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!
I’ve made this recipe several times now and every single time it’s turned out amazing. I was entertaining at my new place for the first time last week and made this dish – there was plenty for 5 people and it was such a hit!
I’m a newlywed and trying to become a great cook for my husband! I am interested in making this dish, but I am wondering if it will taste okay if I cook it on high instead of low…If so, how long should it take?
Yes, you can do this on high for about four hours and that should do the trick. :)
I love this recipe and make it pretty regularly, because it’s SO EASY and it reheats really, really nicely on the stovetop. (No microwaving here!) In fact, I think I like it better on day two.
I just wanted to add: I only have a tiny 1-1/2 quart slow cooker, so while I use a whole can of beans and jar of salsa, I cut down on the corn and can barely cram two breasts in there. I usually just use one breast, and the chicken is cooked and easily shreddable at about 6, 6.5 hours on low. Update for those of us who cook for just ourselves, or two people max, regularly. That said I often let it go for eight hours and it comes out just fine still.
Thank you for your blog and these recipes!
I’m preparing to go to college and I finally know how I’m going to put good food in my stomach at a low price and I’m excited about it!
This recipe is relish. I served it to my mom and dad and they were blown away. It tastes exactly like a bowl you would buy at Chipotle or Qdoba for $10. Highly recommended
Congrats on your college transition! Let the slow-cooker be your best friend! I love the freaking thing and don’t know what I would do without mine! It’s the perfect kitchen contraption, year-round.
Hi Beth!
I have some frozen chicken and I wanted to give this recipe a try but I haven’t worked with frozen meats while using a slow cooker, so I was wondering what’s the best course here? Do I let the chicken thaw then put it in the slow cooker?
I definitely suggest thawing first. If you put frozen meat into a slow cooker it can make the whole pot take too long to heat to a safe temperature and you risk bacterial proliferation.
I often cool chicken in the crockpot from frozen. I typically cook it on high for the first two hours then switch it to low.
Made this today and really enjoyed it! My 12 month old daughter loved it and gobbled it up! I served hers with a bit of rice, but ate mine as a burrito – really good. Plenty of leftovers in the freezer!
Next time, I would probably add more corn and black beans.
I made this on Saturday and it was delicious! Hubby and kiddos approved. We had some left over and the kids wanted it the next day.
Will definitely make it again. :)
CHEDDAR?! CHEDDAR CHEESE ON MEXICAN FOOD?! UNFORGIVABLE!
for real though this was incredibly tasty and i look forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow as well as the next batch. I used a pineapple salsa this time for a nice twist but i want to try regular salsa next time. I also used some chihuahua cheese instead of cheddar.
I’m all about what tastes good and am not really concerned about what’s traditional. Cheddar tastes great! I’m sure chihuahua does too, but it’s much harder to find. :)
I just started my real journey into cooking this week. I have made your freezer breakfast burritos, slow cooker whole chicken and broth, honey mustard chicken salad, and tonight is chicken noodle soup. I never thought I could actually cook! One question I have is how do I substitute in cooked shredded chicken when I have so much I am trying to use? Thanks again. I’ve tried on and off over the years to start cooking and this is the furthest I’ve gotten.
Congratulations! For precooked shredded chicken, you won’t even need to use the slow cooker. You can just combine the ingredients in a pot and heat through. The slow cooker just facilitates getting the chicken to the point where it is shreddable. :)
This looks incredible!! My slow cooker is only a 4-qt. Should I half the recipe, or will this fit?
I think it will probably fit. It didn’t fill mine very far and mine is somewhere between 5-7 quarts.
I’m so wanting to try this, but I was gifted a 3 qt slow cooker. Can you think of any alterations I would need to make?
You could try just reducing everything by half, but if you don’t want to use half a can of beans, you can still add the whole can. :)
Hi Beth,
I love your website and all of your recipes. I am not much of a cook but your recipes are easy for me to tackle. I made this dish once and liked it. I’ve also done your lentil soup and dragon noodles a few times. I tried someone elses slow cooker cilantro chicken but didn’t care for it. I am sticking with your recipes as I know they are good. Thanks.
I just made another batch of bowls for freezing. It’s so comforting to have full meals tucked away for when I am tired. I make the budgetbytes cilantro lime rice to go with this, as I am not super fond of plain white rice. I have tinkered with this recipe to find what works for me and am very pleased with it! The idea is genius.
Really nice recipe, sounds kinda not-overloadad with saturates and sodium – will defo give it a try and come back with more comments after the weekend.
This looks incredible, but my husband is highly allergic to corn. What would be a good substitute for the corn? I love corn in dishes like this because it adds a nice color, and of course, a little sweetness… so I would hate to just leave it out and not replace it with something else. Thanks!
I think I’d just leave it out. :) It still has plenty going for it without the corn.
I also just visited your website from buzzfeed and oh my goodness!! You are awesome! I am a sophomore in college and next year I will be living in an apartment cooking for myself so I am SO grateful to have found your awesome website! You have just guaranteed that I don’t starve next year. I’ll be sharing your site with all of my friends.