Go Back

Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken

Slow cooker street corn chicken turns tender shredded chicken into a thick, smoky elote-style sauce with cotija and chili powder. It’s set-and-forget crockpot elote chicken that’s creamy, flavorful, and spoonable over rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and sauce base
  • 2 lb chicken breasts Use boneless, skinless for faster shredding.
  • 2 cup frozen corn Thaw before adding to the crockpot.
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 4 oz cream cheese Cube it so it melts smoothly.
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp lime juice Fresh juice gives best flavor.
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Salt and pepper Add to taste.
  • 1 cup chicken broth About 1/2 cup; used only during cooking for sauce thickness.
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Crumbled for topping.
  • 1 fresh cilantro Chopped, for serving.
  • 1 lime wedges For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and start the crockpot
  1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Make sure the seasonings coat the top of the chicken for even flavor.
  2. Add corn, green chiles, cream cheese, lime juice, and chicken broth (1/2 cup) over the chicken. Spread the cream cheese cubes so they sit in contact with the hot ingredients.
Cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3–4 hours until the chicken is extremely tender. You want the chicken to shred easily with light pressure.
Shred and finish the creamy street corn sauce
  1. Shred chicken directly in the crockpot with two forks. Stir so the shredded chicken mixes through the sauce.
  2. Stir in mayonnaise and sour cream until everything is creamy and combined. Cook on low for 5 minutes if needed to fully melt and homogenize the sauce, keeping it at a gentle simmer.
Serve
  1. Serve topped with cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges over rice or in tortillas. Add the lime wedges at the end for bright freshness.

Notes

Pro tip: Cube the cream cheese and place it on top so it melts into the sauce while the chicken cooks. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months (cotija and cilantro are best added after reheating). For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for light mayo or use half the amount and increase sour cream slightly.