Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe (3 Different Ways!)

by Natalie on August 9, 2024 // 99 Comments »

5 from 53 ratings

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.

crispy verde chicken burrito bowl on a white background

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.

crispy verde chicken on a rimmed baking sheet

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

What is verde salsa made of?

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

Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Verde Chicken Chili

Keto Crispy Verde Shredded Chicken Tacos

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