Before I get into the recipe, do you call it a “Crock-Pot” or a “Slow Cooker”? I understand that a Crock-Pot is a brand of slow cooker, but Kleenex is a brand of tissue, and everyone still asks for a Kleenex. I find myself using both terms interchangeably and wondered where everyone else stood on this one… let me know in the comments.
Now, back to the recipe. Based on what they ask for, I am pretty sure my kids think there are only 4 dinners in the whole world: burgers, spaghetti, pizza, and tacos. I find myself constantly trying to recreate different variations of those four main foods (partially for fun, but also so we don’t get sick of them).
The hard part is, even with something as easy as tacos, taking the time to cook them on the fly can be difficult when you have a jam-packed afternoon. This recipe can help solve my kid’s basic need and love for tacos, and can be ready for all of us to eat and enjoy as soon as we get in the house (and it smells delicious too!).
It uses basic and minimal ingredients that you likely already have on hand and with the slow cooker, can be an easy set it and forget it meal!
Let’s walk through a few of the key ingredients and cooking tips to help you crush this meal and be the dinner time hero:
- Slow Cooker – My go-to brand is Green Pan. This slow cooker is great for many things, but most of all, it is consistent. Whichever brand you choose, just know I recommend 6 hours for low and 3 hours for high. This can all change based on your specific model, but should work as a starting point!
- Chicken – Per usual, I chose chicken breast. You can absolutely use chicken thighs, but you may need to adjust the cooking time a little longer since they take more time to break down!
- Seasonings – The same goes here: choose your favorite taco seasoning mix. It could be homemade or it could be from a packet. For the salsa, I prefer a red salsa with this recipe, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing your own thing. I also like to add chopped up jalapeno or green chiles!
- Toppings – In the recipe below, I list the ingredients I use for a basic spicy crema. My go-to sriracha is Fix Sauce (it’s the best by far), and for me, a little yellow rice and some shredded cheese is all I need!
See below for full measurements and cooking instructions!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- Optional:
- Chopped jalapeno or diced green chiles
- Yellow rice (side)
- Shredded cheese
- Crema:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp. sriracha
Instructions
- Add the chicken breast to the crock pot or slow cooker.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Spoon over the chicken breast with salsa to cover each one.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over all of the chicken breasts.
- If adding, toss in the chopped jalapeno or green chiles
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken and stir to mix in with the seasonings and salsa
- Build your tacos!!
- Mix together the crema ingredients (optional)
- Enjoy!
