• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cooking On The Ranch logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Roundup
  • Contact Me
  • Join Community
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Soups, Stews, & Chilis
  • About
  • Recipe Roundup
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home > Main Courses > Main Dishes Chicken > Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken

    Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken

    Published: Sep 1, 2022 · Modified: Sep 22, 2022 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Crock pot cream cheese chicken served over rice.

    Crock pot Southwestern Chicken is a super easy meal made with chicken breasts and canned and frozen vegetables. This recipe needs just 15 minutes prep time, so you’ll be out of the kitchen pronto.

    Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken served over white rice.

    This crock pot Southwestern chicken goes to the top of the list for delicious easy chicken dinner ideas. Check out some of our other favorites like Saucy Chicken Soft Tacos, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Maple Glazed Grilled Chicken Kabobs.

    And, I don’t care how many cooking classes or culinary schools we’ve all been to, everyone needs an easy dump and go crockpot weeknight dinner.

    And this one simply can’t get any easier. Crock pot Southwestern Chicken is perfect for your back to school meal plans, as it’s comforting and the whole family will love it.

    Easy and basic using canned black beans, frozen corn, and with a little pizzaz using your favorite salsa and chile peppers. Chicken breasts make this a hearty meal.

    And the icing on the cake? A brick of cream cheese.

    Slow Cookers are awesome. A magical pot in the kitchen that transforms food from ho-hum to tender and wonderful. And offer us the convenience of an effortless meal like this slow cooker chicken.

    This is one of our favorite easy dinners and gets rave reviews when it travels to pot lucks.

    Let’s take a look.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients to make crock pot southwestern chicken.
    • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
    • Salsa: Your favorite jarred brand.
    • Frozen Corn
    • Cream Cheese
    • Chile Peppers, canned.
    • Black Beans, canned, drained and rinsed.

    Ingredient Subs

    • Chicken: Substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs.
    • Salsa: If you make homemade salsa on a regular basis like I do, feel free to use that.
    • Corn: Use canned corn in place of frozen corn. Drained.
    • Chile Peppers: I always have a stash of Hatch Chile Peppers in the freezer. To make this recipe even easier, use canned Hatch chile peppers from the Mexican aisle.
    • Beans: Use canned pinto beans or canned chile beans in place of black beans.

    Step by Step Instructions, It’s So Easy

    This recipe for crockpot Southwestern chicken is so easy, there’s just two steps. This is truly and dump and go chicken dinner.

    Ingredients to make southwestern crock pot chicken in the crockpot.
    • Step 1: Place chicken breast, corn, beans and salsa in a crockpot. Cook on low 4 – 5 hours.
    • Step 2: Once cooked, top with a brick of cream cheese. Turn off heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Stir and serve.

    FAQ’s

    Can You Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?

    Absolutely not. Unless you want to risk salmonella poisoning. Only used thawed chicken for any crockpot chicken recipe. Why? Frozen chicken will not likely reach the temperature of 165 within the “safe window” of time in a crockpot. It’s just too risky.

    Can I Cook This All Day In The Crockpot?

    No. Even though this is a dump it and leave it type of meal, unlike tougher pieces of meat like a pot roast, you can over-cook chicken breasts. Even though they’re swimming in liquid, cooking chicken breasts too long will result in a dry texture. Don’t cook the chicken more than 4-5 hours.

    Tips For Success

    • Use Quality Ingredients. Less expensive over-sized large chicken breasts may contain injected liquid. This is called plumping. A saline solution is injected into the breasts so they’ll stay juicier. This solution will result in a watery end result with this recipe. Purchase quality chicken breasts from a reputable meat counter.
    • If the chicken and vegetable mix is too thin, use a slotted spoon for serving. This will drain some of the liquid back into the pot.

    Variations

    • Tacos: I suggest small flour tortillas to make Southwest chicken tacos. Just use a slotted spoon to place some of the chicken vegetable mix onto a warmed flour tortilla. Top with grated cheese and chopped cilantro. A wedge of avocado would be nice here.

    Feeding a Crowd?

    • Once the chicken is cooked turn the crockpot to warm. Keep warm for up to a couple of hours. Just provide a large spoon to serve this southwest chicken and a big bowl of cooked rice, and let guests help themselves. I’ve done this for football game gatherings. Works great. All you need is a big green fresh salad for a side dish.

    I hope you give this Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken recipe a try. It’s really a tasty and super easy recipe. It makes a large batch, which is good because they’ll be asking for 2nd’s

    More Easy Chicken Recipes

    • Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders
    • Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet
    • Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken
    • Slow Cooker Tinga de Pollo Poblano Tacos

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.

    Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken

    Easy crockpot chicken dinner with a Southwestern flair.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course Chicken
    Cuisine: Southwestern
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 hours
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 96kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves about 2 or 2 1/2 pounds
    • 3 cups frozen corn
    • 2 15 1/2-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup salsa jarred, your favorite brand.
    • 1 cup green chile peppers roasted, peeled, chopped. Or two 4 ounce cans.
    • 8 ouncec cream cheese
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place chicken breast, corn, beans, salsa and chile peppers in a crockpot. Cook on low 4 – 5 hours.
    • Top with the brick of cream cheese. Turn off crock pot and let sit for 1/2 hour.
    • Remove chicken and slice and return to crockpot. Stir ingredients in crock pot and serve over cooked rice.

    Notes

    Tips For Success:
    Use Quality Ingredients. Less expensive over-sized large chicken breasts may contain injected liquid. This is called plumping. A saline solution is injected into the breasts so they’ll stay juicier. This solution will result in a watery end result with this recipe. Purchase quality chicken breasts from a reputable meat counter.
    Can You Use Frozen Chicken? Absolutely not. Unless you want to risk salmonella poisoning. Only used thawed chicken for any crockpot chicken recipe. Why? Frozen chicken will not likely reach the temperature of 165 within the “safe window” of time in a crockpot. It’s just too risky.
    To Thin? If the chicken and vegetable mix is too thin, use a slotted spoon for serving. This will drain some of the liquid back into the pot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Southwestern Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken …It’s What’s for Dinner.

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Easy Chicken Taco Casserole
    • Easy Turkey Lentil Soup with Barley
    • Quicker Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese
    • Southwest Garbanzo Bean Soup with White Beans and Chicken

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      November 08, 2011 at 7:52 pm

      I made this tonight and it was FANATASTIC!!! I happened to stumble onto your page and I am so glad I did. I have found tons of new recipes to try. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        November 11, 2011 at 5:43 am

        You’re so welcome Chris. Glad you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    2. Chris says

      November 01, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      That cream cheese has to make it as creamy as can be!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        November 01, 2011 at 4:47 pm

        Creamy and pure comfort food. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Barbara says

      October 26, 2011 at 7:03 am

      Sometimes I get so annoyed I gave my crock pot to my DIL. Oh well, no kids here anymore so she’ll use it lots more than I would.
      But I’d sure love to make this. Comfort food!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 27, 2011 at 5:28 am

        This would work just fine in an oven Barbara. I’d just use thawed chicken breasts. And yes, incredible comfort food.

        Reply
    4. Joanne says

      October 25, 2011 at 4:44 am

      Wow I love how easy this is! I would have never thought to add cream cheese to the mix but it seems like it works!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 25, 2011 at 5:47 am

        It did seem to work … and yes, easy peasy.

        Reply
    5. Sook says

      October 24, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      What a beautiful looking meal! Yum!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 25, 2011 at 5:47 am

        Thanks for stopping by and the comment.

        Reply
    6. Cathy at Wives with Knives says

      October 24, 2011 at 1:42 pm

      This looks so easy and delicious, Lea Ann. I need to use my crock pot more than I do. I stick it in the cupboard and then forget about it. I guess I need to leave it in plain sight.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 25, 2011 at 5:52 am

        I’ve got alot of things like that Cathy .. if they’re not in plain sight I don’t think about them.

        Reply
    7. Kristi Rimkus says

      October 23, 2011 at 6:29 pm

      This is the perfect pot luck recipe. Definitely a people pleaser!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 24, 2011 at 5:57 am

        Thanks Kristi. It sure pleased our crowd of two at our house. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Susan says

      October 23, 2011 at 8:16 am

      This sounds simple and delicious. Time to get out the slow cooker!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 24, 2011 at 5:57 am

        Especially this week here in Colorado. Suppose to get our first Arctic blast this week.

        Reply
    9. Vickie says

      October 23, 2011 at 7:38 am

      I love the idea of cream cheese melting over all that slow cooked chicken – brilliant! As always, your photo is very nice . . . love that fun spoon.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 24, 2011 at 5:59 am

        Thanks Vickie. I wish I had a whole arsenal of those decorated utensils. I have coveted that spoon since I unearthed it at my mother-in-law’s house years ago. And I agree, you just can’t beat cream cheese for making a dish oozy and rich.

        Reply
    10. Boulder Locavore says

      October 23, 2011 at 5:35 am

      Very clever Lea Ann! I’m in the stage of the year where anything easy, delicious is appreciated not seeming to have enough minutes in the day. This would be one my whole family would like! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 23, 2011 at 6:10 am

        Thanks Toni. It’s one of those good ol’ comfort food dishes.

        Reply
    11. Stephanie@PlainChicken.com says

      October 22, 2011 at 8:27 pm

      YUM!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 23, 2011 at 6:16 am

        Stephanie I thought about you when I was making this … thought it was right up your alley. 🙂 Good to hear from you.

        Reply
    12. Kirsten@My German Kitchen...in the Rockies says

      October 22, 2011 at 8:07 pm

      O.K., Made this dish tonight and it was DELICIOUS!
      I made a few alterations. I added one more glass of salsa (chipotle), used creme fraiche instead of cream cheese and added some taco seasoning from the “Savory Spice Shop”. Keeper recipe! Thanks Lea Ann.
      Kirsten

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 23, 2011 at 6:13 am

        Love the alterations. When I was making this, I kept thinking of different flavor versions. Love the creme fraiche idea. Glad you liked the recipe Kirsten.

        Reply
    13. Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says

      October 22, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      Sounds fabulous Lea Ann and so easy too. Your plate is beautiful with the exotic wooden spoon.
      Sam

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 23, 2011 at 6:14 am

        I got that wooden spoon when we cleaned out my mother-in-law’s house when we moved her to assisted living. I’d love to know where it came from.

        Reply
    14. Larry says

      October 22, 2011 at 12:08 pm

      Simple and delicious = perfect meal

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 22, 2011 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks Larry

        Reply
    15. Kirsten@My German Kitchen...in the Rockies says

      October 22, 2011 at 9:37 am

      Looks like time to take down the crockpot from the very top shelf in my pantry. (Already the second crockpot dish I found worth trying this week.) Could it get any easier? You don’t even have to thaw the chicken. Great!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        October 22, 2011 at 2:49 pm

        This is one of those comfort food goodies. And yes, so so easy.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

    More about me →

    Reader's Favorites

    • Thick and Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
    • Savory Oven Roasted Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes
    • Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole
    • Crispy Baked Wings in Santa Fe Sauce

    Soups & Stews

    • Sherried Black Bean And Ham Soup
    • Jacques Pepin’s Beef Stew In Red Wine
    • Creamy Southwestern Chicken Soup
    • Lemon Ginger Chicken Soup Recipe

    Taco Tuesday

    Taco recipes

    Dessert Recipes

    • Chile Chocolate Bourbon Cake with Chocolate Bourbon Frosting
    • Key Lime Pie Recipe – No Bake
    • Strawberry Tart Recipe with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
    • Cherry Delight, No Bake Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Cherry Dessert

    Footer

    Featured in and partnered with

    Privacy Policy

    • Privacy Policy

    Accessibility Statement

    Copyright © 2023 Cooking On The Ranch • Privacy Policy

    • 16
    250 shares
    250 shares