taco chicken bowls $10.66 recipe / $1.33 serving
This recipe is definitely "slow-cooker 101". It's probably one of the first recipes that most people learn to make in their slow-cooker. In fact, some version of it is probably included in that little mini recipe book that comes with the slow-cooker when you buy it. BUT, I had to post it because I know there are probably a lot of you who haven't made it yet and I can't bear the thought of you missing out. This recipe is great for bachelors, students, or the chronically busy because it's a "dump and heat" recipe. All you do is dump all of the ingredients together in a pot, and let it cook. Of course you'll need to make the rice separate but even if you're one of those people who can never get rice right, there is hope. Just stuff the chicken mixture inside of a tortilla with cheese for a quick burrito or fold it over in a tortilla and crisp it up in a skillet like a quesadilla. Presto. Easy, delicious, cheap food.
I'm a black bean lover so next time I'm going to use two cans (or two can's worth of homemade) beans and extend the recipe even further.
Oh, also, this freezes well. Cheese and all. Then just nuke and stir for a couple minutes until hot. Instant freezer meal!
Okay, one more thing. If you for some strange reason need this recipe to be even easier or you don't have a well stocked spice cabinet, just substitute a packet of taco seasoning for all of the spices and herbs that I used below.
Taco Chicken Bowls
Total Recipe cost: $10.66
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $1.33
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 8 hrs. Total: 8 hrs. 10 min.
| INGREDIENTS | COST | |
| 1.5 lbs. | chicken breasts | $2.90 |
| 1 (16 oz.) jar | salsa | $1.99 |
| 1 (15 oz.) can | black beans, drained | $1.19 |
| 1/2 lb. (8 oz.) | frozen corn | $0.57 |
| 1 Tbsp | chili powder | $0.15 |
| 1/2 Tbsp | cumin | $0.07 |
| 1/2 Tbsp | minced garlic | $0.10 |
| 1/2 tsp | dried oregano | $0.03 |
| 1/4 tsp | cayenne pepper | $0.02 |
| 1/4 tsp | salt | $0.02 |
| to taste | cracked pepper | $0.02 |
| 2 cups | dry rice | $0.66 |
| 8 oz. | shredded cheddar | $2.49 |
| 1/2 bunch | cilantro (optional) | $0.45 |
| TOTAL | $10.66 | |
STEP 1: Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.
STEP 2: Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.
STEP 3: Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).
STEP 4: After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.
Step By Step Photos
This is the chicken that I bought. I usually buy a 5 lb. package to get a good price but even this 3 lb. package was priced super low! I used half and froze the other half for another recipe later. You can also use chicken thighs for a richer flavor (more fat) or bone in chicken and then just remove the bones after cooking.
Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Easy.
Add the rest of the ingredients (salsa, drained beans, corn, herbs & spices) plust 1/4 cup water. Easy.
Stir everything together and then make sure the chicken is pushed down below the sauce. Easy.
Secure the lid and cook on low for 8 hours. Easy.
Stir it up and give it a few good pokes with a fork to shred the chicken. It will be so tender that it will practically shred on its own. Easy.
Cook some rice. Semi-easy.
Put the rice, taco chicken mixture, cheese, and cilantro in a bowl. Eat. BAM. Easy.
I can't wait to make this again and again and again... and experiment with different salsa flavors. I keep thinking about chipotle peach or PINEAPPLE! YUM!
149 comments:
My mouth is literally watering, this sounds so good to me right now! I love to use the slow cooker as much as I can. In fact, you've got me sold on slow cooker black beans. One question for this recipe: I usually have my chicken frozen. Can I just dump it in like that and add more time for the cook, or should I thaw it out first?
Definitely thaw it first. It's never a good idea to add frozen meat to a slow cooker because it can take too long to come up to temperature and then it's at a food poisoning risk (even if the bugs get killed when it heats up, they may leave behind toxins).
That looks ridiculously delicious! Definitely going to have to try it out this week.
I'm trying this out today! It sounds delicious :) Although I'm doing it sans black beans, seeing as we don't have any--I keep forgetting to pick up more at the grocery :/
This sounds really yummy. It'll be great for busy nights when I don't have the time or energy to turn on the oven. Thanks so much for sharing it!
What do you think about adding fresh bell pepper and onions a la chipotle? Should I add those during the cooking time or sautee them up and add them later? I don't really like corn but I'd love to experiment with other veggies.
You're great. SERIOUSLY! lol Will try this for my husband. This also looks like it would freeze well. Another plus! :)
I really like your idea V. I want to make this but add some more veggies too it. xD I was thinking about adding diced tomato's, onion, and thinly sliced bell peppers. I plan to saute the bell peppers because they're so firm but I like the idea of crunchy onion in it. I'm also going to substitute the cilantro for parsley because the people I cook for are kind of picky. haha Let me know how yours turns out! :)
V- I would add them either fresh for a nice crunch or saute them up really quickly (fajita style) in a super hot skillet then add them on top. I wouldn't add them in before cooking because they'll pretty much disintegrate into the sauce :P A nice fresh pico de gallo would be amazing as well! Oooh, or some avocado!
This looks amazing and so easy! Thanks for sharing :)
easy recipes are good! thanks for this one.
Look delicious! :D
I am all about the slow cooker, right now I have pulled pork tacos simmering for tonight. Can't wait to try it!
My almost 20yo son is moving into his first apartment at school this year, I'll have to print this out and give it to him, I think he could handle this!
This is my favorite thing I've made from your recipes! It turned out perfect and a lot like my current vice (chipotle!) Thank you again!
Oh, and I mixed some lime juice and cilantro with the rice and it was heaven with the chicken.
That looks absolutely delicious! I honestly cannot wait to try it :)
This was honestly the most deliciously simple thing I've ever made! AND I didn't use black beans and used bulgur instead of white rice--so healthy and great!
What a good idea to add in black beans and corn. DUH!
This is my kind of recipe. So very simple and delicious!
I made this tonight...only on top of the stove because I was pressed for time with 4 "starving" children :-D It turned out wonderfully and made enough to serve for lunch tomorrow (make it into burritos!)
This was delicious! I used a Rival 5 qt crockpot and 2 lbs of chicken. Flavor-wise it was perfectly fine to add that extra bit of chicken. I checked it after 5 hours and it was more than "done".... (on the low setting). My W-S Food Made Fast Slow Cooker Cookbook has much shorter times for the chicken dishes.
Sooo....I've never used a crock pot before - and now I'm counting down the hours until I can have this for dinner!
This was delicious! I think that some chopped up avocados on top would've made an already excellent recipe even better.
Yum! I am linking back to you tomorrow on my August menu! www.craftybalancing.blogspot.com
making this tonight for dinner! soooo easy -- love using the slow cooker because i can make it during my daughter's nap & don't have to worry about dinner :) may sound strange, but i added olives & instead of the black beans, used pinto simply b/c we didn't have any. can't wait to eat dinner tonight!!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so good. I can't wait to try your other recipes.
I made this for dinner tonight! Ohemgee! SO SO SO good! I kept saying to my husband, "Oh, my gosh this is so good!". I will for sure be making this again. I did like the idea of trying out different salsa's so I'm anxious give that a try!
Made this Sunday night and we ate it over rice but then we used the leftovers and made yummy quesadillas...The kids 3 years and 10 months scarfed it down and I have a hard time to get them to eat corn and beans so itw as perfect...and it was two meals in one which made a Monday night so easy...Thanks for the recipe...
Hello fellow food blogger! Love your blog and this taco chicken bowl is great!
I was wondering, have you ever blog hopped before? We'd love it if you contributed this awesome taco bowl recipe to our blog hop budget-friendly recipes. It's a great way to get links back to your site. Hope to see you there!
You can check out the blog hop here:
http://www.recipelionblog.com/fabulous-food-friday-august-blog-hop/
Thanks,
Sarah @ Recipelion.com
Could you do this with salsa Verde?
Anon - Yep, you can use any flavor salsa!
Just made this for dinner in a burrito wrap with the chipotle knock-off cilantro lime rice (and a small scoop of guacamole). Two very excited thumbs up, this is awesome! Thanks for the recipe :)
My family loved this recipe...my 17 year old daughter went back for 2nds, and asked if she could also take some for her school lunch the next day! I actually forgot to serve the cheese on top, but nobody missed it. Although someone did say it would be good with sour cream, and I think it would!
For anyone who has a fast/hot crock pot, like me...I added 1 cup of extra water and it could have used even more as there was no liquid in my pot when I got home. Add more spices if you add more water. Very good recipe and I'm sure I'll be making this often! Thank you :)
I haven't invested in a crock pot yet... But I do have a large Dutch Oven. Any ideas how I could make that work? I'm very much a cooking newbie.
MJ - yes, actually, a crock pot is just like an electric dutch oven! They both have the same method: cooking in a closed container (to retain moisture) with heat coming from all sides. You could probably even do this in a regular pot on the stove. Just let it simmer over low heat for a couple of hours or until the chicken shreds easily. I simmered some chicken with beans on the stove the other day and it was tender after 3 hours of cooking on low. You'll need to bring it up to a boil over medium/high heat just to get it hot before turning the heat down to low for the rest of the duration. I hope that helps! Beth
Great recipe! We had this for dinner tonight and I love how tender the chicken comes out. We will definitely be making this again and again. This recipe fed my family of 5 (although tow of them are only 2) and there was plenty to put in the freezer for another meal.
I have a pressure cooker with a slow cooker function but can't seem to find any information on that part of the cooker. Do you think the recipe would do well in a pressure cooker...maybe 30 minutes?
Shawnta - I bet it would work great in a pressure cooker although I have no idea how long because I've never used one :( If you can find a pressure cooker recipe for pulled pork or something like that, I'm sure the cooking time would be similar. Good luck!
Just made it tonight and it was delish!
can you cook this on high for less time in the crockpot?
Anon - yes, you can cook it on high and it will probably only take half the time! As soon as it shreds easily with a fork, it's done. :)
Thanks Beth!! I am making it now on high!!! :) You rock!
Beth, thank you for posting such a wonderful dish. My whole famiily, including our two-year old son, loved it and even wanted seconds!
Delicious! Thank you!
anyway you can do a nutritional breakdown of this recipe and others
I am in a group where we are doing 10 freezer meals and exchanging them once a month. I love this recipe and would love to make it for our freezer meal group, but I'm unsure if I should cook everything first and then freeze it or just dump all the ingredients (except cheese, rice and cilantro) in a ziploc bag and freeze it. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Julie - You'll definitely have better results if you freeze first then cook later. That being said, you *can* cook, portion, and then freeze (rice and all)... you'll just sacrifice a little on the texture and flavor. It just depends on if you want fast/easy reheating or longer cooking and better flavor and texture?
making this for dinner tonight! it looks SO yummy!
I made this tonight and it was great ... my whole family liked it! I served it over rice as you suggested but I think it would also be great over baked potatoes.
This has been my go-to budget freezer meal since you posted it! It's so yummy and having healthy frozen meals keeps me from hitting up the drive through. I usually double the black beans, and add raw, diced onions and green peppers, avocado and some fat free greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) before serving. After freezing, sometimes the meal reheats a little dry but a little extra salsa does the trick. I also just realized if you add the raw onion and green pepper, then freeze, the juice from the onion keeps the meal from drying out. Thank you for sharing this!
My chicken was only partially thawed out. Is that ok?
Laura - That should be okay! (sorry it took so long to respond)
Ok, so this is the most amazing chicken taco recipe EVER! Thank you so much for posting this! It is so moist and the chicken literally shreds with no effort :) My chicken was still partially thawed and it turned out just fine! I made the cilantro lime rice to go with it as well. Now back to my dinner :) (thank you again!)
Hi! Found this recipe on pintrest and tried it out tonight... Omgosh! So lovely! Everyone in my large family enjoyed it! Thank you so much! Will def be a part of our rotation!
We just had this for dinner and I had to comment. It was awesome! Thanks for a super recipe!!!
I made this for dinner tonight and oh.my.goodness. It was bliss in my mouth! I added sour cream, but other than that, made it exactly like your recipe. Will probably make once a month! Loved it! Thank you for your blog.
YumYum. I also wanted to add that anyone who makes rice frequently, or has trouble making it should try a small rice cooker. Just add rice, water and set the on swtich, it turns itself off when its done. It's sort of like a crock pot for rice, and I love it.
This sounds yummO!! What would be really great... is adding lime and cilantro to the rice. It is GREAT!
This makes a nice taco salad as well for those of us constantly watching our carbs!
So super yummy. I made this last night and we both went for seconds! I switched the black beans for kidney beans because that's what I had in the pantry, though. Still tasted great. And we added a bit of guacamole and sour cream on top. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Made this for supper tonight and it was delicious! I do, however, have a question. You state that the recipe has 8 servings-- what serving size is this? A lot of recipes have the servings per recipe, but don't have what the serving size is; then you're stuck having to measure your entire pot/crockpot/pan of food and then dividing by the number of servings.
Cannot wait to try this! Looks awesome!
Does anyone know about how long this recipe takes when you cook it on high? This is literally the first time i've ever used a slow cooker (thank you Santa!) and i'm not sure if it's okay to open the lid and chek for doneness. It's been in about 3 hours now and smells AMAZING!
Gina - Slow cookers usually cook twice as fast on high as they do on low, so four hours should be safe!
After 4 hours it was absolutely perfect!!! Super delicious, even though i was very disappointed with a local salsa i bought (tasted like tomato sauce that needed sugar). It was STILL amazing!!!! I will sooooo be making this again! It was the perfect inaugural recipe for my crock pot :)
I made this for our Friday night dinner. It was very good. I served it with rice and tortillas. I also added a big can of diced tomatoes near the end of the cooking time. We have been eating on it all weekend because it made a big pot full. Will make this again.
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone LOVED it! Plus there is enough left over so we can eat it throughout the week. Thanks for sharing!!
Can I add some water or stock to this recipe? I made this and it was delicious, but it was pretty dry. I've had the same problem making pulled pork, even though I follow the recipes exactly- any tips would be appreciated!
Anon - Yes, you can definitely add water as needed. Everyone's slow cooker is a little different, some let more moisture escape than others. That sounds like the problem you've been running into. I would start with a cup of water and then add more during cooking if needed. Good luck!
I only have frozen chicken will this still work?
Yes, you can use frozen chicken. I would suggest thawing it in the refrigerator (put it in the fridge the day before) before making this, though. Adding frozen meat to a slow cooker can prevent the temperature from getting hot enough fast enough to be in the "safe zone". Or, you can cook it on high for an hour or so, then turn it down to low for the remaining 7 hours.
Thank you for the advice on adding a cup of water- dinner was great!!
This is awesome and only 3 weight watchers points without the rice!
This was a GREAT recipe. I love that you can use it for tacos or burritos or my son can use in his quesadillas, or like the recipe says, over rice...very versatile. I doubled the recipe and it made 9 cups of food, so I worked it out at 5.8 weight watchers points per cup, but I only used less than 1/2 cup to put in my 2 point corn & flax tortillas, so I had a great meal for only about 5 points.
I am going to try this recipe this week. I wanted to "pin" it but don't see a button for it. Are you on Pinterest?
Yummy! I used about 1/2 a jar of salsa + a little chicken stock to make it less spicy for my 4 kids.
Then my hubby & I just loaded on salsa in our own bowls. Plus we added avocado. Definitely something I'll make again. Thanks for all the fun recipes :)
Made this for tonight's dinner, and it turned out to be a big hit! My chicken was still frozen, so I cooked it on high for the first 4 hours, then cooked on low for 2-3. We will definitely be having this again!
I've never been able to cook rice according to the package directions very well. But, when I use your method of 2 cups of rice and 3 cups water for 20 min it seems to turn out perfect somehow! Thanks!
This meal is super good and easy too. I'm making it tonight since my in laws are coming into town and it feeds a lot of people easily. yum!
This is DELICIOUS!!!!! Next time, we are going to make some guacamole to put on top. Love how easy it was and the taste wasSO good. Love the cilantro on top!
I was channeling my inner-Beth yesterday while trying to figure out something else to do with some leftover pulled pork from the freezer that my husband had smoked several months ago, when I thought of this recipe. Whipped up a quick tomato sauce with a BBQ kick, added the pulled pork and some black beans, ladled it over some rice and topped with some cheese and a good pile of coleslaw, and VOILA, BBQ Pork Rice Bowls. Thanks for the inspiration!
This was awesome! My family loved it. Thanks for posting this.
I didn't read all the comments above, so please forgive me if this is repeated. I take a cup or two of minute rice and add it in the last hour of cooking. The rice absorbs the salsa and tastes wonderful, plus it's one less thing you have to do. Also, we take this and put it in burrito shells with sour cream and cheese! YUMMY!
Hi - I just wanted to say that I found this recipe through Pinterest & tried it today. It was great!! Everyone in my family loved it & we have plenty leftover for tomorrow. Thank you so much for your recipes. It doesn't get better than easy + healthy + delicious!
This meal was amazing! When I warmed up the leftovers in the office today I had people oohhing and ahhing all over. It was so yummy. Thanks!
amazing.. i made it without the corn (forgot it at the grocery store) and the cayenne pepper but it is delicious i love it!
Excellent! My new go-to chicken burrito/taco/rice bowl recipe.
My whole family gobbled this up! I had made a crock pot taco chicken recipe a few weeks ago and frozen half of it. I took that out of freezer, added some beans and corn and cooked up some rice. Made a little guacamole, cut up some fresh tomatoes and put some sour cream on top. Easy and totally customizable! Thanks for the great ideas, keep them coming!!
this turned out so good, so easy to do, few ingredients, yummy. i did worry about the exact measurements i had two large boneless chicken breast, my can of black beans was 19 oz, i just eyeballed the half bag of frozen corn, and the salsa too. cooked it for about 41/2 hours on high. i didn't make rice but wrapped the mixture in toufayan brand sun dried tomato and spinach wraps. i put cilantro and sour cream inside. salsa on the outside for dipping. i will make this again
Ooooh! I am going to have to try these! They look so yummy!
I made this yesterday, and am eating a bowl right now for brunch. Not over rice, it's delicious on it's own. I forgot to buy salsa so just used canned tomatoes and a diced jalapeno instead. My roommate likes it too!
I'm about to make your (un)refried beans as well. You are turning me into a Crock Pot fiend!
Just made this (after following your instructions for making beans from dry, woo!) and it's delicious. I put it over brown rice and added diced red onion after it was done cooking. I had leftovers and made a sandwich with it - OMG. Depending on how much I like it with the rice, I might make this as a sammy filler.
- Julia
Awesome, my new favorite go to ! Thanks for sharing! Love your blog!
Have a Suneday!
Carly
Ate this over rice the first day and it was delicious. Made nachos with it the second day and it was even more delicious! Thanks for sharing because I was one of those people who had somehow never tried this!
Why would you put canned or already cooked beans in this? If you're cooking it for eight hours anyway, add some extra water and just throw the beans in (dry--no need to soak first, if you're cooking them in the crockpot). This looks delicious, though. I'd add more veggies and majorly enjoy!
I can't wait to make this tomorrow. It's exactly the kind of recipe I was looking for! Question: what kind of salsa did you use?
Alisha - I honestly don't remember but I bet it was the cheapest jar on the shelf ;) I like all types of salsa, from homemade to the inexpensive store brands!
Thanks Beth! I bought Tostitos salsa because it was on sale. I'll let you know how it turns out!
Kind of confused how to freeze. Should I make a large batch in the crockpot and freeze in individual meals with rice included or should I make it and freeze, then add rice and toppings the day I am serving it? About to have a baby and want to make it easy but yummy.
I made this over the weekend for a Mexican themed dinner alongside your Sweet Potato and Chorizo Enchiladas and both were a HUGE hit!! I'm still happily eating leftovers...mmmm :-)
Your site rocks!
Hamilton House - I like to actually build little servings with rice, cheese, and all! It reheats quickly in the microwave for a fuss free meal :)
I am planning on making this wonderful recipe one night this week. I am thinking of having tortilla shells on hand. It sounds like it would be good. thanks for the recipe.
A friend of mine made this recipe and we made soft tacos out of it. He told me where he found the recipe, and I've been addicted to your site ever since! I'm a newlywed on a budget, and my husband is on a diet, so your healthy, cheap options are great for us!! I made this again tonight and it is soooo good. Thanks!
made this yesterday - soooo good!
This was so awesome. I made it using chicken thighs because I didn't have chicken breasts. I also added two cans of beans (black and red). Served with brown rice, cheese, salsa verde, and cilantro. I will so make this again!!
I made this tonight with cilantro lime rice. Let me tell you, my husband and son both told me we have to make this one again! It is so yummy!
This was so freaking good!!! My boyfriend was skeptical - "ew what is that??"
But let me tell you - he had seconds!!!! This is going to be a regular meal in our home. Thank you <3
Made this for dinner tonight...Definitely a keeper...YUMMY!
I made this with the ingredients listed, but not in the method listed. I didn't have 8 hours to slow cook the chicken, so I poached the breasts and then threw them into a slow cooker for 2 additional hours to finish the dish off. The chicken wasn't quite as tender as it might have otherwise been, but it still pulled apart with two forks. I topped this with Sriracha for some additional kick. Delicious!
The only thing I changed was to use 16 oz of homemade salsa rather than something from a jar. Those store bought salsas are just terrible IMO. It probably cost more than just buying a jar, but it was worth it. I also added juice from one lime to the rice.
I'm going to try a vegetarian version of this. Would you alter it in any way if you were to leave out the chicken?
Anon - Yes, if you leave out the chicken you don't even have to bother using the slow cooker :D The only reason the slow cooker is used for this is to cook the chicken long enough so that it will shred easily. If you're going vegetarian, simply heat it all together on the stove or microwave and you're good to go. Super easy! I'd substitute by adding a couple other types of beans in addition to the black beans. Sounds delicious :)
How do i freeze this..in actual bowls with plastic wrap on top? Also you said to someone dont cook before freezin should just freeze everything except the topping ingredients-including the raw chicken- in a ziploc bag and then thaw it kn refridgerator and put in slow cooker ??
Anonymous - I suggest cooking everything before freezing it. After cooking, I portion out single servings of rice and the chicken taco mixture into ziplock containers (the kind with a clear bottom and blue top) and then just freeze it. That way I can just take single servings straight from the freezer directly to the microwave to reheat.
Could you use a pack of taco seasoning instead of all the individual spices? Would one be enough?
Yes, a packet of taco seasoning is the super quick, easy alternative! One packet should be plenty :)
Great! Thank you :) I can't wait to make this!
This was so tasty and quite easy. First recipe I've tried from your site and I'll be coming back for sure!! Thanks!
Could you use a mix of canned pinto beans and black beans in slow cooker for this recipe? Thank you for all the wonderful recipes, Beth!
Anon - Yes, a mix of beans would still work very well :) I LOVE pinto beans!
Thank you for the quick response Beth as always. A Sno Cone sounds good right now especially with ice cream in the middle. I wish I was in New Orleans instead of up north. Disfruta!
Made this yesterday and it was very good. I doubled the beans and corn and used peach salsa. I would highly recommend this recipe. This would be great with other meats as well.
WARNING: This recipe is almost entirely dependent on the type of salsa you use. Or at least, mine was.
I went with Newman's Own instead of good ol' Tostitos brand and regretted it deeply. The recipe was delicious but I could tell my choice of salsa greatly altered the flavor. Lesson learned.
I made cilantro lime rice with this and it was divine! My boyfriend and his three helpings strongly agree. All in all, this is a great recipe and I will be using it again very soon.
with a squeeze of lime! Yum!
This is SO good omg. I tried it with beef and added pickled banana peppers/jalapenos... mmm. Thanks Beth!
Beth,
Thanks for this recipe. I've been a fan of your site for two years now, but recently stopped cooking because of a busy new job. This recipe is what I made after cooking again, and it's wonderful! It's cheap, delicious, and feeds me for a week. Thank you so much!
Alex
Wow, thanks! I've been having a great time poking around your site and everything looks so yummy. I made this one tonight. I had it for dinner as you suggested, and it was fabulous. I'm having some more as a late night snack, on top of some "scoop" style tortilla chips. Still just as good! I plan to try some in a big burrito wrap a la Chipotle next!
I don't have a slow cooker so I improvised and made this on my stove top. They turned out fantastic so now I have a freezer full of meals for the beginning of the semester!
Wow!! This is so, so good! I think I'll be renaming it "magic taco bowls" as we were able to keep eating it for three days! It was even better each time and I especially enjoyed eating it cold. I mixed in fresh chopped tomatoes from our garden, guacamole, greek yogurt and cold (leftover) rice---whoa. Can't wait to make it again, and I am saying this after eating it three nights in a row =)
I'm making this as we speak but I don't have cayenne pepper, do you think it will mess the taste up?
Anon - skipping the cayenne won't mess up the flavor, it will just be less spicy :) I do find that the type of salsa used makes a big difference. If it's not a tasty salsa to begin with, the end product won't be so good. That being said, some of my favorite salsas are generic, so it doesn't have to be an expensive one :)
Seriously was awesome. EVERYONE ate it asking for more! We only made a couple of changes. My husband has issue with tomatoes so we commonly blend salsa ... very well ... so I just added it all blended up, it totally worked. Then we changed out the rice for quinoa. GREAT texture! Hubby said he could eat it 2-4x a week and be happy!
How much water would you suggest adding if i were to add dry black beans?
I wouldn't suggest using dry beans and cooking them at the same time with the rest of the ingredients, the whole mixture will turn black. Plus, when you cook dry beans you usually want an excess of liquid, which you later remove. If you want to use beans cooked from dry, cook them separately.
But, I usually use six cups of water per pound, which yields about three cans worth of beans.
I've made this with dry beans a few times and haven't had too many problems. Though if I add tomato stuff I add it in last after the beans have softened. I also wash and soak them over night.
My husband has been learning how to cook new things from scratch while he's looking for a new job, (his previous specialties were limited to tacos and sweet & sour meatballs) and he is in love with our slow cooker now as much as I am. :-) I passed this recipe along to him to try when he was asking me what he could do with the chicken in our freezer. He made it last night and it was absolutely delicious! A new simple, yummy meal to add to the rotation.
This looks so delish! Definitely moving it to the top of my dinner list!
Someone copied this and added cream cheese. Good idea, but I already know I prefer your recipe. Will be making my third batch this weekend!
http://rita-may-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/crock-pot-cream-cheese-chicken-chile.html
My fiance puts in requests for this recipe all the time! This is one of my Budget-Bytes favorites!
Made this for my family today. Delicious! Used boneless, skinless thighs in pl.ace of breasts to make the cost even lower.
Your recipes are fantastic. My family will love this and I will love the grocery bill! Reva K
I have made this and it is just so good.Actually it is in the slow cooker as I am typing! But it is enough for 2 meals for 2 people!
Would it work to do 4 hours on HIGH?
Anon - Yes, four hours on high will work :)
I only just recently purchased a slow cooker, and I immediately came here to figure out what to do with it! I've made your black beans and will never look back, and this recipe is finishing up as we speak (from what I've been able to sneak, it is delicious).
Looking forward to using even more of your recipes in my kitchen now that I've got a show cooker! Thanks Beth! :)
PS - when you said the chicken would shred easily, I had no idea you meant THAT easily!!!! can't believe I've ever tried to shred it any other way!
Soooooooo easy and yummy!!!!!
Thank you for this recipe! Awesome dish. I used Mrs. Renfro's Pineapple Salsa and it came out super good. Just like a naked burrito. Saves my partner money for a weeks worth of lunches. Love your blog!
Beth, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog. I moved out of my parents house a few months ago, and had no cooking experience, but now I am making inexpensive, health meals almost every day.
This recipe has saved my butt count times. About once a month I make up a batch of this, mix in 3 cups of rice, and I have stuffing for 12 large burritos I freeze and take to work or just to have on hand for those nights I don't feel like cooking.
Thanks again and keep up the great work!
This recipe was so good and quick to put together thanks!!!!!!!
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