Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

This is a dish that I tried way back when my son was new and made cooking difficult. The prep can be done the night before, and the few ingredients come together fast for a busy family chef, but the flavor makes the dish seem like lots of work. It is on our line-up of regular dishes, as well as a fun one to share at pot lucks.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken*

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, well trimmed of gristle
• 1 package (reduced sodium) taco seasoning
• 1 c. fresh salsa
• 1 can (reduced fat) cream of mushroom soup

After trimming chicken, place the breast pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning (you don’t need to use the whole package, about half will dust the chicken well enough and you can save the rest for something else). Add the salsa and cream of mushroom soup. Cook on low for 6 hours. Before serving, mix all of the ingredients well and shred chicken pieces with a spoon and fork. Serve over rice.

Kim’s Notes:
*This is another recipe that I would absolutely recommend a fresh and flavorful salsa for. The stuff in jars and the fresh salsas that just taste like tomatoes just don’t deliver. It doesn’t have to be spicy, just flavorful.
* This recipe lends well to add-in’s. I will often add a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) with about a half a cup of corn during the last half hour of cooking, and it blends right in with no alterations to the original recipe.
* Even though the recipe says to serve it over rice, Jay and I have found that it also makes an awesome taco salad. Put over a bed of lettuce, rice, chips, beans, and top with cheese, tomatoes, or whatever you like – it’s incredible.