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Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken

Slow cooker street corn chicken with an elote-style, creamy sauce and tender shredded chicken—made in the crockpot for easy weeknight servings. Charred corn flavor comes from sweet corn kernels folded into the seasoned, cheesy broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts raw
corn kernels
  • 2 cup corn kernels
diced green chiles
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic minced
chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
cream cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream added at end
mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise added at end
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese for serving
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro for serving
lime wedges
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
rice
  • 3 cup rice or tortillas, for serving
tortillas
  • 6 tortillas or rice, for serving
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Add ingredients to the slow cooker
  1. Place the raw chicken in the slow cooker, then add the corn, diced green chiles, diced onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, cubed cream cheese, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Spread everything into an even layer so the chicken steams and cooks consistently.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork (or cook on High for about 3 hours).
  2. Check once near the end for tenderness; if the center is still firm, continue cooking and re-check every 20-30 minutes.
Shred and finish the creamy sauce
  1. Shred the chicken in the sauce, then stir until the chicken is evenly coated with the creamy base.
  2. Stir in the sour cream and mayonnaise, then mix until smooth and glossy.
Blend flavors and season
  1. Cook on High for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve street-corn style
  1. Serve the chicken over rice or in tortillas.
  2. Top with cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: cube and add the cream cheese early so it melts fully into the broth by the time the chicken is tender. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is not recommended for the best creamy texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and light sour cream (same method).