Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe (3 Different Ways!)
You need just 2 simple ingredients for this delicious Salsa Verde Chicken! Chicken thighs are cooked in the instant pot with verde salsa, then broiled in the oven until crispy. Serve in tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, and more! Easy dinners the whole family will love.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe Great
If you love my crispy carnitas (which are one of the most popular recipes on my site!), then you are going to love my Simple Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe! The chicken is cooked in verde salsa, infusing it with tons of flavor, then broiled in the oven until crispy and golden brown.
You only need 2 ingredients to make this amazing crispy chicken! Chicken thighs and a jar of salsa verde! Bonus? Both are so affordable and hopefully, you already have some salsa in your pantry that you need to use up. Don’t have chicken thighs, you can use chicken breasts too, they just won’t get crispy when broiled since they’re a leaner cut of chicken.
The instant pot and your broiler do all the work for you. (I included slow cooker and stove top instructions in the recipe notes below if the instant pot isn’t your thing.) Use this tender meat to make tacos, burrito bowls, salads, chicken enchiladas, and more! It’s low-carb, keto, and full of protein! It’s perfect for meal prep and is my favorite way to prep dinners for the week!
Watch Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs: I prefer chicken thighs for this recipe but you can always substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer white meat.
- kosher salt
- salsa verde: Your chicken will be as spicy as your salsa is. My favorite store-bought jar of salsa verde is Trader Joe’s, which is a very mild spice. My kids can eat it with no problem. You can always make your own homemade salsa verde as well if you have a favorite recipe!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in your instant pot. Sprinkle with salt. Pour in the verde salsa.
- Close with the lid, and make sure the vent is at SEALING. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes. Will take about 10-15 minutes to reach pressure, then it will start counting down from 15. After the 15 minutes is up, do a QUICK RELEASE, where you move the valve to VENTING to release all the steam. Once all the steam is gone and the float valve has dropped, you can safely open the instant pot.
- Set your oven to BROIL. Set out a rimmed baking sheet.
- In the instant pot, shred the chicken with 2 forks. Transfer the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the rimmed baking sheet.
- BROIL the shredded chicken for 5 minutes, until crispy. If I have time, I like to turn the chicken a few times and keep broiling in 5-minute increments. This really caramelizes the fat and gives it the most amazing texture and flavor.
- Serve warm. Delicious in burrito/taco bowls with fajita veggies, more verde salsa and sliced avocado. Can also serve in lettuce leaf tacos or as a salad.
- Leftovers will keep for 1 week refrigerated in an airtight container, or frozen for at least 6 months.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe: Place the chicken thighs, salt, and verde salsa in your slow cooker. Cook over LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours. Then continue with steps 3-7.
- Stove Top Instructions: Place the chicken thighs, salt, and verde salsa in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the chicken easily shreds with a fork. Then continue with steps 3-7.
Expert Tips
- Salsa Verde: Your chicken will be as spicy as your salsa is. My favorite store-bought is Trader Joe’s, which is a very mild spice. My kids can eat it with no problem.
- Other Salsa: You can make this with any red salsa or another favorite salsa! Doesn’t have to be green salsa.
- Chicken: Only chicken thighs will crisp up since they have so much fat. You can make this with chicken breasts, and it will shred and be delicious. It just won’t get crispy in the oven since it is so lean.
Serving Tips
There are so many options for serving the crispy salsa verde chicken! My favorite is to make burrito bowls with my cauliflower rice, fajita veggies (bell peppers and onions), avocado slices, and even more verde salsa.
Other great burrito or taco toppings include fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, fresh lime juice, cherry tomatoes, red onions, fresh corn, tortilla chips, and more! Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If you’re not low carb, serve with a side of cilantro lime rice, black beans or refried beans, and your favorite corn tortillas or flour tortillas.
You could also serve it over lettuce for a taco salad, or in taco shells to make salsa verde chicken tacos. If you’re keto or low-carb, skip the tortilla and serve it in lettuce leaves for a low-carb taco option.
Storage Tips
Store leftover salsa verde chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days or frozen for up to 6 months. Reheat in the air fryer or oven to crisp it up and serve however you wish!
Recipe FAQs
Verde salsa, also known as salsa verde, is a vibrant green sauce primarily made from tomatillos, which give it its distinctive color and tangy flavor. It often includes other green chiles as well, depending on spice levels and preferences.
More Salsa Verde Recipes
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Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe (3 Different Ways!)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 12 ounces verde salsa
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in your instant pot. Sprinkle with salt. Pour in the verde salsa.
- Close with the lid, and make sure the vent is at SEALING. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes. Will take about 10-15 minutes to reach pressure, then it will start counting down from 15. After the 15 minutes is up, do a QUICK RELEASE, where you move the valve to VENTING to release all the steam. Once all the steam is gone and the float valve has dropped, you can safely open the instant pot.
- Set your oven to BROIL. Set out a rimmed baking sheet.
- In the instant pot, shred the chicken with 2 forks. Transfer the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the rimmed baking sheet.
- BROIL the shredded chicken for 5 minutes, until crispy. If I have time, I like to turn the chicken a few times and keep broiling in 5 minute increments. This really caramelizes the fat and gives it the most amazing texture and flavor.
- Serve warm. Delicious in burrito/taco bowls with fajita veggies, more verde salsa and sliced avocado. Can also serve in lettuce leaf tacos or as a salad.
- Leftovers will keep for 1 week refrigerated in an airtight container, or frozen for at least 6 months.
Notes
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe: Place the chicken thighs, salt, and verde salsa in your slow cooker. Cook over LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours. Then continue with steps 3-7.
- Stove Top Instructions: Place the chicken thighs, salt, and verde salsa in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the chicken easily shreds with a fork. Then continue with steps 3-7.
Expert Tips
- Salsa Verde: Your chicken will be as spicy as your salsa is. My favorite store-bought is Trader Joe’s, which is a very mild spice. My kids can eat it with no problem.
- Other Salsa: You can make this with any red salsa or another favorite salsa! Doesn’t have to be green salsa.
- Chicken: Only chicken thighs will crisp up since they have so much fat. You can make this with chicken breasts, and it will shred and be delicious. It just won’t get crispy in the oven since it is so lean.
99 Comments on “Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe (3 Different Ways!)”
This was super easy and super delicious!
I love to hear that it was easy to make and delicious Jeri! Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Super good AND easy! My husband said we should add it to the weekly rotation.
I love to hear that it turned out well and was easy to make Kelli. Even better that your husband would like you to add it to your regular recipe rotation. That is fantastic!
Made this last night with the fajita roasted veggies. Absolutely delicious and easy!
I am so glad you liked my verde chicken Jen! Serving it with roasted fajita veggies is so delicious, It’s one of my favorites. I love that you combined them in the same sheet pan. Genius!
Delicious!
So glad you liked it Nicole!
SO GOOD and so easy. Can’t wait to make this again
I am so glad you liked my chicken verde. I am so glad it was easy to make and turned out well for you. It is one of my go to recipes, I must make it weekly! :) So glad you will me making it again!
Okay, so all of Natalie’s recipes are out of this world easy and good, but this one OMG!! Little clean up, mostly hands off, and restaurant quality! I use this chicken in bowls that I make with sautéed greens, some beans and her fajita veggies. You won’t regret giving this a try. Also very budget friendly! 10/10
Wow! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm for my chicken verde Molly! I am so glad that it turned out to be restaurant quality for you. I just love that! Serving it with beans, greens and veggie fajitas is a fantastic idea and sounds so delicious!
How is this with chicken breasts?
The chicken verde turns out good with chicken breasts Desiree. I have done that a few times when that is what I had on hand. Chicken thighs are a little more flavorful and juicy in my opinion, so I do prefer the thighs.
I sure hope you like it!
These was so tasty and great for meal prep! Trader Joe’s salsa verde is the best.
So glad you liked it Cynthia!
We love this recipe! It’s on repeat in our house. So simple, delicious and healthy! It’s a must try for sure! The veggies and cauliflower rice go perfectly with it topped with guac or avocado!
So glad to hear it was delicious, simple and healthy Amy. Pairing it with cauliflower rice and veggies makes a perfect meal.
This recipe is OMG good and SO easy!!!!!!!! Before this recipe I shied away from chicken thighs bc I’ve rarely ever cooked with them, but their juicy & flavorful taste won me over big time! Have made this twice and my dad requested I make this for him once a month. We enjoy it with tacos and there’s NEVER leftovers because it’s so good ! Try this recipe now!
I love to hear that it turned out juicy and flavorful for you Brittany. Even better that your dad wants you to make it once a month. That is fantastic!
Since starting keto, I have been burned repeatedly by bad recipes from the hundreds of keto blogs around, so this was a welcome–and delicious–surprise. Yes, it’s pretty simple and foolproof, which is why I tried it, but it’s still excellent and something I’ll definitely make again. My broiler is pretty strong, so I needed to turn/remove after 3.5-4 minutes.
I absolutely love to hear that it was simple to make and foolproof Ana! Shouldn’t all recipes be like that? Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Oh, Natalie. You’ve done it again. Wow!! Every family member LOVED this. It does not get any easier then this!! I only had a 16oz jar on hand so I used that and it worked A-ok. The 13, 10, 4 year olds devoured this chicken! You have steered us in the right direction for dinner yet again!!
I am so glad you family enjoyed my verde chicken! I agree, it is such an easy recipe which really is half the battle. So happy you enjoyed it Lynn.
This is SO GOOD and very easy. It is a real favorite around here. Genius! You’re the best!
So happy you like it Caryn!
Holy cow, this meat is delicious and the easiest thing I have ever made. Last night we had them as fajita bowls, tonight tacos, tomorrow on a salad. Can’t recommend this enough for an easy and super delicious protein.
I love that you served it in so many creative ways Erin. I love to hear that it was easy to make and delicious. That is the goal!
Again, another recipe that is beloved by everyone. Guys, just throw this in the instant pot and bam it’s done. We make it as a burrito bowl with cauliflower rice. Everyone loves it. The TJ verde salsa is very mild and delicious. My 3 year old loves it.
The first time we made it was with chicken breasts and although I didn’t broil it, it was still lovely. Making it again tonight with the thighs and will crisp them up!
If this is your first visit to Natalie’s site, make sure to look at all her other delicious and healthy recipes. You won’t regret a single thing you make from here!
Wow! Thank you so much for your very nice comment about my recipes Elizabeth! Your feedback really means the world to me. I am so happy you liked my chicken verde. Oh my, wait till you crisp up those thighs. They are out of this world!
This was so easy and so good! I served it over cauliflower rice with some sautéed onions and peppers, tomatoes, and avocado. Yum!!!
I love how you served it! Sounds so delicious Samantha!
This recipe is DELICIOUS I’ve made it twice and it never disappoints, it’s so simple, fast and tasty and great to meal prep for the week.
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it twice and it never disappoints- so simple and easy and delicious! I love to meal prep a batch and eat it all week!
I love that you have already made it twice and that it was easy and delicious Maxine. It does make the best meal prep.
Wow, this was so good! We will definitely be adding this to our regular rotation.
I love that you will be making it again Catharine. Thank you so much for the feedback.
Wow. I wish I could give this recipe 6 stars. I’ve made chicken verde in my instant pot and in the slow cooker countless times but the extra step of broiling the chicken after is game changing. Thank you so much!
I couldn’t agree with you more Sara. Broiling the chicken at the end puts it over the top! So happy you like that tip!