Easy Mexican chopped chicken (3 ways!) (3 ways!)

This simple Mexican chopped chicken is crafty, smoky and versatile. Perfect for everything from taco night to meals. It can be ready in 30 minutes and can be made in a slow cooker, instant pot or stovetop.
187 Cal 5G carbohydrates 2G fat 33G protein 0
Easy Mexican Chopped Chicken (3 Ways!) Recipe
My recipe relies on this chopped Mexican chicken. You toss the chicken, tomatoes, garlic and chili peppers together, cook and then cut it into tender, perfect. It’s smoky, a little spicy, full of flavor.
No matter which cooking method you choose, this recipe is very simple. Simply add everything to the pan, cook and chop!
For the most part, I use this chicken to make chopped chicken tacos, but this recipe is suitable for many dishes. It is an ideal protein choice for Mexican recipes, tacos, tacos and tortillas.
Before you begin
Some quick tips can give you success:
- Choose chicken wisely. The breasts or thighs are good! The thighs are softer and juicier.
- Adjust the heat. Chipotle Peper in Adobo is smoky and spicy. Use one for mild ones, if you like, use it for medium heat.
- Shortcut 2-Intredient Salsa Chicken: For quick and easy, swap your favorite red salsa with diced tomatoes, chili peppers, garlic and spices. As long as you choose a salsa with a lot of flavor, the chicken will be full of flavor. On busy nights, this two-continuous shortcut is your favorite.
How to Make Mexican Chopped Chicken
This recipe can be made in a slow cooker, instant pot or stovetop.
Option 1: Slow Cooker
Using a slow cooker is a development method, but it does require some planning in advance. This takes about 4 hours, so keep this in mind.
Add the chicken directly to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cover it and let it cook on low, then remove the chicken and chop it with a few forks. Add the chopped chicken back to the sauce to cover.
Option 2: Instant Pot
Just like a slow cooker, slice the chopped Mexican chicken into thin slices, with little to no hands-on. It only takes 15 minutes to cook, so it’s a great dinner option.
Follow the same direction as the slow cooker, but add a little chicken soup to prevent the chicken from burning. Cook everything on manual setup and release naturally for at least 10 minutes. Cut the chicken and return it to the soy sauce.
Option 3: Stove
The stove is another way to prepare Mexican chopped chicken. Just add everything to a Dutch oven or a thick-bottomed pan.
Add chicken broth to prevent the chicken from burning and let the mixture cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes. Likewise, chop the chicken with a fork and add it to the pan and spread it in the sauce.
How to use Mexican chop chicken
The best thing about this chicken is that there are many ways to use it. Make double or triple batches throughout the week for use in recipes.
- Tacos: Place the chopped Mexican chicken in your favorite taco, taco bowl or taco cup. Our favorite version is chopped chicken, serving warm tortillas with fresh cilantro, lemon juice, pickled red onions, Queso Fresco and avocado.
- salad: To enjoy a light meal, add it to a taco salad with fresh vegetables and crisp toppings.
- Quesadillas: Stuff the chopped Mexican chicken into tortillas for more filling and a comfortable recipe.
- Soup: Add this chicken to the taco soup with black beans, beans, corn and chicken soup.
- Low Carbs: If you want a low-carb meal, try it on a salad, burrito bowl and wrap it with cauliflower rice or taco lettuce.
- Nachos: Roll these chopped chicken into warm tortillas. Cover with extra salsa and chopped cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and bubbles.
- Corn flakes: Grab some toast tortilla slices or cut mini bell chili in half. Top with chicken, beans, cheese, tomatoes, coriander and olives. Or drizzle some Queso on top.
- bowl: Start with cooked rice or quinoa and then make a delicious burrito bowl with chopped lettuce, Pinto beans, red onions, tomatoes, avocados and beans. Top with pico de gallo or avocado sauce.
Storage, freezing and heating
For any remaining chopped chicken, follow these simple storage and heating tips:
- refrigerator: Once cooled, transfer the chicken to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- refrigerator: You can store this chopped chicken recipe in the refrigerator for up to 4 months. Just make sure it is completely cooled and transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat: Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, if frozen. To reheat, cook in a skillet, splashing broth on the low center until it heats again.
- Leftovers: Use leftovers throughout the week to make tacos, bowls, salads, packages or other things you want!
Recipes, ideas and variants
This recipe is applied as a blueprint to make all the different types of chopped chicken and salsa chicken.
- Spicy: If you are a spice lover, add extra chili peppers or a little chili pepper.
- slight: To make the taste milder, omit the Chipotle peppers in Adobo and exchange the diced tomatoes and green peppers with regular canned tomatoes.
- Herbs: Feel free to try other seasonings like chili powder, thyme, cinnamon or cloves.
- butter: Make the cream version by adding a ball of sour cream, Greek yogurt or Mexican cream to the sauce.
- Sweet: Balances the sweet elements of spicy and savory ingredients. Our favorite is honey or pigoncillo.
- Add chili and onion: Take inspiration from this slow cooker chicken leaf tita recipe and add chili and onion to the mixture.
Tips for making Mexican chopped chicken
Follow these expert tips to make the best chicken.
- Use the right chicken: Choose boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh chicken for best results. Bone-In Chicken adds flavor, but it adds a lot of labor as you have to remove skin, bones and meat after cooking.
- Chop it when warm: Make sure to chop the chicken while it’s still warm. This way, it is softer and juicier, making it easier to disassemble. Quickly chop the chicken with a stand mixer.
- Perform a double batch: Double the recipe so that the whole week of leftovers and leftovers!
- roast chicken: Although optional, we recommend cooking the chicken for about 5 minutes to create a crisp and chewy texture.
Is this the same as chicken chicken or salsa chicken?
Tinga Chicken is a chopped chicken made with tomatoes, onions, garlic and chili peppers. It’s similar to this dish, but made with onions and garlic. It does not include dry spices like this recipe.
Salsa Chicken is more like Tex-Mex or American dishes made from red or green salsa sauce. Again, it has a similar flavor, but is usually made with a thick red salsa sauce that is bought from the store.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is the most common question for making this recipe.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free as written in the recipe card. Just make sure to double-check any other ingredients you use.