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.
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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!
I made this and loved it! I’m wondering though, would this recipe freeze well? And if so, how long would it be good for frozen?
Yes, this one freezes very well. I try to use all frozen foods up within three months because they slowly dry out and degrade after an extended period.
Do you just freeze it in a freezer bag? (Sorry, totally new to freezing stuff) I have this in the crockpot right now and it smells SO good!
I usually use those Ziploc or Gladware resealable containers. You can freeze and reheat right in the same dish and they come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. :) I freeze in single serving portions.
This recipe is part of my regular rotation. Everyone loves it. Thanks.
Has anyone ever tried this with turkey? Wondered how it would be with leftover turkey.
Just wondering how many calories per serving?
Wondered about putting it on top of lettuce in said of rice. Kind of like a taco salad.
That would be awesome!
I left out the rice, put it over lettuce with a little light sour cream and tortilla strips…awesome taco salad and only 330 calories.
I make “Rotel Chicken” at least once or twice a month… it’s a can of Rotel, a couple pounds of chicken, a shopped onion, and half a packet of taco seasoning, and sometimes a small can of Hatch green chiles. We use brown rice instead of white. This sounds LOADS better! I can’t wait to try it!
I’ve made this recipe several times and absolutely love it! However, I am terrible at planning ahead so I never decide to make this early enough to use the crockpot. Instead I boil the chicken for about thirty minutes (you can do this from a frozen state) and it shreds very easily when it is done. Then I put all the ingredients that were supposed to go in the slow cooker into a saucepan and let them heat up. A little more work than the slow cooker but still every bit as delicious! :)
When I make this recipe, I use packets of taco seasoning, instead of the seasoning listed
I made this yesterday and it was absolutely AMAZING! First time making a dish on my own in a crock pot…complete success!! My roommate almost cried it was so good. I made a quesadilla with it, and then the next day made some rice and put the leftovers on it. YUM.
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! I added more broth and salsa that in the recipe because I wanted it to be more of a soup. It works really well as soup, and it warmed me up after the cold spell we’re having here. My family has already asked me to make this again, so it was a success!
So happy I found your website! Made your chunky lentil and vegetable soup and my Boyfriend loved it. He finished the whole pot the same day
Can you cook it for 6hours on high or would low for 6 hours be ok?
I think six hours on low would probably work.
any suggestions/modifications if starting with frozen chicken?
It’s not recommended that you add frozen meat directly to a slow cooker because it can take too long to come up to a safe temperature, so you’ll definitely want to thaw it first. A quick way to thaw is to place the wrapped chicken in a bowl of water and run cool water over it until it’s thawed. Cutting into smaller pieces (3-4 pieces) can help it heat up faster in the slow cooker, too.
Hi, Beth. I recently made the Spinach and Feta Grilled Cheese sandwich, and It was AMAZING! Is it possible that I can cook the chicken inside the slow cooker on high for four hours?
Yes, I think that should work the same and be MUCH faster. :)
I made this last night and it was great! I followed the recipe, but the only thing I changed was the cook time. By hour 6 on low, my chicken was cooked so I shredded it and then let it cook for another hour so the shredded chicken could soak up the juices and marinate a little more. Will be making again for sure!