Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks
The easiest, most delicious 4 ingredient slow cooker meal! Tender shredded chicken with corn, black beans, and salsa is piled high on crunchy tortilla chips and topped with all your favorite fixings. A perfect weeknight dinner that's fun to eat and ready when you are.
Equipment
- Slow cooker (4-6 quart)
- Two forks (for shredding chicken)
- Cutting board
- Can opener
- Colander (for rinsing beans)
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total)
- 1½ cups salsa mild, medium, or hot
- Tortilla chips for serving
Optional Add Ins (for extra flavor):
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Suggested Toppings:
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Layer the Slow Cooker: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of your slow cooker with non stick cooking spray. Pour the frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Place the frozen chicken breasts on top of the corn. Sprinkle the rinsed and drained black beans over the chicken. Pour the salsa evenly over the top. (If using optional add ins, add the tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin now.) Do not stir.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Combine and Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans, and salsa are well combined.
- Assemble: To serve, create a bed of tortilla chips on each plate. Spoon the chicken mixture generously over the chips. Top with your favorite garnishes like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, cheese, and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Chicken: If using fresh (not frozen) chicken breasts, reduce cooking time to 3-4 hours on LOW.
- Instant Pot Method: Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot (use fresh or thawed chicken). Pressure cook on HIGH for 8-10 minutes. Quick release, shred chicken, and serve.
- Flavor Boost: For a richer sauce, add the optional tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin as noted.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked chicken mixture in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Serving Suggestion: This chicken mixture is also delicious served over brown rice, quinoa, or used as a filling for quesadillas and burritos.