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Two-ingredient Mexican pulled chicken

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 1¾ lbs chicken breasts
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 12 oz. jar of salsa, no added sugar

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the salsa to the slow cooker and stir to cover the chicken in salsa.
  3. Cook on low for 2 hours.
  4. Shred the chicken using two forks. Return to the slow cooker for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
  5. Serve with a salad of your choice.

Choosing a salsa

We recommend choosing a salsa with no added sugar that is low in carbs. Check the label, and aim for one with no more than 3 grams of net carbs per 100-gram serving.

We used a mild red salsa for this recipe, but go with whatever you prefer! Green tomatillo salsas are great, as are chipotle varieties for a smoky finish.

Instant Pot instructions

Add the chicken and salsa to the Instant Pot; seal the pot.

Cook for 10 minutes, then leave to rest for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually.

Proceed with step 4 of the recipe.

Dutch oven instructions

Add the chicken and salsa to a heavy cast iron pot. Cover with lid.

Cook in a preheated oven (210°F/ 120°C) for 3 hours. Proceed with step 4 of the recipe.

Quick stovetop method

Does the slow cooker or oven method take too long? No Instant Pot? No worries, here’s a quick way to get this on the table:

Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil into a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Pour in the salsa and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a soft boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Slice or shred to serve.

Dress it up!

You can enjoy this with a simple salad, bell peppers or slaw on the side, or go to town with cauliflower rice, avocado, more salsa, cheese, and sour cream as in our Low carb chicken burrito bowl with cauliflower rice

Spice it up!

To boost the flavor of your shredded chicken even more, feel free to sprinkle it with salt, pepper, chili, cayenne, garlic, onion, cumin, and/or oregano before you cook it.