When I pulled out my slow cooker to test this recipe, there was a dead fly inside and a piece of tape on the side labeled “Sissom,” left over from last year’s teacher appreciation soup luncheon.
Apparently, that was the last time I used it.
Joe has said for years that slow-cooker food does not taste like love. It is a running joke in our house, although the dead fly suggests I may have taken his position more seriously than I realized.
Then I made this chicken.
It was tender, a little smoky, sharp with lime. It tasted like I had done considerably more than ten minutes of work.
So, fine. The slow cooker gets an apology.
Serve it in tortillas the first night with lime, avocado, cheese, sour cream, or whatever your house considers necessary for a taco.
The leftovers are the point. Rice bowls, quesadillas, nachos, on top of a salad if you want to feel impressively organized for someone who reheated chicken. Reheat with a spoonful of the cooking liquid so it stays juicy. It keeps 3-4 days in the fridge.
instant pot instructions
If you cannot bring yourself to dust off the slow cooker, or you forgot to start dinner five hours ago, the Instant Pot works too.
Use 1 cup chicken broth. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release. Shred the chicken and stir it back into the cooking liquid. If there is more liquid than you want, discard some before serving.
More Mexican-inspired recipes from the archive.
Creamy Mexican street corn salad
Grilled corn with a creamy lime dressing, Cotija, cilantro, and chili powder. The obvious thing to put next to this chicken.
Easy baked Mexican potatoes
Crispy potato halves stuffed with seasoned beef, black beans, corn, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Basically a taco that made a more serious life choice.
Easy Instant Pot chicken enchiladas
Saucy, cheesy enchiladas with tender shredded chicken and about 15 minutes of hands-on work. They also freeze very well, which is the kind of information that gets a recipe made twice.
serves: 6 to 8
time: 10 minutes, plus 3 to 6 hours in the slow cooker
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely minced
3 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¾ cup (180ml) chicken broth
for finishing:
2 tablespoons butter
juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Load up the slow cooker: Combine the chicken thighs (2½ pounds), onion (1 medium), garlic (3 cloves), minced chipotle (1 pepper), adobo sauce (3 tablespoons), salt (2 teaspoons), cumin (2 teaspoons), and chicken broth (¾ cup) in a 6-quart slow cooker.
Cook until tender: Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily and reaches 165°F.
Shred the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a large serving bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon. Shred with two forks. Break up the softened onions and stir them back in.
Add some liquid back: Ladle enough of the cooking liquid over the chicken to keep it moist without making it soupy. Add between ¼ and ¾ cup.
Do not skip the finishing steps: Butter, lime, and cilantro at the end are what separate this from plain slow-cooker chicken. Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts evenly into the warm chicken, then add the lime and cilantro. It is thirty seconds of work and it changes the whole thing.
Adjust the heat for your crowd: One chipotle pepper gives the chicken a gentle smoky kick. For younger kids or a milder result, use ½ pepper. Keep the full amount of adobo sauce so you do not lose the flavor along with the heat.
Mince the chipotle finely: Whole or roughly chopped, it turns into pockets of heat that one person finds by accident. Minced, the smoke spreads through everything.
Taste after the lime goes in: The lime sharpens everything at the end, so wait until after you add it before deciding whether the chicken needs more salt or adobo sauce.
Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months. The sauce keeps it from drying out, which is more than most leftover chicken can say. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently.
Chicken thighs: Chicken breasts will work, but this recipe was written for thighs because they taste better and are much more forgiving in the slow cooker. Give them a shot. If you use breasts and they turn out a little dry, please do not @ me.
Yellow onion: White onion works just as well.
Garlic: Replace the 3 cloves with ¾ teaspoon garlic powder.
Chipotle pepper and adobo sauce: These create the smoky heat and cannot be replaced without changing the recipe.
Ground cumin: This gives the chicken its earthy flavor and should not be omitted. Chili powder is not a direct replacement.
Chicken broth: Chicken stock works equally well.
Butter: Leave it out if needed. The chicken will be slightly less rich.
Limes: Fresh lime juice is best here. Bottled juice will work, but the flavor will not be as bright.
Cilantro: Leave it out if you do not like cilantro. No replacement is needed.
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