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!
Hi beth i love your recipes i was wondering what brand of salsa or kind of salsa do you use
I don’t have a particular brand that I go to. I usually get whatever is the best price that day, which is often the generic store brand. :)
Hi Beth! I love this recipe (as well as a ton of your other recipes). It’s so easy and I get requests for it a lot. I was wondering: if I wanted to make steak tacos instead of chicken, how would I adjust the recipe? What cut of beef would you suggest?
Well, it would turn out a little different than steak tacos that you get from a restaurant. Any meat that you cook in a slow cooker like this will break down and shred, so you won’t get chunks of steak. Rumps and shoulder roasts do very well in slow cookers. Make sure to cut it into chunks, though, to increase the exposure to all that flavor! :)
:) Yummy, I love burrito bowls. If you add cilantro, salt, and lime juice to the rice, it tastes amazing. :)
Hi! Looks delicious! If I’m at a time crunch for dinner, can I cook it on high. For how many hours do you think? Thank you.
I think it would work on high for four hours.
Do you know about how many calories?
No, I’m sorry I don’t. :(
Nutrition Facts
9 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370.3
Total Fat 7.8 g
Saturated Fat 3.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.8 g
Cholesterol 56.6 mg
Sodium 430.8 mg
Potassium 389.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 47.7 g
Dietary Fiber 5.6 g
Sugars 0.9 g
Protein 27.6 g
Vitamin A 16.5 %
Vitamin B-12 1.7 %
Vitamin B-6 13.8 %
Vitamin C 16.9 %
Vitamin D 0.4 %
Vitamin E 2.3 %
Calcium 13.8 %
Copper 18.0 %
Folate 34.5 %
Iron 18.1 %
Magnesium 14.9 %
Manganese 40.0 %
Niacin 13.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 7.0 %
Phosphorus 19.9 %
Riboflavin 7.5 %
Selenium 15.2 %
Thiamin 21.1 %
Zinc 11.1 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does the 370 include the rice?
No, because there are several ways to eat the resulting dish, with or without rice, in a burrito, as taco filling, etc. There are so many things you can do with it. :)
It will depend on which salsa you get, how much chicken you use, etc. I weigh and track my food, so I’ll give you my information. I used 25 oz chicken breast (raw weight), a jar of Pace Picante medium salsa, a bag of Publix Greenwise frozen sweet corn, a can of Publix black beans, and what ended up being 1.12 cups of white rice (dry). I divided this into five servings.
The resulting per serving nutrition:
566 calories
12g fat
68g carbohydrates
47g protein
Hello Beth, I was wondering if it is possible to just use a normal cooking pot for this, as I do not have a slow cooker myself, nor the money for one at this point in time.
– Max
Yes, you can let it simmer on low in a regular pot on the stove and it will also cook much faster. You’ll only need to cook it long enough for the chicken to become tender and shredable. Check it after an hour.
i am just about to make it on the stove myself. it is fantastic no matter how it’s made.
you can also use pre-cooked and shredded chicken. i pre-cook and shred chicken breasts and keep them in the freezer for quicker dinners.
I love this meal and so does my family. Enough so that we would like to serve it for a larger get together. How long should I cook it if I double the recipe? Thank you.
As long as your slow cooker is big enough, it should be okay to cook in the same amount of time.
ooooo Beth. I made this last night, only, instead of the frozen corn, I added a jar of Trader Joe’s corn and coriander salsa (I think they call it tomatoless salsa). It added the PERFECT balance of kinda sweet and spicy. It was delicious and WILL be repeated. often.
Does it need to be frozen corn? Could you use canned corn instead?
You can use canned, but I find that frozen corn has a better texture and flavor.
I made this last night and loved it! I just posted my version of your recipe on my blog with link included.
Thanks for the inspiration
https://paperhartlife.wordpress.com/2015/08/12/small-budget-big-meal/
For the past month or so, ive made a budget bytes meal once a week every week, in order to find new favorites for my family (our meal plan was getting SUPER dull). This is by far my family’s favorite meal we’ve tried from this blog. My hubby goes so far to say this is one of the best meals hes ever eaten, and my two year old ate a big helping as well. i added avocado and tomato chunks to the top of each bowl to give it some freshness, and used picante salsa. I will be making this weekly, thanks so much for the fantastic recipe!
I have made this once a week for over a year, it never gets old! For any Aldi shoppers out there, the “simply organic” medium chunky salsa is my favorite for this recipe so far.
You should check out the refrigerated salsa at Aldi. It’s quite good.
The slow-cooker chicken taco recipe was awesome! I am gluten-free and my family is not so it satisfied pretty much all of us. I used the chicken in a taco bowl as shown above for me and I made quesadillas out of it for my husband and sons. They loved the spicy chicken chessey crunchy tortilla combo! Will definitely make this again. Great blog!
This is, hands-down, one of my family’s favourite meals! Even my super-picky two year old gobbles it down. My husband asked that we have this every Monday, and I believe I shall! It’s really easy to make, and so delicious! If you have a rice cooker, you can literally come home to dinner ready to eat! Thanks, Beth, for all the excellent recipes!
The kids request this often, so it’s one of our go-to, easy meals.
This is the most amazing recipe. I have made it numerous times and my family devours it every time! With two hungry boys and hubby, I am always looking for good, filling meals. I am so happy that I have found this wonderful website!
Keep up the GREAT work!!!!