Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Poblano

Creamy chicken poblano in slow cooker recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs is great. Make spicy or mild, our cheesy Mexican shredded chicken dinner will become a new family favorite one pot meal.

Slow Cooker Chicken Poblano

Love cooking with green peppers? Us too!! You don’t have to spend all afternoon preparing all the ingredients to stuff the insides. Instead dice or slice them up and cooked with meat they really add a lot of flavor. Choose one or a few different types to make this classic Mexican dish.

But wait, we are making this a creamy Crockpot chicken recipe version with some cheddar cheese and cream cheese too, that is right. I mean you can’t go wrong with those two added ingredients right? Need it to be dairy free? NO problem, I have done it that way too for my husband who needs lactose free foods.

As for meats you can use either breasts or thighs, but I love tender dark meat really. Have a forgetful moment and need to throw frozen chicken in Crockpot for this? Yep, that isn’t an issue either. I have been there y’all and have done it all. Just make sure they are separated and boneless.

Frozen Chicken Poblano in Slow Cooker

Since we are going to make shredded chicken it kinda’ doesn’t matter whether you have fresh, thawed or frozen chicken thighs in slow cooker for this one. Believe it or not the timing stays the same, seriously. The only thing you need to make sure of is that your pieces are apart. If not run cool water over them and break apart with your hands so they cook evenly.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs chicken boneless skinless thighs or breasts
• 1 onion sliced
• 1/4 c taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 3 poblano peppers roasted, seeded, thinly sliced
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 c cheese shredded

Poblano peppers are the only ones we used here but there are so many options out there to use. If you love bell peppers you could slice and add some of those too. Red, yellow and orange are more on the sweeter side whereas green is more savory of the 4.

And then you could go into the spicy options out there, some are green like roasted jalapenos where others may be red. Know the scoville level of what you are adding. Once you add heat you really can’t take it back and you want it to be not only edible but still delicious if you have a delicate palate.

How long to cook chicken poblano in slow cooker?

You will need about 6 hours, depending on the size of the meat. If you use breasts like we did with our parmesan chicken slow cooker it may be an additional hour. Use smaller ones that are about the same size as thighs though. Bone-in works but will be more work for you at the end as you pull the meat off and shred. You want it in small pieces so it soaks up the sauce that should coat each piece well.

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Recipe

• Prepare a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In the bottom layer the onions and chicken.
• Top the chicken with the taco seasoning, garlic, and poblano peppers.
• Dot the cream cheese over the top.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
• Shred the chicken thighs with two forks.
• Stir the chicken and vegetables until the cream cheese is melted.
• Serve topped with cheese and freshly chopped cilantro.

There are many ways you can serve this up really, I mean you don’t have to use our suggestions but we are pretty amazing so why wouldn’t you. 😉 lol. Usually this will be served over a bed of rice if I am in a pinch. If I think ahead to have all the things I will make chicken tacos out of it with cool cole slaw on top.

For more of a Chicken Poblano Soup you would just add more broth or thicken it up with a bit of cornstarch whisked with liquid. Add 30 minutes before, or some heavy cream will make it creamier.

If you don’t have an oven or grill, you can roast peppers over an open flame on medium high heat using a gas stove. Just be sure to use tongs to turn them often and avoid burning yourself in the process. Once the skins are blackened take them off, allow to cool in a paper bag. Then peel the skins, remove seeds and membranes and use interior flesh diced in your recipe. For roasted peppers in oven;

How to Roast Poblano Peppers

1. Preheat your broiler to high heat.
2. Rinse and dry the peppers, and place them on a baking sheet.
3. Roast for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the skin is charred and blistering up.
4. Remove and place them in a paper bag or into a glass or metal bowl.
   • Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let them steam for 10-15 minutes.
   • This will make it easier to remove the skin.
5. Once the peppers have steamed, remove and peel off the skin.

If you want to remove the seeds and membranes, cut off the top of the pepper and gently scoop out the insides.

Poblano Chicken Recipe

To make this on the stovetop use a deep pan with a lid. Add some olive oil into your pan with medium size defrosted chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for bout 20 minutes, turning over after 10 until it can be pulled apart easily with two forks. Then add all other ingredients and stir occasionally to coat all pieces.

Creamy poblano chicken in Crockpot is how we made it here, and in the recipe card below. For that method set the slow cooker to low heat, preferred and then;

How to Cook Poblano Peppers and Chicken

• Layer the onions and chicken into the pot.
• Top with the taco seasoning, garlic, and poblano peppers.
• Dot the cream cheese over the top.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
• Shred the chicken thighs with two forks.
• Stir the chicken and vegetables until the cream cheese is melted.
• Serve topped with cheese and freshly chopped cilantro.

Another substitute we have used when it is the right time of year has been a few diced smoked hatch chiles!! I mean those have incredible flavor but you are only in season quickly during the summertime so not always fresh and available.