Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken
76 Comments Aug 27, 2020
Updated Jun 27, 2025
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This Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken recipe is sure to be a new family favorite, it features chicken, beans, corn, Rotel, and spicy ranch mix. Its dump-and-go prep and quick cooking time make it ideal for busy weeknights and weekends.
First of all, you will love this meal! We have had this once a week since I first tried it, and I have to share the recipe with you. Forget making slow cooker salsa chicken, and try this amped-up recipe!
If you have tried “crack chicken,” then this is a meal you will love. It’s like a Mexican version of crack chicken. It’s packed with Tex-Mex flavors thanks to the diced tomatoes and green chilies, black beans, onion, and the flavors from the ranch seasoning packet. Trust me when I say you’ll want to make fiesta chicken a regular weekly meal too!
Ingredients for Fiesta Chicken
This recipe comes together quickly! See the recipe card below the images for ingredient amounts.
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts, these shred up the best.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix – Spicy or Fiesta ranch mix.
- Rotel – Canned Rotel tomatoes & green chiles are similar to salsa but are in the canned section of the store and very convenient to have on hand.
- Black Beans – One can of drained black beans. Surprisingly, these do not overcook in the slow cooker, for they aren’t very tender straight out of the can.
- Corn – One can of whole kernel corn, you can use fire-roasted if desired.
- Cream Cheese – This makes the dish creamy, add this at the beginning of the cooking time so it has time to melt.
- Onion – One white onion will flavor the dish nicely.
Variations
You can make this recipe to your own tastes, here are some ideas!
- Chicken thighs or cooked ground chicken or turkey can be used. You can even use leftover rotisserie chicken (cook for less time).
- Other beans that work well in this recipe are canned pinto beans or red beans.
- If you can’t find spicy ranch(it can be hard to find!), a regular ranch packet will work. To make it spicy add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.
How to Make Crockpot Fiesta Chicken
Only four easy steps for this easy dinner, see how I make it:
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the ranch seasoning mix.
- Pour over the drained corn and beans. Add the diced white onion and cream cheese. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-8.
- Shred the cooked chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker. Stir the cream cheese into the chicken and other ingredients. Serve this tasty dish with the suggestions below, and enjoy!
My Serving Suggestions
This is more than just a burrito filling, the ideas are endless:
- Serve the shredded chicken on tortillas (these tortilla land tortillas are our favorite) with white rice. Top with cheese
- Serve as a burrito bowl by adding the creamy mixture on top of rice. Add cheese, shredded lettuce, and onions. Serve tortilla chips on the side.
- It can also be served in warmed crunchy taco shells topped with cheese.
- In addition to the toppings mentioned above, you can also add refried beans (try my slow cooker refried beans), slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream, taco sauce, spicy salsa, or any of your other favorite toppings.
Featured Comment
“Always a winner at our house and so simple to put together. We eat ours with Tostitos scoops or over rice. Yum.”
– emily
Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken
How to Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 oz. packet spicy or fiesta Hidden Valley Ranch Mix, (can be labeled dressing or dip)
- 15 oz. can black beans, drained
- 15.25 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
- 10 oz. can Rotel® tomatoes, (DO NOT DRAIN)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the ranch packet.
- Add the drained corn, drained beans, Rotel tomatoes, onion, and place the cream cheese block on top.
- Place the lid onto the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Shred the chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker.
- Stir the cream cheese into the chicken and other ingredients.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Rotel tomatoes tend to be spicy. Use mild Rotel if you can find it.
- Use a 16 oz. jar of mild salsa instead of Roel
- Or use a can of diced tomatoes
- Use a regular ranch mix instead of spicy or fiesta
- Leave out the cream cheese.
- Serve with fat-free or low-fat sour cream.
- Serve with low-fat tortillas or on a salad.
- On tortillas
- Make a burrito bowl by serving over white rice and top with cheese
- In warmed crunchy taco shells
- Chicken thighs or cooked ground chicken or turkey can be used. You can even use leftover rotisserie chicken (cook for less time).
- Other beans that work well in this recipe are canned pinto beans or red beans.
- If you can’t find spicy (it can be hard to find!), a regular ranch packet will work.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Mexican style slow cooker recipes:
Bold and tender, Slow Cooker Mexican Beef and Chile Verde are flavorful options perfect for tacos, rice bowls, or burritos. Try my chipotle chicken bowls, which only have five ingredients.
Add smoky spice to your menu with Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga, or keep it cheesy and layered with Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Make burrito bowls with this easy Street Corn Chicken.
For beef lovers, Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas, Crockpot Chile Colorado, and Crockpot Birria Tacos offer rich, slow-cooked flavor with minimal effort—great for any Tex-Mex night.
Could I add some taco seasoning to make it a little more like tacos with the rest of the ingredients
Yes, it may be on the salty side, you may want to omit the ranch or do half and half.
I love this recipe. Can you shred the chicken before you turn on the crockpot. I’d love to double it
You can double it. You’ll have to wait to shred the chicken until it cooks. You could dice the chicken first and that would save some time on shredding.
I have made this recipe for years! I am curious if you have ever tried doubling it? We are expecting a baby in March & I am trying to food prep- this is a meal we like to freeze when we have too many leftovers… Do you know if this can be doubled in the crockpot? I mean, it is not a big deal to make two batches, it is just slightly time consuming from start to finish when PREPPING food. TYIA!
You could double this or make one batch in each ziplock bag, then freeze (before cooking!)
Thanks for sharing. So easy and so good. It’s so versatile because different family members can make it their own by adding different toppings, serving over rice, eating with chips, in a wrap, in a bowl, etc.
I also like to sometimes use my favorite salsa instead of Rotel, and in addition to the cheese,top with sliced avocado. Yummy. Always delicious. Freezes well too.
how much is a serving? a cup? half cup?
1/8 of the recipe, I do not measure. I apologize.
So good that the Leftovers were excellent in taquitos !
Great idea!
If I am using frozen chicken do I need to cook it longer?
For sure. Though I highly using thawed for food safety
I’m making right now and I’m thinking of add smoked paprika to give it a bit of smokey flavor. I also used chicken breast I had marinated in fresh thyme, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic and parmesan cheese for 4 days. I’m also adding fresh parsley in the last 20 minutes before cooking since I don’t have any cilantro. If you get back to me with your thoughts on the paprika with an hour that would be great. If not I’ll leave it out to not ruin the flavor. Smells great so far.
Why would you add cheese to a marinade?
Hi, chef of 14 years here. You shouldn’t marinate chicken for 4 days. Especially if it has any acid (lemon juice in this case), as the acid starts to break down the chicken after 24 hours. You should really only marinate chicken for 24 or less.
can i use rotisserie chicken thats already been cooked
You can, but you can cut the time in half.