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Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken

Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken makes tender shredded chicken in a creamy elote-style sauce with charred corn flavor. Cook on Low until very tender, then finish with sour cream, mayonnaise, and a quick High cook for a cohesive, spoonable texture.
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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
  • 0.25 cup cotija cheese
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
lime wedges
  • 1 lime wedges
rice or tortillas
  • 1 rice or tortillas
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Start the slow cooker
  1. Add the raw chicken breasts to the slow cooker, then distribute the corn kernels, diced green chiles, diced onion, minced garlic, and chicken broth around and over the chicken. The mixture should look evenly spread with chicken largely covered.
  2. Add the cubed cream cheese, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika to the slow cooker. Scatter the cream cheese pieces so they melt into the broth, creating a creamy base.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 5-6 hours or High for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender. You should be able to pull the chicken apart with a fork and see sauce thicken.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the chicken, shred it, then return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. The sauce should cling to the chicken in a creamy, even layer.
  2. Stir in the sour cream and mayonnaise, mixing until smooth and incorporated. The color should turn brighter and creamier with no dry spots.
  3. Switch to High and cook for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. The mixture should become cohesive and slightly thicker.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir once more. Taste and adjust until the flavors are balanced.
  5. Serve the chicken over rice or in tortillas. Top each portion with cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: cube the cream cheese and add it early so it fully melts into the broth during the long cook—this keeps the sauce silky instead of grainy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because sour cream can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use light cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream.