Santa Fe Chicken Recipe with Peppers and Black Beans

Easy Chicken Santa Fe is a fuss-free slow cooker dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. This creamy, slightly spicy dish combines chicken, black beans, corn and salsa, and finishes with cream cheese for a rich sauce. Serve it over rice, in tortillas, or as a taco filling—everyone can top their own plate to taste.

Easy Chicken Santa Fe

This recipe is straightforward and family friendly. It’s assembled quickly and left to cook in the slow cooker, so it’s ideal for days when you need something hands-off but satisfying. The flavors are classic Southwestern: beans, corn and salsa combined with tender chicken make a hearty, comforting meal.

How to make Chicken Santa Fe

No advanced cooking skills are required. Everything is added to the slow cooker, cooked until the chicken is tender, shredded or cut, then mixed with cream cheese to create a creamy sauce. The basic process is simple and reliable, making this a great recipe for weeknights, potlucks or casual family dinners.

What you’ll need

• One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• One 10–12 ounce bag frozen corn (or one 15-ounce can drained)
• 1 cup bottled chunky salsa
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 18 ounces) — thighs stay moist in the slow cooker
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks
• Hot steamed rice, for serving (optional)
• Toppings as desired: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese, avocado, etc.

Prep and cook time • Servings

Prep: about 20 minutes. Cook: about 3 hours on HIGH. Total time: approximately 3 hours 20 minutes. Serves 6.

Instructions

1. Place the rinsed and drained black beans and the frozen (or canned) corn in the slow cooker. Add ½ cup of the salsa and spread evenly.
2. Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the bean and corn mixture. Spoon the remaining salsa over the chicken so it’s lightly coated.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
4. Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. Cut into bite-sized pieces or shred the meat, discarding any bones if using bone-in thighs.
5. Return the chicken to the slow cooker. Add the cream cheese in chunks and stir until it melts and forms a creamy sauce that coats the chicken and vegetables.
6. To serve: Spoon the chicken mixture over hot steamed rice, or use it as a taco filling. Offer shredded lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheddar and avocado so everyone can customize their plate.

Tips, variations and serving ideas

• Leftover cooked turkey works great in place of the chicken—heat gently on the stove until warmed through rather than using the slow cooker.
• If you prefer to skip the cream cheese, the combination of beans, corn, salsa and chicken is still delicious and lighter—serve over rice or in tortillas.
• For a gluten-free version, serve in corn tortillas or over rice; use gluten-free tortillas for tacos.
• Chicken thighs tolerate slow cooker heat better than breasts and stay more moist. If using breasts, watch cooking time to prevent drying out.
• To speed melting of the cream cheese, cut it into smaller pieces before adding it to the hot slow cooker mixture.
• Oven option: you can bake this at 350°F for about 70 minutes if you don’t want to use a slow cooker—cover the baking dish to retain moisture.

Other slow cooker recipe ideas you might enjoy

• Taco Soup
• Slow Cooker Pork Barbecue
• Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chicken Parmigiana Meatloaf
• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
• Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
• Carnitas
• Black Forest Pot Roast

Notes

• Nutritional information below does not include rice or optional toppings.
• If you’re tracking Weight Watchers (WW) points, choose reduced-fat cream cheese to lower point values.
• To use bone-in thighs: remove skin before cooking. After cooking, remove the thighs, discard the bones, shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker.
• If you are watching calories or fat, omit the cream cheese—the dish is still flavorful without it.

This Easy Chicken Santa Fe is dependable, adaptable and consistently popular with families. It’s an excellent way to feed a crowd without a lot of hands-on time, and the leftovers reheat well for quick lunches or dinners the next day.