupy for me. I think either more chicken or less salsa would have made a more thicker consistency. Also, too salty for my taste. Maybe I will make my own salsa verde next time.
Thank you for the recipe idea!
Hi Doreen,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it wasn’t a fave! xx
Delicious and simple recipe!
Hey Angie,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! xx
I saw you on the View yesterday! You certainly stood out! 🙂 I was wondering if you could include some photos in your next nine favorite things of all the things you shared about on the show! I don’t remember seeing you using them before, so I’d love more info!! ❤️ Thank you, I am so excited!
Thanks so much for watching, Francine! You can actually find everything that I talked about here:
https://viewyourdeal.com/
Hope you are having a great week! xx
This is absolutely delicious!! I had a little bit less chicken on hand so I didn’t add as much salsa as it called for and it turned out really nice. The cilantro sauce is the perfect addition too!
Hey Jocelyn,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! xx
Would you please change or add the measurements to cups/tbsp/tsp. It’s just easier for those of us not familiar with the metric measurements.
Hi Sharon,
The recipes are already in US measurements, you must have accidentally clicked the “metric” conversion under the list of ingredients. Simply click “US customary” and the measurements will adjust for you:) xx
Hello, this had way too much salsa for us. It didn’t taste like a homemade meal to me. If I made something like this again, I’d probably use broth and/or make my own tomato and veg purée vs. using salsa from a jar. Even without adding extra salt, it was so salty my kids said it made their teeth hurt. Not sure why it would do that, but that’s what they said.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know! xx
My family loves this recipe! The texture of ingredients and salsa was outstanding in flavor! We love the extra salsa for mixing in tortilla chips on the side.
Another tasty meal! Thank you!
Hey Michelle,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it and your comment!!
Do you provide full nutritional info on recipes somewhere or just calories?
Hey Susan,
So sorry, at this time, we just have the estimated calories available. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Ill be honest, at the time I made this the only review was from Barbara so I was a little worried! I had already bought everything so there was no turning back, I did half the amount of salsa that the recipe called for and it turned out great! This is so tasty!!
Hi Morgan,
Wonderful! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it! Have the best weekend:)