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Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken

Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken is a Mexican-American main dish with creamy elote-style sauce, shredded chicken, and sweet charred corn flavors. Cook it low for hours, then finish on high to blend the seasoning before serving over rice or tortillas.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts raw
Corn and peppers
  • 2 cup corn kernels
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
Aromatics and seasonings
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp cumin teaspoon in recipe
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
Creamy elote-style sauce
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 0.5 cup sour cream added at end
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise added at end
For serving
  • 1 cotija cheese crumbles
  • 1 tsp chili powder for topping
  • 1 cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 rice or tortillas

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Slow cook the chicken
  1. Place the raw chicken breasts into the slow cooker, then add the corn kernels, diced green chiles, diced onion, minced garlic, and chicken broth. Add the cubed cream cheese, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, spreading seasonings across the top so they dissolve into the sauce as it cooks.
  2. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours (or High for 3 hours) until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart. Visual cue: the cream cheese should be fully melted and the mixture should look creamy and thick with visible corn throughout.
Shred and finish the sauce
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker, then stir everything together so the sauce coats the meat evenly. Visual cue: you should no longer see large chunks of chicken and the mixture should look uniformly creamy.
  2. Stir in the sour cream and mayonnaise, then cook on High for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Visual cue: the sauce will loosen slightly and turn glossy as the dairy fully integrates.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm over rice or in tortillas. Visual cue: the top should look creamy with flecks of chili and corn.
  2. Top each serving with cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime wedges. Visual cue: cotija should look crumbly and lightly speckled over the chicken before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: cube the cream cheese and add it early so it melts smoothly into the broth instead of clumping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth. Freezing is okay for up to 2 months, though the sauce can thicken—stir well when reheating. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and light sour cream to reduce calories while keeping the creamy elote-style texture.