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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 164.9
  • Total Fat: 2.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 67.9 mg
  • Sodium: 253.3 mg
  • Total Carbs: 7.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 27.6 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken calories by ingredient
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Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Submitted by: CHEF_MEG
Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Introduction

This is THE most popular recipe on SparkRecipes. We've added more vegetables and reduced the sodium drastically to make it even better. This is THE most popular recipe on SparkRecipes. We've added more vegetables and reduced the sodium drastically to make it even better.
Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

    2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
    1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
    1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
    2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
    1 cup onions, diced fine
    1/2 cup celery diced fine
    1/2 cup carrots, shredded
    3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Tips


Directions

Birdie, one of our most successful members to date, is a doctor and mother of five. Having lost 143 pounds on SparkPeople, she is always on the lookout for healthy recipe ideas, but they have to be quick and easy. “I'm not a good cook,” she confesses, but this is one dish she serves regularly without worry. She's not the only member who's making this for dinner: the recipe has been rated more than 2,700 times!

Salsa Chicken is easy to make; just put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let the machine do the work. There are infinite variations, and your family is guaranteed to like each one.
6-8 hours to prepare; 15 minutes of active cooking time
Makes 8 one-cup servings of chicken.


Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.
Makes eight 1 cup servings.






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Member Ratings For This Recipe


  • Incredible!
    48 of 50 people found this review helpful
    I toasted tortillas in a pan. Put in shredded cheese, the chicken, and rolled it like a enchilada. Instead of putting the sour cream in the chicken, I put it on top with cilantro and diced fresh tomatoes. Also, I used fresh tomatoes instead of canned. - 9/15/11

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  • Very Good
    46 of 55 people found this review helpful
    I think I'd like to try it with skinless chicken thighs, they cook better in the slow cooker and shred better and they have only a small amount more in fat. Other than this small point I think this is a very economical dish, that you can jazz up with more hot sauce if you'd like - 10/4/11

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  • Incredible!
    39 of 41 people found this review helpful
    I usually add half the salsa at the beginning and the other half shortly before serving to punch up the flavor. I also substitute greek yogurt for sour cream. - 10/20/11

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  • Incredible!
    37 of 39 people found this review helpful
    I've made the original recipe many times & love the stuff. It's even better with Chef Meg's taco seasoning, and the kids will never know you snuck in extra veggies. Just as good if you accidentally forget the sour cream (like me.) Delicious on brown rice, whole wheat tortillas or baked corn chips. - 7/1/10

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  • Incredible!
    27 of 28 people found this review helpful
    Made this for the first time last week...it won't be the last! I added chili spiced tomatoes, mushrooms, black beans and a few extra spices for a kick and a little shredded cheddar w/fat free sour cream on top. Even my picky eaters loved it!! - 9/26/11

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  • Incredible!
    16 of 16 people found this review helpful
    This is a "staple" recipe in our house! Many times I just season the chicken with garlic powder and chili powder, toss it in the crock-pot, add a jar of salsa and crock-pot it. So easy and tastes so good!!! My son just asked me when I was going to make it again. Yep, it's a winner! - 1/3/12

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  • Very Good
    15 of 16 people found this review helpful
    This was just delicious! For my family's taste, I left out celery and sour cream. For dinner, I served this over a bed of brown rice and served the leftovers on corn tortillas with guacamole. It was a big hit two times around. Great recipe, and easy, too. - 11/7/11

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  • Incredible!
    14 of 14 people found this review helpful
    I use waterless cookware, so was able to slow cook it on the stove. The organic chicken breasts shredded beautifully. I used Rotel canned tomatoes instead of salsa and taco seasoning and I added diced orange sweet peppers in addition the other veggies. Fage Plain yogurt to top it off. Yum! - 1/14/12

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  • Incredible!
    13 of 15 people found this review helpful
    We make this A LOT for dinner. So delicious and easy! Really like it for when company comes over as it makes a good amount. Definitely add the beans for added fiber. - 1/14/11

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  • 11 of 11 people found this review helpful
    So good! I put this in tortillas sprinkle cheese and sauce. Hubby Loved it. - 10/21/11

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  • Incredible!
    8 of 8 people found this review helpful
    My husband asked me last week why I hadn't made this again because he loved it! We ate it on whole wheat tortillas one night and brown rice the next! I made it again today. - 1/9/12

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  • Very Good
    8 of 8 people found this review helpful
    Yummy & very tender chicken. Hit w/picky kids & husband. Leftovers voted even better next day! Should add hot sauce for those who like a little kick. Was done in 4 hrs on high in my 20 yr old crock pot. Was glad I made onion & celery undetectable to the kids by chopping it so finely.Will make again. - 10/23/11

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  • Very Good
    6 of 6 people found this review helpful
    I made this recipe last night and the entire family loved it served over rice and salad on the side. It will be in my repeat list. - 3/8/12

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  • Very Good
    6 of 6 people found this review helpful
    I love anything Mexican flavored. My picky eater won't do celery, so I use zucchini or extra onion for it. Beans do not love me so I forgo them usually. - 1/3/12

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  • Incredible!
    6 of 6 people found this review helpful
    I've only made this once, but LOVED it. I added extra veggies; beans and corn. Served it over brown rice. It's easy to customize it with what you like and have available. - 10/31/11

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  • O.K.
    6 of 18 people found this review helpful
    I'm couldn't find red pepper flakes for the taco seasoning but I'm not a fan of really hot foods so I didn't mind that. Anyways this dish for me tasted bland and the chicken turned out tough. I admit I slow cooked it for the full 8 hrs perhaps it should just be 6 hrs. - 7/4/10

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  • Incredible!
    6 of 6 people found this review helpful
    I LOVE this recipe! I didn't read the directions completely and diced the carrots and onion. I used a little paprika and garlic powder in leiu of the taco seasoning. We ate this over rice and LOVED it! - 6/29/10

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  • Incredible!
    5 of 7 people found this review helpful
    I made something like this, except I used cayenne instead of salsa. My husband gave it rave reviews and suggested I use salsa next time to make it easier! Chef Meg and I were thinking alike, but she knows better than I. The breasts shredded just fine for me. - 3/25/12

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  • Incredible!
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
    Very good and very easy! I was out of sour cream so we left it out, but it was still delicious.Kids and husband had it in soft taco shells with cheese/lettuce, I had it over salad. Might make it a little spicier next time. Would be easy to triple this recipe for a large group of people. - 9/1/12

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  • Incredible!
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
    I really enjoyed this meal and so did my husband. My girls who are under the age of six kept saying how good it was while they were eating. I didn't use sour cream and I tried a half cup of cream of mushroom. Can't wait to try more recipes. - 8/20/12

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  • Incredible!
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    Excellent, easy versatile recipe. The first night, I eat it as is on top of brown rice. The second night, I throw in some black beans for variety. You can also add corn. Finally, I make sure to make some freezer lunches with leftovers!! - 1/3/13

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  • 3 of 5 people found this review helpful
    "6-8 hours to prepare; 15 minutes of active cooking time" Aren't these times just backwards for a slow cooker?
    - 9/12/12

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  • Incredible!
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    finally - a dish my entire family loves... AS IS!!!! This is super easy to make, SUPER TASTY, and my family asks for it over and over!!! SUPER YUMMY! - 8/28/12

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  • Very Good
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    Great - always looking for good crock pot recipes to be waiting when we get home from work! Yummy and healthy -- not that's an unbeatable combination. - 3/27/12

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  • Incredible!
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    My family loves this dish!!! Kids ask for it all the time now. - 1/17/12

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  • Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    I luv this recipe, it sounds just perfect. - 9/17/12

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  • O.K.
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    This was ok. Don't know if I'll make again or not. - 8/8/12

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  • O.K.
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Disappointing - 4/23/13

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Love, love, love this....my husband doesn't even know he is eating healthy :) - 2/2/13

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  • Very Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    OK I added a half of a small can of green chillis, substituted for the salsa using diced tomatoes and onions. I plan on serving it with tortilla's and taco shells for the kids. I think you could also use it as an amazing "Chicken Nacho" by serving it over low sodium chips. Yum!!!
    - 1/16/13

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I didn't have enough chicken so added black beans. Great recipe. - 1/14/13

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I have tried a recipe similar to this and it is absolutely delicious and easy to make. You can substitute the chicken with a pork loin roast. Yum!!!! - 1/8/13

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    So tasty, I'll definitely make it again but think I'll add black beans at the end for a bit of extra fiber. - 1/5/13

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    You can also just use the chicken and add a cup of salsa like you would use to dip tortilla chips in and make it even quicker. - 1/5/13

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  • Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    It was easy. I serve it with a small helping of black beans on a bed of fresh spinach for more fiber. - 1/5/13

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I made this and added 1 cup corn. It was delicious. I also served it over rice. Made many times. - 1/3/13

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Plus about 100 calories for one Tortilla. Still.. pretty darn good - 1/3/13

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  • Very Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I enjoyed this dish and will make it again. Instead of using tortillas, I served it over quinoa. I also left the sour cream as a condiment instead of stirring it into the dish. - 1/2/13

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I make this at least once a week. I just use chicken and salsa but will add some veggies next time. My whole family loves it as tacos, or salad or burritos for lunch boxes. It is simple but delicious enough for company. And makes a lot!! - 12/2/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    my boyfriend and i loved this recipe. my brother in law gave us some of his home made salsa which is amazing and we put it on top of the finished chicken. so amazingly yummy. lots of juice but worth the mess it makes. - 11/27/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    This was so easy and so delicious. I served it over a spoonful of brown rice and a side of broccoli. The leftovers will be delicious rolled in a flour tortilla as a "wet" burrito. Better than you can find in any restaurant! I'll definitely be making this one often! - 11/15/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    This is a recipe where the sum of the parts is much greater than each individual part. I marinated the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the taco seasoning overnight then put everything in the crock pot this morning. I loved it, my kids loved it and the pot was licked clean! - 11/14/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    My wife put me in charge of dinner tonight so I tried this recipe. I'm more of a grillmeister than a chef but it turned out great! I used this recipe as a guideline-subtracted the carrots, sour cream, then added mushrooms and black beans as another member suggested. We served it over brown rice-YUM! - 11/13/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    This is the best dinner meal that I have found on Spark. We made it today and it smelled so good! I'm looking forward to trying a few varriations; cream of mushroom, green chiles, and/or cannellini beans. - 11/5/12

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  • 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I added a can of black beans. It was a little thin so I added some brown rice too. Wrapped it in a tortilla. It was excellent. The kids loved it! - 11/1/12

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  • Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I made this today. It was Amazing!!! So easy. Plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow. - 8/20/12

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  • yumm - 5/6/13

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  • I followed the recipe exactly and IT'S GOOD! I am culinarily challenged so I'm thrilled with this recipe! - 5/5/13

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  • I usually don't like chicken breasts cooked in the slow cooker, but the veggies make the chicken nice and moist. Love, love, LOVE! - 4/29/13

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  • This was a great recipe. I have also made it on the stove top when I haven't had the time available to use the slow cooker. Family has requested this again - 4/29/13

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  • This recipe is so yummy. Passed my fiances and friends tasting test. Now when I make it they just say YUM! - 4/26/13

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  • I made this with chicken legs, and served it over no yolk egg noodles. Definitely a winner for my family! - 4/25/13

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  • I'm surprised actually to see how popular this is. My partner and I both thought it was decent and filling, but absolutely nothing to rave about. Maybe we set our hopes too high? We made burritos and tostadas. I thought it got tastier every night after as leftovers. Crushed red pepper helped. - 4/23/13

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  • Easy and delicious! - 4/21/13

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  • WOW!! Sounds Amazing. Will definitely try making this. - 4/20/13

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  • I cooked today wow it ver good smell. And tasty. Yummy thanks share. My son and my husband love it
    - 4/20/13

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  • So good! I tweaked it to my taste by exchanging 1.5 tsp of chipotle for 1.5 tsp of the chili powder and by using a fresh tomato instead of the canned. I also had non-fat sour cream on the side and added a Tbsp of nacho cheese to the wrap before sealing and toasting it between 2 cast iron skillets. - 4/20/13

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  • This recipe was great. I fixed it a week ago and it was a hit with everyone. - 4/20/13

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  • I am always looking for good slow cooker recipes since I work full time. I will surely have to try this next week as I already have all the ingredients!! - 4/20/13

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  • Haven't made this yet and I cook for one. Any idea if this could be frozen and reheated later to help spread out the leftovers? - 4/15/13

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  • I loved this recipe. So easy to make. I used a corn/black bean salsa, added a can of low salt black beans, and used Taco Sauce instead of taco seasoning, because the taco seasonings all contained MSG. I served it with brown rice. Scrumdidlyumtious! - 4/8/13

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  • OMG!! I love this recipe! I found it earlier this week and today I made it for the second time! I am freezing some of it to have for easly dinners when I don't feel like cooking! I used it to make tacos, I did not use the sour cream. I added a little shredded cheese and a slice of avocado!! - 4/7/13

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  • I love this recipe, but it always turns out too juicy for my taste, so I don't think I will add as much liquid next time. - 4/6/13

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  • This is a very versatile recipe. Easy to add your own flare. - 4/5/13

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  • I made this chicken for dinner tonight and it is definitely a keeper. With plenty of leftovers, I can enjoy it more than once a week. I used skinless chicken thighs and replaced the prepared Taco seasoning with traditional mexican spices. - 4/4/13

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  • Good with tortillas and cheese - 4/4/13

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  • My family loved it! - 4/1/13

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  • hmm... I wonder if this would work to use up some of my leftover holiday turkey? lets give it a whirl
    - 4/1/13

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  • I used the skinless chicken thighs and it was incredible! Great dish with very few calories. I put it in a whole wheat tortilla with a little hot salsa! - 3/31/13

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  • Can we make a version that isn't slow cooker? - 3/29/13

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  • this is easy to make you will find most of the ingredents in your pantry . faster then you would think and you can get this done in a flash . enjoy ever mouth full . - 3/29/13

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  • I made this before you all added the extras! OMG my kids loved it especially with rice! I shared this with everyone and it is in the rotation of many! - 3/26/13

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  • Fabulous! Even my picky man loved it as a taco meat! (By picky I mean he rarely likes anything new) - 3/25/13

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  • The chicken shredded so easily and was so tender! I thought this dish was slightly lacking in flavor so next time I will add a little more taco seasoning. I will also add the whole can of diced tomatoes instead of just 1 cup. Perfect over rice! - 3/18/13

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  • I made the recipe with a few little twists. I sauted the onion before adding it to the crockpot. I also added a jalapeno, seeded and chopped, a can of no salt added corn and a can of no salt added black beans. I like it best in lettuce wraps. - 3/14/13

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  • Very good but had to drain a lot of moisture out of the meat because it was soupy. - 3/14/13

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  • Excellent dish !! Everyone loved it !! Thank you Chef Meg - 3/13/13

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  • This is the go to recipe when short on time. I do add some Franks Hot Sauce to give it a little extra kick but we like things a little more spicy. I also add whatever vegies that I have, fresh or frozen. (ie mixed vegies, corn, frozen rice, etc) Black beans, brown rice and Plain greek yogurt! - 3/8/13

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  • This was really, really bland. I will have to doctor up the leftovers to make them edible. I should have used all salsa and cut the tomatoes, added garlic, more onion, fresh jalapeno, some chile powder and cayenne. Can't believe it is the #1 Spark Recipe! - 3/7/13

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  • Made this tonight and it was good. We all enjoyed it. I served it over brown rice and with a green salad. - 3/6/13

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  • Really good and really easy!!! Definitely a plus! - 3/5/13

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  • I totally forgot the sour cream, but it was still awesome!! Ate it over rice! Yum! - 3/4/13

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  • Sounds great. Can't wait to try it. - 3/3/13

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  • incredible - 3/3/13

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  • This is good and easy but it makes so much that it starts to get tiring before it is gone. - 3/1/13

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  • absolutely delicious - countless uses. Great as a baked potato topper for a quick lunch or dinner. - 3/1/13

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  • I used thighs and breasts, and this was just delicious! I removed the chicken, cooked the sauce down a little, then added the shredded chicken. With a little guacamole in a pita, this was just outstanding! - 3/1/13

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  • I have made this many times now using organic skinless chicken thigh filets and the meat shreds with a spoon! We've served it in torillas, in bowls over a few corn chips and on a salad. Any way you slice it, it is gorgeous and now a firm family favourite. - 3/1/13

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  • I like to use broc. slaw with it for more crunch - 2/28/13

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  • Easy and yummy! my family loves it:) - 2/28/13

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  • This was really good and I enjoyed it a lot. I've used the salsa chicken as a meal with brown rice and veggies, I've used it to make healthy nachos and also a taco salad. Really tasty! - 2/28/13

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  • I have made this recipe three times now. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! If this is healthy eating, just where have I been all these years?! I use it in burritos, enchiladas, for corn tortilla soft tacos and (when I just have to have a crunch - hey, it happens...) tostadas. - 2/28/13

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  • Made this last night and loved it! We served in soft tortilla shells and had to stop ourselves from over-indulging. Hubby added a little cheese to his but I enjoyed mine without. Can't wait to have it again. May try it with Chef Meg's suggestion of serving over a baked potato. Definitely recommend! - 2/28/13

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  • Love the original recipe, but like the idea of adding additional vegetables to make it even better! - 2/28/13

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  • I am going to try this it sounds really good . I also am not a very good cook so I do appreciate healthy easy recipies. - 2/28/13

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  • again the picture does not match the recipe. where is the tortilla in the recipe not to mention the additional calories - 2/28/13

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  • I too prefer boneless/skinless thighs. And you can put the chicken in the crock pot frozen. I also put in a can of drained black beans to add more fiber and protein. And instead of the sour cream, I add 1 block of fat free cream cheese 30 min before it's done. Then mix that in and shred the chicken - 2/28/13

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  • So delicious and so easy! Great to serve wrapped in tortillas or on toast. - 2/28/13

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  • Love this recipe! I add black beans, extra cumin and serve it on top of cilantro lime brown rice. - 2/28/13

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  • Husband said this is a keeper! - 2/26/13

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