This taco chicken bowls 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 Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls 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.
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Set it and forget it…
Taco Chicken Bowls are 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.
How to Serve Taco Chicken Bowls
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 still hope. Just stuff the chicken mixture inside of a tortilla with a little cheese and roll it up 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.
Taco Chicken Bowls are Freezer Friendly
Oh, also, this taco chicken bowls recipe freezes well. Cheese and all. Then just nuke and stir for a couple minutes until hot. Instant freezer meal!
What Size Slow Cooker to Use
I use a 6 quart Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker and this recipe fills it about halfway. I would suggest using a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
Okay, one more thing. If you for some strange reason need this taco chicken bowls 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.
More Slow Cooker Dinners: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala, Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Peppers, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, and Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
Taco Chicken Bowls
Servings 6 (1 cup chicken mixture, 1 cup rice, plus toppings)Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts ($2.60*)
- 1 16oz. jar salsa ($2.15)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.69)
- 1/2 lb. frozen corn ($0.73)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.03)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
- 6 cups cooked rice ($0.60)
- 8 oz. shredded cheddar ($2.59)
- 3 green onions, sliced (or fresh cilantro) ($0.23)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Drain the black beans and add them to the slow cooker along with the salsa and corn. Add 1/4 cup water, plus the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, some freshly cracked pepper (about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).
- Give the ingredients a brief stir to distribute the spices. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- After 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be very tender and will shred easily). Taste the chicken mixture and add salt if needed.
- To build the bowls, place one cup of rice in the bottom of a bowl and top with 1 cup of the shredded chicken mixture. Top with a little cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Measuring Cups Spoons
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!This is definitely one of my favorite meals to keep in the freezer for busy days!
How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls – Step by Step Photos
Place two large chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs.) in the bottom of a slow cooker. I always buy my chicken breasts in large packs on sale, then individually wrap and freeze them for later.
Drain one 15oz. can of black beans and add them to the slow cooker along with a 16oz. jar of salsa and 1/2 pound of frozen corn (no need to thaw the corn first–the small kernels thaw quickly once the slow cooker is turned on. Do not, however, use frozen chicken breasts because they may take too long to come up to a safe temperature in the slow cooker.)
I usually just use a generic salsa for this dish, but I like generic salsa just fine. The type of salsa you use will greatly impact the flavor the of the overall dish, so make sure you use one that you like. This time around I found a “fire roasted” generic salsa, so I got that for a little extra smokey flavor. :)
Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp chili powder (mild), 1/2 Tbsp cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).
Add about 1/4 cup of water to help the ingredients combine when you stir. Briefly stir to distribute the spices.
Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. This is after 4 hours on high–doesn’t look much different!
BUT by this time the chicken is SO tender that just stirring the mixture will make it fall apart. Stir the pot or use two forks to shred the chicken.
When all the chicken is shredded it’s time to eat! You can taste the mixture and add salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of your beans and salsa. I didn’t add any this time.)
To build the taco chicken bowls, place one cup of cooked rice in the bottom of a bowl and top it with one cup of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle a little shredded cheddar cheese on top followed by a few sliced green onions. Done! How easy is that?
Or you can eat the Taco Chicken Bowls not as a bowl, but as an actual taco. Just stuff the chicken mixture into a tortilla, top with cheese or sour cream, and you’re good to go!
Tried this and love it!!! I think it would be pretty low cal. Any ideas how to figure it out?
Yep, there are several websites that allow you to enter in ingredient information for a recipe and then it will calculate that for you. Check out my FAQ page for some links to a few.
Beth, can you suggest a way to do this with beef or pork instead of chicken? Thanks!
Yes, you can easily sub either one for the chicken :) Just use any type of roast, although they are usually quite a bit larger than the chicken breast that I used. You can cut off a piece about the size of a chicken breast and freeze the rest, though.
Just got this started in the crock. We had tacos a couple days ago, but I just couldn’t resist trying this out! Instead of red salsa, I used a jar of our favorite green salsa. In addition to it being super cheap (about a buck for 17.5 oz), it is the perfect level of spiciness for us and goes well with a wide variety of foods.
Can’t wait for this to start smelling amazing!
I am a vegetarian. Can you think of a good replacement for he chicken? Lentils, fake chix, chickpeas? Thanks!
I think I would just add more beans, like a can of pinto probably. Beans + salsa + rice + cheese = heaven!
Trying this right now! Looks so good. I was wondering how spicy it is? My bf loves spice so I added a jalapeño but I’m hoping it won’t make it too spicy. Thanks!
The spiciness will depend on how hot the salsa is that you used and how many of the jalapeno seeds got in there :)
I’m making this for dinner tonight, and it smells terrific! I think I may also add diced tomato, lettuce, onion, and sour cream to the topping. After all, what’s a taco without a smidgen of sour cream? Looking forward to it!! Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe many times before, it’s amazing. But this time around, I only have chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on. Can I keep the skin on the chicken for more flavor?
I suppose you could, although you’d want to remove it at the end because I think slow cooking the skin would make it turn mushy and gross.
Added a can of pinto beans and a can of green chili peppers and it definitely seemed to give the dish an additional boost. Due to the added beans we upped the quantity of all the seasonings, especially the chili powder, garlic and cumin. Also made the salsa a hot one as we tend to like things spicy. Love the recipe and today was our second time making it. Always look to modify but really happy right now :)
I have a crock pot not a slow cooker. Will this cook the same way? I know there is a little difference so just making sure I don’t need to adjust anything.
Yep, you’ll be happy to hear that they are the same thing – it’s just that Crock Pot is a brand name and slow cooker is the generic term for the appliance. It’s kind of like how Kleenex is a brand name, but people use that as the word for facial tissue even when it’s not Kleenex brand. :P So, anytime you see a recipe for a slow cooker, you can use your crock pot without any modifications!
I am planning on making this some time soon, but I am not keen on most beans. Do you think chickpeas would be a good substitute?
Hmm, I think my opinion is that they would be “interesting.” hahaha, that means neither terrible or particularly good :)
I made this last week and it was phenomenal! The taste was delicious, it was super easy to make, and the chicken shredded so easily at the end of the day in the crock pot.
I actually used a packet of taco seasoning — it was in the pantry and needed to be used. I ate it over rice the first day, then put it into tortillas and topped with shredded lettuce the next. Very versatile. Great recipe!
We made this tonight and it was so yummy! Everyone had seconds!! Great meal for busy moms with kiddos going back to school, or anyone looking for a great meal with very minimal effort! Thanks so much!
Add a can of chili beans and you have chicken taco chili! Serve with rice and/or cornbread!
Regarding using frozen chicken.. I cook mine frozen all the time. No matter what method you use, I would recommend using a meat thermometer whenever you use a crock pot for the meat! Taking the cover off to check it can lose up to 1/2 hour of cooktime. Using an exact tool like a meat thermometer ensures proper doneness. There is a guide on most thermometers to tell you what temp for what meat, else charts which tell you the same thing are readily available online… and my family loves this. We make it frequently. Thanks for sharing! :)
My hint for getting rice right… I use the bags.. Plus you can freeze the left over rice.