Pour raw bone-in chicken legs in the slow cooker and 3 other ingredients to get a meal so delicious your family will be begging for more!

This 4-ingredient slow cooker May 5th festivities chicken is the kind of easy, set-it-and-forget-it dish I lean on when the family is coming over and I’d rather be visiting than fussing at the stove. It starts with raw bone-in chicken legs, just like we used to buy from the little butcher in town, and bathes them in a bright, fiesta-colored sauce of tomatoes and spices. The slow cooker does all the work, turning simple pantry staples into tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken with a deep, smoky warmth that feels right at home on a May 5th table or any busy weeknight.

Serve these saucy chicken legs over warm rice or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up every bit of that crimson and amber cooking liquid. They’re wonderful tucked into warm flour or corn tortillas with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and a spoonful of sour cream. Add a side of corn, a simple green salad, or skillet-fried potatoes to keep that hearty Midwestern feel. A bowl of chips and salsa or some sliced avocado on the table makes it feel just a little more festive without adding any extra work.

Servings: 4–6

3–3.5 pounds raw bone-in chicken legs (drumsticks, skin-on or skinless)

Place the raw bone-in chicken legs in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, arranging them in a single, snug layer as much as possible. It’s fine if they overlap slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the salsa, red enchilada sauce, and taco seasoning mix. Stir well until the seasoning is fully dissolved into the bright crimson and amber-speckled sauce.

Pour the salsa mixture evenly over the raw chicken legs in the slow cooker, making sure all the chicken is coated and the legs are resting in the colorful liquid.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). The meat should pull away from the bone easily.

Once cooked, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if you like with a pinch of salt or pepper. Gently skim off any excess fat from the top of the liquid with a spoon if desired.

Serve the chicken legs hot, spooning some of the crimson and amber cooking liquid over the top of each piece. If you prefer, you can remove the meat from the bones and shred it right in the slow cooker, then stir it back into the sauce before serving.

For a little creaminess, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt into the hot sauce right before serving, but keep in mind that this would be a fifth ingredient if added. If your family likes extra heat, use hot salsa or add a pinch of crushed red pepper along with the taco seasoning. To keep things very mild for little ones, choose mild salsa and a mild taco seasoning packet. You can also use skinless chicken legs to reduce the fat in the finished dish; if using skin-on, you may want to chill the cooked sauce briefly and skim the hardened fat from the top before reheating and serving. For a slightly thicker sauce, remove the cooked chicken to a plate, turn the slow cooker to HIGH, and let the sauce bubble with the lid off for 15–20 minutes before returning the chicken. Always handle raw chicken with care: wash your hands, utensils, and cutting boards thoroughly after contact, and never reuse marinades or liquids that have touched raw poultry unless they have been fully cooked. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part near the bone, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers.