Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken (Freezer Meal)
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Stock your freezer with the easiest, quickest crockpot FREEZER MEAL!!! Simply drop into the crockpot and you’re set!!!
Did you guys know about this?
This whole straight-from-freezer-to-crockpot situation?
Because I’m sitting here wondering where this has been my entire life.
It’s a game-changer, guys.
There’s no prep cooking ahead of time here.
- All you do is prep.
- Throw it in a Ziploc freezer bag.
- Freeze.
- Thaw.
- And dump into slow cooker.
And you know what?
It tastes freshly made.
It doesn’t taste like I’m eating 3-day old leftovers.
So again.
I ask.
Where has this been my entire life?
And you know I made burrito bowls with this cilantro lime chicken.
Just add some brown rice.
A dollop of sour cream.
Some avo.
Or guac.
And boom.
Done.
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 10-ounce can Ro*Tel® Mild Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- ½ cup salsa, homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Juice of 2 limes
Instructions
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken, beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa, cilantro, onion, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder and garlic. Place in freezer for up to 1 month.*
- Place chicken mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. Stir in lime juice.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Do you carpet the chicken breasts up before freezing them?
What is carpet?
Absolutely Delicious! It did sit in my slow cooker longer than the recipe stated-long day at work-but it was still so good. I served it over some cilantro lime rice to make burrito bowls for dinner.
I do have to say though, the best part was using the leftovers to make a breakfast hash! I made some breakfast potatoes, put them in a bowl, threw some shredded cheese over them, heated up the leftovers put that in the bowl and topped it off with an over easy egg-scrumptious!
Sounds delicious!
What are the thawing instructions and can this be cooked first and then frozen for a longer shelf life? I’m meal prepping for a baby arrival and would prefer meals that last longer than a month. Thx
Naomi, you can refer to the NOTES section below the recipe for thawing instructions.
*Thaw chicken mixture for 12-24 hours prior to adding to the slow cooker.
Thank you so much for this wonderful dish
You’re so welcome! Glad you liked it.
Hey, sorry to bother, just wondering if it’s okay to include the lime juice in the marinade?
I recommend adding the lime juice at the end of cooking time as directed in the recipe. Marinades that contain citrus juices, such as lemon or lime juice, should be used for only 2 hours or less.
I also made the mistake of adding lime juice to the marinade. But I kept the chicken in a separate bag. Any suggestions on how I can salvage my dinner?
Is the chicken shredded at the end or eaten as a whole piece of chicken?
Which ever you prefer best!
I can’t wait to try this. I love the idea of just being able to prep and freeze, no cooking in between. Thanks for sharing
This turned out incredibly poorly for me. Not just “meh” poorly, but couldn’t-stomach-it poorly. 3/4 of it is uneaten and going to be tossed in the trash.
I realized, however, that I did three whole things wrong!
I think they were honest mistakes; and I wouldn’t be surprised if others who hated the recipe did similarly! Read and learn! (And maybe consider super-duper-clarifying the directions?)
1. I cut the chicken breasts into large cubes rather than leaving them whole. Reading through the comments, it became clear I was supposed to leave them whole. However, the recipe wasn’t clear and the ones in the picture looked vaguely diced, I guess? Result: tough and tasteless chunks of chicken breast in the final dish.
2. I threw it in the crockpot from frozen rather than letting it thaw and marinate. See again, tough and tasteless chunks of chicken breast. I don’t know whether I missed it myself or whether my recipe clipper failed to clip it: but may I humbly suggest that an important step like thawing for 12-24 hours before proceeding should NOT be a footnote, but an actual STEP within the recipe!
3. I FORGOT THE LIME JUICE. So, I’m not great with directions, what can I say. I assembled the meal ahead of when I cooked it — and when the time came, I forgot the “lime” component wasn’t already in the bag. I DID scan the directions before throwing it in the crockpot — but failing to see any directions besides “3. Serve immediately!” after what looked like the simple and obligatory “throw it in the crockpot at x setting” step 2, I assumed there was nothing more to do in between cooking and serving. Can you make “stir in the lime juice” its own instruction item, or at least group it with the serving step, rather than slipping it in it at the end of the crockpot settings line? You know, for people who are … less than careful readers? 🙂
Anyway, the way I made it, it was certainly awful. Bad camp food awful. Bland canned tomatoeyness interspersed with tough bits of chicken breast. I didn’t taste ANY of the spices and not a hint of cilantro. My memory of it is so bad I probably won’t remake this recipe; but I can perhaps save others the stomach-turning experience, hahah! I have faith it is not actually a horrible recipe if made correctly!
Elisa, thank you so much for your feedback!
Few things here:
1. The chicken breasts are left whole as stated in the recipe, and as seen in the images.
2. I always find it super helpful to read through a recipe in its ENTIRETY at least twice before beginning to cook (that includes all steps and footnotes). It’ll save you time, money and a headache. PROMISE!
Is there a different procedure/amount of time if I wanted to make this recipe with bone-in chicken? I really really want to try this but I love my chicken with the bones in it.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I’m making this freezer meal for a family who may want to only cook small portions at a time. That is, only cooking enough to serve two people at a time. If I were to half or even third the recipe, how should I adjust the cook time? Thanks!
I made this before the birth of my son and it was a big hit! Unfortunately my slow cooker decided to die that week. Heads up if you defrost your bag of ingredients and simply saute on the stovetop till the chicken is cooked through it is a fast and delicious meal. I still make this on the stovetop as a quick and easyvrice bowl or burrito filling.
Should I mix all ingredients in the bag before freezing or leave them separated as in the photo?
However you prefer. It doesn’t change the recipe or freezing process.
Hi there,
How would I convert this recipe to cook in an instant pot?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
How do you cook it in crockpot?
Please refer to the recipe above.
Hi – I’m not able to have peppers or tomatoes due to allergy restrictions. What else do you suggest for a tasty substitution for the Rotel, Jalapeno, Also, what is the serving size? Thanks!
Sorry my comment was messed up for some reason – it should read for the rotel, jalapeno, chili powder, and salsa… 🙂
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I made this recipe last night for dinner and my kids couldn’t stop eating it ( I have tried quite a few of your recipes – all of them have been a hit).
Thanks for an another great slow cooker recipe!
This was awesome! I made two batches…one for dinner right away and one freezer pack. The flavors all meld together so well in the slow cooker. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Thank you for this recipe, it has been a life saver lately! Super easy and the best part is there’s always leftovers for nachos, egg rolls or a frittata the next night. So good!
Are the breasts cooked whole or are they diced
Whole.
Can I sub another can of green chiles instead of the jalapeño? My 6 year children likes spicy, but not spicy hot.
Yes, of course!
Won’t the beans turn to mush after 3 or 4 hours?
Not at all!