This recipe could not be easier. Truly, it is the easiest recipe in my reserves. It requires only 2 ingredients, and it tastes like it came straight from an authentic food truck. I’ve long been a fan of tacos, always using Tuesday as an excuse to host my own little taco night! But these skinny verde chicken street tacos take it up a notch (or ten)!
Accidental Recipes are the Best Recipes
Like most of my recipes, I stumbled upon this one by accident. I was pregnant with Shea and craving some chicken chili. Of course this was a spontaneous craving, so I didn’t have what I needed. Brooks was napping, so a quick trip to the store was out of the question. And it was obviously urgent, so waiting for Matt to get off work wasn’t an option either (anyone been here)? So, I began to play “chopped” in my kitchen and see where it took me!
My pantry proved less than fruitful. I had no beans, no canned tomatoes or chilies, I almost gave up hope. And then, I saw the fridge glance my way from across the room, seemingly illuminated by a beam of light. I didn’t know what I would even look for in there, but I took a leap of faith. I swung open the doors, prompting an abrupt clanking of the glass jars of sauces and dressings stored in them. That’s when I saw it, sitting there next to the jam and ketchup.
It was a half-eaten jar of verde salsa. I thought to myself… that’s basically a mixture of diced tomatoes and chopped green chilies, right? Why hadn’t I thought of this before? Has somebody else? They have, I assure you. A simple google search after the fact proved to me that I’m not the first to stumble upon this magical concoction. But from what I’ve seen around the web, mine is the best… because it’s the easiest.
Just Two Ingredients?
That’s right. If I were not in a bind when I first created this recipe, I would have fluffed it up and may not have ever known the difference. But sometimes less is more, and that is precisely the case with this recipe!
Now, when I say two ingredients, I mean you only need two ingredients. you can enhance the recipe – as I like to from time to time – with a few added bonus ingredients! But for the delicious, bright, tender, and juicy verde chicken alone, you only need the following ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts
- Verde Salsa
That’s all it takes. I will say, your chicken will only be as good as your salsa. So while you really can’t go wrong with any verde salsa, you’ll want to opt for your favorite for optimal results! I like trader joes and Mrs. Renfro’s, but there are many great brands out there! You can also make your own with some tomatillos and spices, but that takes the simplicity out of the equation…
To Level it Up a Bit…
Beyond those two ingredients, you can enhance you verde chicken street tacos with a few added ingredients. Add any of the following to your crockpot with the salsa and chicken to level up the flavor even more!
- onion
- green pepper
- green chilies
- roasted corn
- jalapeno
All of these options put even more “verde” in the verde chicken street tacos and will leave your chicken with an even fuller flavor!
Serving the Verde Chicken Street Tacos
Once your verde chicken is ready to serve, the fun part begins! My favorite way to serve street tacos is by arranging a variety of complimentary toppings on a cheeseboard. Of course you can use any toppings you prefer, but after much experimentation I’ve landed on a few that pair nicely with the flavors of the chicken! Here they are:
- cilantro
- Cojita cheese
- avocado
- lime
- jalapeno
- habanero sauce
- avocado cream sauce
- red cabbage
- green onion
Here’s a little street taco pro tip – don’t underestimate the power of cojita cheese! You may not even know what this looks like as you scan the cheese section, but I promise it’s worth the effort to find it! Cojita cheese is a hard cheese that is easily crumbles and is typically packaged in a wedge shape. And don’t worry that your wedge will go to waste, the cheese can last a long while if sealed between uses! When I serve my street tacos, I use a fork to sprinkle some crumbles of the cojita cheese onto the tacos!
More Options than Street Tacos?
Oh yes, there are. This verde chicken is delicious on it’s own and extremely versatile! If you aren’t feeling a taco night, you can use the chicken to make any of the following!
- Sweet Potato Boats
- Verde Chicken Pizza
- Creamy verde chicken pasta
- Verde chicken nachos
- Verde chicken wraps
- Sliders
And that’s just to name a few! You can get creative with this stuff, it is so varietal!
Alright, it’s time! If you haven’t figured out the recipe by now… find the details below!
Skinny Verde Chicken Street Tacos
Skinny Verde Chicken Street Tacos
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 1 c verde salsa
- to taste salt & pepper
Optional Add-In's
- 1/4 red onion
- 1/2 c roasted corn
- 1 green pepper
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 can diced green chilies
Instructions
- pat chicken dry and season with salt/pepper.
- place in crockpot with 1 C salsa and any other optional ingredients. If you're using more chicken, add a bit more salsa.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6. Once chicken is cooked, shred with a fork and turn crockpot to warm until you're ready to serve!
- Serve as street tacos with flour or corn mini tortillas, cojita cheese, cilantro, avocado, habanero or avocado cream sauce, lime, or anything else you fancy!
Nutrition
I hope you’ll given this simple recipe a try! I can assure you it’ll be a hit! Even with your toddlers – I serve it in “quesadilla” form to mine! And if you’re looking for more simple and family friendly weeknight recipe ideas, check out my creamy crockpot ranch chicken, my crockpot mac and cheese, my thai peach chicken and broccoli (pictured below), and more on my recipes tab! And as always, I SO appreciate when y’all tag me and share my recipes on Instagram (@kelsiebrownblog)!
With Love,
Kelsie
