Hearty & Easy Slow Cooker 3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice Recipe
When you’re craving comforting, flavorful food that truly satisfies, look no further than this incredible Slow Cooker 3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice. This dish is a powerhouse of taste, offering a delightful blend of savory chicken, vibrant salsa, and a trio of hearty beans, all cooked to perfection in your crockpot. It’s the ideal meal for those chilly evenings when you desire something warm and filling, without spending hours in the kitchen.
Why the Slow Cooker is Your Weeknight Hero
My slow cooker has become an indispensable tool in my busy life. Between work, errands, and everything in between, finding time to prepare wholesome, home-cooked meals can be a challenge. That’s where the magic of the slow cooker comes in. It allows me to throw together ingredients in the morning, set it, and forget it, returning later to a delicious, ready-to-eat dinner. It’s truly a game-changer, whether it’s our favorite crockpot macaroni and cheese or a new chicken creation.
I absolutely adore chicken, but I’ll admit, making the same few chicken dinners repeatedly can get a little monotonous. One evening, I found myself rummaging through my fridge and pantry, determined to create something fresh and exciting. With a few staples on hand, the idea for this tasty slow cooker chicken dinner began to take shape. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the vibrant flavors it delivers with minimal effort, making it a perfect addition to any busy weeknight meal plan.
The Heart of the Flavor: Salsa & Beans
The foundation of this Slow Cooker 3 Bean Salsa Chicken is, as the name suggests, the incredible salsa. I had a generous batch of my homemade salsa from canned tomatoes leftover from taco night, which provided a fresh and authentic flavor. However, if you’re short on time, a 16-ounce jar of your favorite store-bought salsa will work beautifully. Choose a mild, medium, or hot variety to customize the spice level to your family’s preference. The salsa not only provides a rich tomato base but also infuses the chicken with a delightful blend of herbs and spices as it slow cooks.
Coupled with the salsa are three types of beans: cannellini, black, and garbanzo (chickpeas). This combination adds incredible texture, fiber, and protein, transforming a simple chicken dish into a truly robust and filling meal. Remember to drain and rinse your canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and improve their flavor. This simple step makes a big difference in the final taste and healthfulness of the dish.
Embracing the Ease: More Than Just Winter Meals
For a long time, I associated my slow cooker primarily with hearty winter stews and roasts. But over the past couple of years, my perspective has completely shifted. It’s a lifesaver all year round, especially during those incredibly busy periods that seem to consume our lives. Even as the weather starts to warm up, and my mind drifts to visions of relaxing summer evenings on the deck with a glass of wine, the slow cooker remains my steadfast culinary companion. It ensures a delicious meal is waiting, allowing me to fully enjoy those moments of calm and relaxation.
I’ve been so happy lately with the warmer weather, allowing us to spend more time outdoors. My guinea pigs, the “piggies,” even got to munch outside for the first time this season, a true sign of spring! And I enjoyed my first outdoor grilling session of the year too—simple hamburgers, grilled green beans, and a glass of wine. Those moments after a long winter are pure bliss. My slow cooker ensures that even on these days when I’m out enjoying the start of spring, dinner is handled.
The transition from winter to spring always brings such beauty. The lake, recently freed from its icy grip, offers spectacular sunsets that I love to capture. Just last week, on a typically cloudy but warming spring day, I snapped a shot where you could smell the rain in the air. The next day, the scent in the air was pure bliss – so enchanting I didn’t want to go inside! Even with the Wisconsin landscape still largely brown, with grass barely beginning to grow and trees just budding, the sunsets are breathtaking.
My kids now join in my sunset-chasing adventures, acting as lookouts for cars while I get my perfect shot! It’s these little moments that make life so rich. I recently scouted for a tree silhouette against a beautiful sky, a testament to how quickly the sun sets, sometimes costing me the lake view. But every moment spent appreciating nature is worth it. If you enjoy these snapshots, you can find more on my Instagram account – @amandaformaro.
Back to the chicken! With upcoming travel for conferences, deadlines, and a generally packed schedule, I simply don’t have endless hours to stand at the stove. My crockpot has truly been my culinary hero, ensuring my family still enjoys delicious, wholesome meals without adding stress to my day. This 3 Bean Salsa Chicken is a perfect example of a dish that delivers maximum flavor with minimum fuss.
We absolutely loved this dish, and I sincerely hope you will too. It’s incredibly easy to prepare, and when served over a bed of fluffy rice, it transforms into a deeply satisfying, home-cooked meal that everyone will appreciate.
NOTE: The full recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the very end of this post. For a printer-friendly version, simply click the little printer icon within the recipe card.
Simple Steps to a Flavorful Meal
One of the best aspects of this 3 Bean Salsa Chicken recipe is how straightforward the preparation is. You simply combine the ingredients, and your slow cooker does the rest of the work. Let’s walk through the easy process:
Step 1: Build Your Flavor Base. Begin by pouring the salsa, chicken broth, and a can of diced green chiles into the bottom of your slow cooker. Give it a quick stir to combine these foundational flavors. The green chiles add a subtle kick and authentic Mexican-inspired taste without being overpowering.
Step 2: Add the Hearty Beans. Next, take your three types of beans – cannellini, black, and garbanzo – and drain and rinse them thoroughly under cold water. This step is crucial for removing excess sodium and improving the bean’s texture. Once rinsed, stir them into the salsa and broth mixture in the slow cooker. They’ll absorb all those wonderful flavors as they cook.
Step 3: Introduce the Chicken. Finally, add your trimmed and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the mixture. Give everything one last gentle stir to ensure the chicken is well coated with the flavorful sauce. Then, simply cover your slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours. That’s all there is to it! The slow cooking process will yield incredibly tender, juicy chicken infused with all the vibrant flavors.
Serve this delightful 3 Bean Salsa Chicken over a generous portion of cooked rice. The rice perfectly soaks up the flavorful sauce, completing this hearty, home-cooked meal. Enjoy the incredible taste and the ease of preparation!
Customization and Serving Suggestions for Your 3 Bean Salsa Chicken
This Slow Cooker 3 Bean Salsa Chicken is wonderfully versatile! Feel free to customize it to your liking. To increase the vegetable content, consider adding a cup of frozen corn, diced bell peppers, or chopped onions along with the salsa. For an extra layer of flavor, a pinch of cumin or chili powder can enhance the Mexican-inspired profile. If you prefer more heat, a dash of cayenne pepper or a spicier salsa can elevate the kick. Beyond serving it with rice, this chicken and bean mixture is fantastic as a filling for tacos, burritos, or even a flavorful topping for nachos. Don’t forget your favorite toppings like a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, or shredded cheese for an even more satisfying experience!
Explore More Slow Cooker Recipes
I know many of you, like me, rely on your slow cookers to make life easier and more delicious. To help you continue your slow cooking journey, I’ve gathered some of my absolute favorite crockpot recipes. These are tried-and-true winners that deliver maximum flavor with minimal effort, perfect for any day of the week. You can explore all my slow cooker recipes here for even more inspiration.
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Crockpot Roast Beef
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Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Sticky Chicken
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Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash & Noodles
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Slow Cooker Java Brisket
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More Delicious Chicken Dinners
If your cravings are specifically for chicken, I’ve got you covered! Chicken is a staple in my kitchen, and I’m always experimenting with new ways to prepare it. While I have many favorites, these selections are some of my go-to chicken dinners that are always a hit. They range from quick weeknight meals to more elaborate weekend feasts. You can find all my chicken recipes here for a full spectrum of options.
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Spiced Chicken & Mezzi Rigatoni
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Slow Roasted Sticky Chicken
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Chicken Tostada Casserole
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Oven Fried Chicken Breasts
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3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds about 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cubed
- 1 16- ounce jar salsa
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 4- ounce can green chiles
- 1 15- ounce can cannellini beans
- 1 15- ounce can black beans
- 1 15- ounce can garbonzo beans chick peas
- Cooked rice
Instructions
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Combine salsa, broth and green chiles in the bottom of the slow cooker.
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Drain and rinse all beans and stir into salsa mixture in slow cooker.
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Stir in chicken cubes.
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Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over cooked rice.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Happy cooking, and see you next time!