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A close-up of slow cooker street corn chicken, garnished with fresh cilantro and cotija cheese.

Slow Cooker Elote Chicken

This Slow Cooker Elote Chicken recipe combines tender shredded chicken with a creamy, zesty street corn mixture, all easily made in one pot. It's perfect for a flavorful and fuss-free weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • forks
  • cutting board
  • medium bowl

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

  • 1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder

For the Street Corn Mixture:

  • 4 cups corn fresh, frozen, or canned and drained
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise or Mexican crema
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp chili powder or more, to taste
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

For the Toppings (Choose your favorites!):

  • Crumbled cotija cheese Choose your favorites!
  • Thinly sliced jalapeños fresh or pickled
  • Extra fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges
  • Hot sauce like Cholula or Valentina
  • Diced red onion
  • Avocado slices or guacamole

Instructions
 

Chicken Preparation

  • Place chicken in the slow cooker with chicken broth, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until chicken is fork-tender.
  • Remove chicken and shred with two forks, then set aside.

Corn Mixture & Combining

  • In a medium bowl, combine corn, mayonnaise (or crema), cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper, then mix well.
  • Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the corn mixture.
  • Cook on low for 15-30 minutes, or until heated through and flavors are melded.

Serving & Toppings

  • Ladle the chicken and corn mixture into bowls or onto tortillas.
  • Top generously with crumbled cotija cheese, sliced jalapeños, extra cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, diced red onion, or avocado slices.

Notes

For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the street corn mixture. This recipe is also great for meal prepping; simply store in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.