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Freezer Friendly Tex Mex Chicken

If you’re looking for a simple dump and go recipe that’s packed with flavor, you’re going to love this Tex Mex chicken! Thanks to the delicious combination of taco seasoning, cream cheese, and salsa, this slow cooker meal is filled with Mexican flavors. And since it can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the freezer, it’s even simple to make! Just freeze the ingredients and dump them in the crockpot when you’re ready to enjoy a delicious casserole, tacos, or wraps.Title photo with the text: freezer meal Tex Mex Chicken. Above the title is an overhead photo of the freezer meal in it's ziploc bag. It shows the chicken thighs, kernel corn and diced tomatoes. Below the title, the finished meal is served in a black bowl and features the chicken, kernel corn, diced tomatoes and black beansFor more Mexican inspired dishes try our Shredded Beef Nachos, Make-Ahead Mexican Manicotti Bake, and Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers!

Tex Mex Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
  • 15 ounces kernel corn, drained
  • 19 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
  • 4 ounces diced green chilies

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Place the chicken breasts or thighs in a large resealable freezer bag, along with the onion, taco seasoning, garlic, cream cheese, corn, black beans, salsa, and green chilies. 
  2. Squeeze the ingredients together in the bag to mix, then remove excess air and seal the bag.
  3. Place the bags flat in the freezer until you’re ready to cook your Tex Mex chicken.

The meal is ready for the freezer in a sealed ziploc bag laying on the counter. Shown in the bag is thicken thighs, kernel corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, spices and liquid.

Cooking instructions: 

  1. When you’re ready to start cooking the chicken, transfer the ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
  2. Pour the ingredients in the bowl of your slow cooker and place the lid on top. Set to cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 3 hours.
  3. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and shred it with a fork. Serve with rice or tortillas.

A collage of photos, the large being a photo of the finished dish served in a large black bowl with a plate of festive taco chips and sour cream. The other photos are of the meal during assembly, with the bag open and ingredients shown in the bag, the finished bag, sealed and laying flat on the counter, a closeup of the meal in the crock pot and the meal served in the black bowl from a different angle.

Tex Mex Chicken Recipe Ideas

Everyone in the family is going to love this flavorful chicken recipe! But even if it is a delicious dinner idea, there are always a few adjustments you could do to make it even better. Try these substitution ideas to create a delicious recipe for your dinner tonight.

  • Add more vegetables. Give your shredded chicken even more flavor with the help of additional veggies. Try mixing in chopped bell pepper, diced tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, jalapenos, green onions, scallions, mushrooms, or spinach.
  • Mix in more cheese. The cream cheese in this recipe adds extra creaminess to the finished chicken dish. But if your family loves cheese, you can always stir extra cheese into the chicken after you’ve shredded it. Try adding Monterrey Jack, cheddar, Colby, or Mexican blend cheeses.
  • Make it a casserole. This delicious chicken dish is perfect for mixing into a casserole! After the chicken is cooked, stir in some cooked white rice and top it with cheese for a full meal all in one pot.
  • Try different beans. Black beans are a popular option when preparing a Southwestern inspired meal. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add your favorite beans to the dish! Try mixing in some pinto beans or kidney beans in place of the black beans.

A close up of the Tex Mex chicken with diced tomatoes, kernel corn and black beans served in a black bowl.

How to Serve Tex Mex Chicken?

One of the best things about this Mexican chicken recipe is that you can use it in a variety of ways. After your chicken is finished cooking, try serving it with these sides:

  • Over rice. Serve your chicken over the top of cooked white or brown rice to round out the meal.
  • Flour tortillas. Use flour tortillas to make soft tacos, burritos, or wraps.
  • Corn tortillas. Make your own chicken tacos by filling crispy corn tortillas with your shredded Tex Mex chicken.
  • Nachos. Use your shredded chicken to make a batch of nachos by spreading it on top of tortilla chips and adding your favorite toppings.
  • Salads. Combine your favorite salad ingredients, then add the shredded chicken on top for a healthy dinner idea.
  • With toppings. Add toppings to your shredded chicken for even more flavor! No matter how you serve it, you could top your chicken with sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, salsa, chopped cilantro, jalapeno slices, lime wedges, or tortilla strips.

A bowl of cooked Tex Mex chicken with kernel corn and black beans beside a plate with some festive taco chips and a blob of sour cream

How Do I Store Tex Mex Chicken?

Since this easy chicken recipe is so delicious, you might want to make extras so you have leftovers! If you do have some chicken left when dinner is through, make sure to transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The chicken will stay good for up to four days.

The cooked chicken can also be kept in the freezer for more long-term storage. Make sure to allow the chicken to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer bag or storage container. You can keep the cooked chicken in the freezer for up to four months.

To reheat the Mexican chicken, make sure to allow it to thaw completely. Then, cook it in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet over medium low heat.Tex Mex Chicken in a crock pot with the lid off. Bits of chicken along with a sprinkle of kernel corn and black beans are floating on top of the rich brown liquid in the pot.

Tex Mex Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4
Calories: 902 kcal
Ingredients
  • 3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 oz. cream cheese cubed
  • 15 oz. kernel corn drained
  • 19 oz. black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
  • 4 oz. diced green chilies
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Place the chicken breasts or thighs in a large resealable freezer bag, along with the onion, taco seasoning, garlic, cream cheese, corn, black beans, salsa, and green chilies.

  2. Squeeze the ingredients together in the bag to mix, then remove excess air and seal the bag.
  3. Place the bags flat in the freezer until you’re ready to cook your Tex Mex chicken.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Pour the ingredients into the bowl of your slow cooker and place the lid on top. Set to cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

  3. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and shred it with a fork. Serve with rice or tortillas.