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Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken

Slow cooker street corn chicken is a set-and-forget crockpot elote chicken with fall-apart shredded chicken in a thick, smoky street corn sauce. Topped with cotija and chili powder, it’s a cheesy Tex-Mex street corn dinner served over rice.
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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 seasoning
  • 2 lb chicken breasts Use boneless, skinless for easiest shredding.
  • 1 salt and pepper Season to taste.
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Street corn sauce
  • 2 cup frozen corn, thawed Thaw before adding so the sauce thickens evenly.
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
Toppings and serving
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 fresh cilantro and lime for serving Use for garnish and extra lime wedges at the table.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Add in step 2 (1/2 cup).

Equipment

  • 1 crockpot

Method
 

Season and layer in the crockpot
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
  2. Add the thawed corn, diced green chiles, cubed cream cheese, lime juice, and chicken broth (1/2 cup) over the chicken.
Cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3–4 hours) until the chicken is extremely tender and shreds easily, with no remaining firmness in the center.
Shred and make the creamy street corn sauce
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot with two forks until mostly falling-apart strands fill the sauce.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise and sour cream until the mixture turns creamy and fully combined, with a thick, even coating on the chicken.
Serve
  1. Serve the street corn chicken topped with cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges over rice or in tortillas for a saucy, cheesy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Cube the cream cheese and let it melt fully during the cook so the sauce turns thick and smooth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water/broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because mayonnaise and sour cream can break when thawed, but you can freeze the cooked shredded chicken mixture without the dairy for up to 2 months and stir in mayo/sour cream after reheating. For a lighter option, use light cream cheese and light sour cream (texture will be slightly less rich).