Hearty 3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice: Your Ultimate Slow Cooker Comfort Meal

When the craving for truly satisfying comfort food strikes, look no further than this incredibly flavorful and wonderfully filling 3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice. It’s the perfect dish to warm you from the inside out, especially on a chilly evening, and promises a delightful blend of textures and spices that the whole family will adore. This recipe leverages the magic of your slow cooker to deliver maximum taste with minimal effort, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.

The Undeniable Appeal of Slow Cooker Meals

In our increasingly hectic lives, finding ways to prepare wholesome, home-cooked meals without spending hours in the kitchen is a game-changer. That’s precisely why I’ve become such a devoted fan of my slow cooker. It’s an indispensable kitchen appliance for managing a busy schedule. The beauty of a slow cooker is its ability to transform simple ingredients into deeply flavored dishes with practically no hands-on time. Just toss everything in, set it, and forget it – returning later to a delicious aroma and a ready-to-eat dinner. This convenience allows me to focus on other tasks, whether it’s work, errands, or simply enjoying some downtime, knowing that a hearty meal is gently simmering away. We frequently rely on our crockpot for beloved recipes like crockpot macaroni and cheese, which exemplifies how easy and rewarding slow cooking can be.

While I’m a huge fan of chicken, I often find myself falling into a rut, preparing the same few dinners repeatedly. To break this cycle and infuse some excitement into our meal plan, I recently took an inventory of my refrigerator and pantry. It’s amazing what culinary inspiration can strike when you simply survey what you already have on hand. What emerged from this spontaneous inventory was the perfect combination of ingredients for a fantastic slow cooker chicken dinner that was both innovative and incredibly simple to execute.

Crafting the Perfect Salsa Base

The star of this dish, aside from the tender chicken and robust beans, is undoubtedly the salsa. For this particular recipe, I was fortunate to have a generous batch of my homemade salsa from canned tomatoes leftover from taco night. Using homemade salsa adds an unparalleled freshness and depth of flavor that can elevate any dish. However, if you don’t have homemade salsa readily available, a 16-ounce jar of your favorite store-bought salsa will work perfectly and still deliver fantastic results. Choose a mild, medium, or hot salsa depending on your preference for heat; the versatility of this recipe allows for easy customization to suit every palate.

Beyond Winter: Embracing the Slow Cooker Year-Round

There was a time when I reserved my slow cooker strictly for the colder winter months, associating it primarily with hearty stews and roasts designed for comfort in icy weather. However, my perspective has dramatically shifted over the past couple of years. The sheer convenience of the slow cooker has made it an essential tool for my busiest days, which seem to have become the norm lately. Even as the weather begins to warm up and I find myself dreaming of summer evenings spent on the deck with a glass of wine, the slow cooker remains my go-to for effortless meals. Its ability to cook without heating up the entire kitchen is an added bonus during warmer seasons, making it truly a year-round culinary hero.

Speaking of warming weather and simple joys, it’s wonderful to witness the return of spring. Just recently, my guinea pigs, the “piggies,” enjoyed their first outdoor munching session of the season. They could only stay out for a short period before catching a chill, but their delight in fresh grass was evident. It’s these small, fleeting moments that remind us to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, much like savoring a delicious, easy-to-prepare meal.

Here are some recent glimpses of the weather and nature from my Instagram account, capturing the transition into warmer days:

That same day, I celebrated the first outdoor grilling session of the season. Simple hamburgers, but there’s something incredibly refreshing about cooking and eating outdoors after a long winter spent cooped up. Hamburgers, grilled green beans, and a glass of wine – life truly felt good in that moment. It’s a testament to how the simplest things can bring immense satisfaction.

The lake nearby recently shed its icy captivity, a sight I had been eagerly anticipating for months. I love to stop by and capture photos, especially as the sun dips below the horizon. The sunsets over this lake are nothing short of spectacular! I snapped this shot less than a week ago, on a typical spring day in Wisconsin – a bit cloudy, mildly warm, with the unmistakable scent of rain lingering in the air. Yesterday, however, when I stepped out of my car after coming home, the air was pure bliss. I found myself repeatedly taking deep breaths, so enchanted by the scent that I almost didn’t want to go inside!

While the Wisconsin landscape is still largely brown as spring unfolds, with grass yet to flourish and trees just hinting at buds, these early stages still offer stunning backdrops for a sunset. I captured this particular shot last night after picking up my son. I pulled over to the side of the road to get the perfect angle. My kids used to find my spontaneous photo stops quite peculiar, but now they’ve become my helpful lookouts, often shouting, “Wait, Mom, there’s a car coming, it’ll get in your shot!” Their newfound understanding of my photography quirks is rather amusing.

I also managed to capture this striking image last night. The sky was breathtaking, and I was actively scouting different trees to create a captivating silhouette. The challenge with capturing these moments, however, is the rapid descent of the sun. You have a very limited window to find the perfect composition before the light completely fades. In fact, the time I spent searching for an ideal tree for this shot cost me the opportunity to photograph the sunset over the lake. By the time I passed the lake again, the sun had already disappeared, taking all those vibrant, beautiful hues with it. It was a reminder to appreciate each fleeting moment.

If you enjoy the images I share and want to see more, you can always find me here on Instagram: Amanda on Instagram – @amandaformaro.

Back to Our Flavorful Chicken Creation!

So, after that delightful detour into the beauty of spring, let’s circle back to our star dish: the 3 Bean Salsa Chicken. With a demanding schedule that includes preparing to fly out of town next week for the SNAP Conference, followed by a trip to General Mills in Minneapolis, all while working towards a book deadline, my crockpot has been an absolute lifesaver. Standing at the stove for extended periods simply isn’t an option these days, and my slow cooker consistently delivers delicious, fuss-free meals.

This 3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice was a huge hit in our household, and I genuinely hope you’ll enjoy it just as much. It’s incredibly simple to assemble, requiring minimal prep, and when served generously over a bed of fluffy rice, it transforms into a deeply satisfying and complete meal. It’s hearty, healthy, and packed with a fantastic blend of Southwestern-inspired flavors that will undoubtedly become a regular in your meal rotation. The combination of tender chicken, savory salsa, and a trio of wholesome beans creates a robust and comforting experience.

NOTE: The full, printable recipe card with exact measurements and instructions can be found at the very end of this post. Simply click the little printer icon for a printer-friendly version.

Step-by-Step Assembly: Effortless Slow Cooker Magic

One of the best aspects of this recipe is its straightforward preparation. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can get this meal started, allowing the slow cooker to do all the heavy lifting.

First, begin by pouring the salsa, chicken broth, and green chiles directly into the bottom of your slow cooker. Give these ingredients a quick stir to combine them thoroughly, creating a fragrant base for our chicken and beans.

Next, take your three varieties of beans – cannellini, black, and garbanzo (chickpeas) – and ensure they are well-drained and rinsed. Rinsing canned beans helps to remove excess sodium and any starchy residue, resulting in a cleaner flavor. Stir these colorful beans into the salsa mixture in the slow cooker, ensuring they are evenly distributed.

Finally, add your cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the mixture. Gently stir one last time to ensure the chicken pieces are coated with the delicious salsa and submerged in the liquid. Once everything is combined, simply cover your slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours. This extended cooking time allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the chicken to become incredibly tender and juicy.

Serve this fantastic 3 Bean Salsa Chicken over a bed of freshly cooked rice for a hearty, wholesome, and truly satisfying home-cooked meal. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, or a squeeze of lime juice for an extra burst of flavor. Enjoy every delicious spoonful!

More of My Favorite Recipes

I know many of you, like me, appreciate the ease and deliciousness that slow cookers bring to the kitchen. So, I’ve curated a selection of some of my absolute favorite slow cooker recipes to inspire your next meal. These are tried-and-true dishes that deliver on flavor and convenience. You can explore my full collection of slow cooker recipes here.

If it’s chicken that’s specifically calling your name, I’ve also put together a selection of my all-time favorite chicken recipes. While I have many beloved dishes, these are some of my most reliable go-to dinners that consistently deliver flavor and satisfaction. You can explore all my chicken recipes here.

3 Bean Salsa Chicken & Rice

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: 6 servings

7 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 pounds about 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cubed
• ▢ 1 16- ounce jar salsa
• ▢ 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 4- ounce can green chiles
• ▢ 1 15- ounce can cannellini beans
• ▢ 1 15- ounce can black beans
• ▢ 1 15- ounce can garbonzo beans chick peas
• ▢ Cooked rice

Instructions

• Combine salsa, broth and green chiles in the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Drain and rinse all beans and stir into salsa mixture in slow cooker.
• Stir in chicken cubes.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over cooked rice.

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The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.

Thank you for joining me on this culinary journey. Until next time, happy cooking!