Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken is a slow cooker meal that cooks while you’re out and is a complete meal ready to serve. Serve chicken breasts topped with cheese and salsa with the corn and bean mixture on the side or shred the chicken and serve all together over a bed of rice or with crushed tortilla chips.
This crockpot chicken recipe has all the flavor you could imagine! Making it the perfect dish to enjoy after a long day of running between work, school or activities. A gluten-free dish that can easily be made dairy-free too.
Ready to serve crockpot chicken recipes that are quick and easy with an outstanding flavor? Check out our kid friendly healthy crockpot meals with chicken such as Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe, Comforting Chicken and Noodles (Crockpot), and Ranch Chicken Drumsticks Crockpot Recipe.
Healthy Dinner Meals
Feeding kids is hard enough but add in gluten-free meals and it’s even more challenging. We know kids are constantly changing their likes and dislikes, which is why we are dedicated to only creating kid-approved celiac safe recipes.
Whether you have a picky toddler or teen, you can trust our recipes to not only impress your kids but bring your family together around the dinner table. With kid friendly recipe cards included with each recipe, you can teach your celiac child to become comfortable in the kitchen too. They will grow up with the skills to cook healthy meals for themselves.
To get started on this healthy Crockpot Santa fe chicken, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the written instructions or hand over the recipe card to your kiddos!
Equipment
- slow cooker
- measuring cups and spoons
- Flipper
- cutting board
- chefs knife
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 ounce can green chilies ✅
- 14.5 can diced tomatoes ✅
- 1 teaspoon paprika ✅
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon chili powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon cumin ✅
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lime, juiced
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed ✅
- 15.25 ounce can corn, drained ✅
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese ✅
- 1/4 cup salsa ✅
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
Sante fe chicken crock pot is prepped in just 10 minutes then left to simmer throughout the day.
Layer the crockpot
To the bottom of the slow cooker layer the onions, green chilies, diced tomatoes, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin.
Cut chicken in half lengthwise
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise making 4 chicken breasts rather than 2. Place on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.
Add the corn and beans
Season the chicken breasts with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Add the corn and black beans. Cover.
Cook
Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Serve
Use a flipper to gently remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker without breaking them apart. Sprinkle with shredded cheese (it will melt on its own) and top with salsa and cilantro. Mix the corn and beans mixture in the slow cooker. Serve on the side.
Pro Tip: Easily turn into a dairy-free meal by omitting the shredded cheese or opting for a dairy free alternative.
Alternatively, you can shred the chicken then stir it into the corn and bean mixture and serve on a bed of rice or sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips.
Related: Recipes with Shredded Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
It is recommended to not put frozen chicken in the crockpot due to food safety concerns. Defrost the chicken prior to placing in your slow cooker by thawing in the refrigerator overnight or submerging into cold water (changing the cold water every 30 minutes until defrosted).
Absolutely, easily swap the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or tenderloins. We recommend 3-4 chicken thighs or 5-6 tenderloins if swapping.
Chicken breasts are a very lean cut making them important not to overcook. If cooked longer than the recommended time (high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours), the chicken breasts tend to dry out. Avoid overcooking or opt for replacing with chicken thighs, which can handle longer cooking times.
You can shred chicken using 2 forks in a bowl or learn how to Shred Chicken With a Kitchenaid Mixer.
Crockpot Santa fe chicken leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days to be enjoyed reheated as is, in a taco, on a salad, as a burrito or easily made into a Santa fe chicken soup by heating with chicken broth then topping with tortilla strips.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Slicing the large chicken breasts in half helps the chicken to cook evenly. Ask a helper for assistance with slicing. You could use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins instead.
- Turn into a salad, taco, burrito or nacho meal by shredding the chicken before serving.
- Top with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, black olives or salsa.
More Healthy Crockpot Recipes
- Healthy Chicken and Rice Crockpot Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken & Vegetables
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash
- Ranch Chicken Drumsticks Crockpot Recipe
- Crockpot Creamy Pumpkin Chili Recipe
- Crock Pot Pasta
- Crockpot Chicken Thighs
- 10 Healthy Crockpot Meals On A Budget
- Easy Swedish Meatballs (Crockpot)
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 ounce can green chilies ✅
- 14.5 can diced tomatoes ✅
- 1 teaspoon paprika ✅
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon chili powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon cumin ✅
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lime, juiced
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed ✅
- 15.25 ounce can corn, drained ✅
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese ✅
- 1/4 cup salsa ✅
Instructions
- Layer the crockpot. To the bottom of the slow cooker layer the onions, green chilies, diced tomatoes, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin.1 small onion, diced, 4 ounce can green chilies, 14.5 can diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin
- ⭐️ Cut chicken in half lengthwise. Slice the chicken in half lengthwise making 4 chicken breasts rather than 2. Place on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.1.5 pounds chicken breast
- Add the corn and beans. Season the chicken breasts with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Add the corn and black beans. Cover.1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 lime, juiced, 15.25 ounce can corn, drained, 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
- Cook. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- ⭐️ Serve. Use a flipper to gently remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker without breaking them apart. Sprinkle with shredded cheese (it will melt on its own) and top with salsa and cilantro. Mix the corn and beans mixture in the slow cooker. Serve on the side. Alternatively, you can shred the chicken then stir it into the corn and bean mixture and serve on a bed of rice or sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips.1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese, 1/4 cup salsa
Notes
- Frozen Chicken: It is recommended to put frozen chicken in the crockpot due to food safety concerns. Defrost the chicken prior to placing in your slow cooker by thawing in the refrigerator overnight or submerging into cold water (changing the cold water every 30 minutes until defrosted).
- Variations: Swap the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or tenderloins. We recommend 3-4 chicken thighs or 5-6 tenderloins if swapping.
- Prevent dry chicken: Chicken breasts are a very lean cut making them important not to overcook. If cooked longer than the recommended time (high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours), the chicken breasts tend to dry out. Avoid overcooking or opt for replacing with chicken thighs, which can handle longer cooking times.
- Shredding chicken: You can shred chicken using 2 forks in a bowl or learn how to Shred Chicken With a Kitchenaid Mixer.
- Leftovers: Crockpot Santa fe chicken leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days to be enjoyed reheated, as a taco, on a salad, as a burrito or easily made into a Santa fe chicken soup by heating with chicken broth then topping with tortilla strips.
Nutrition
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Pam says
This looks really delicious. I’ll be featuring it today at Thursday Favorite Things. 🙂 Thanks for sharing it with us.
Pam from An Artful Mom