Easy Slow Cooker Spicy Lime Chicken (Perfect for Shredding!)
Make incredibly easy and flavorful Spicy Lime Chicken in your slow cooker! This recipe uses chicken breasts, broth, lime juice, zest, and chili powder for perfectly tender, shreddable chicken.
Ingredients
(Original recipe yields 6 servings of the previous salsa chicken; this seems to yield about 4 servings of chicken)
- ▢ 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 4)
- ▢ 2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1-2 limes)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (from about 1 lime)
- ▢ Salt and ground black pepper to taste (e.g., ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper)
Optional for Serving/Garnish:
- ▢ Fresh cilantro leaves
- ▢ Hot cooked rice
- ▢ Cubed avocado
- ▢ Chopped fresh tomato
- ▢ Sliced green onions
- ▢ Lime wedges
Instructions
1. Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker:
- Place the boneless, skinless chicken breast halves into a 3-quart slow cooker (or similar size).
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the chicken broth, fresh lime juice, and chili powder. Season this mixture with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Pour the prepared broth mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
2. Slow Cook the Chicken:
- Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
- Cook on the LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The chicken is done when it is very tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). (Note: 2.5-3 hours on LOW for whole chicken breasts is a relatively short slow cooker time; ensure they are truly tender enough to shred. If using larger/thicker breasts, or if your slow cooker runs cooler, it might take up to 4-5 hours on LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH).
3. Shred Chicken and Add Zest:
- Once the chicken is cooked and tender, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a clean cutting board or large plate. Leave the cooking liquid in the slow cooker.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the meat.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with the cooking juices.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon of grated lime zest.
4. Serve:
- Stir the chicken and zest well to combine with the juices. Let it heat through for a few more minutes on WARM or LOW if needed.
- Serve the Spicy Lime Chicken hot. It’s delicious served over hot cooked rice, used as a filling for tacos or burrito bowls, or on salads.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, if desired, and offer extra lime wedges, avocado, chopped tomato, or sliced green onions on the side.