Crockpot Chicken Taco Recipe in less than 5 minutes
Updated: Jun 16, 2022
This is a recipe you can make right before you run out the door in the morning. No, I'm not kidding. You're dressed, hair dried, make-up on, coffee mug in hand, kids waiting at the back door ready to leave the house and then...
"oh shiitake mushrooms, I forgot about supper"
Acck, and the kids have a million things going on tonight. By the time you get everyone home from school/daycare and yourself from work, you need to eat NOW so you can get out the door again. #momlife
Content warning!!! This dish requires 6-8 hours in the crock pot, so please don't try to do this at 5 'o'clock when you get home from work. Although, if you have an instant pot you can probably swing it in about 30 minutes. But that's a recipe for another time. I wanted you to know the time frame because I HATE getting to the end of recipe and then realizing it takes a million hours to cook, 2 hours to set in the fridge, or I'm missing one of the tastiest add-on (aka surprise) ingredients. Hello avocados, I'm talking to you. 🥑
Content Warning: this recipe requires 6-8 hours in a crockpot
My good friend Sarah made this for me, when I was visiting her one evening. Her whole family was in the mountains skiing for the day and they were coming home to company...the worst. I mean it was only me, but still. I guess cooking for a Registered Dietitian isn't really top of your list at the end of a long ski day. I get a lot of complaints about that when I go over to friends for dinner. But seriously, I don't judge. I am overjoyed for you to make me dinner. I will totally help, or bring dessert or do the dishes. I swear... I'm a fully trained house guest.
I can't count the times I have had to whip up this recipe in jiffy right before leaving the house in the morning. Enter the winter my son had hockey and some unsuspecting fool kept planning practices for 4 or 430pm. Who can get their kid to hockey, dressed and ready to go at that time??!?! Moms, that's who! At least we didn't have to eat supper before practice but when we got home no one, especially me, felt like cooking.
Even through the pandemic these past few years, I have made this recipe while working from home. Work starts at 8am and goes til 4:15pm. After that I had to get my son to the ski hill by 6pm and it's a 45 minute drive. We are there until 9pm! <whine> <wine?> How in the 'sam ski hill' will I get supper ready and eat it in only 45min (if all goes well finishing work on time). Enter Sarah's Crockpot Chicken Tacos. That's right, I re-named the recipe after my friend. Give credit where credit is due.
Sarah's 5 minute Crockpot Chicken Tacos
-chuck 2 frozen chicken boobies in the crockpot
-add about 1 cup of jarred salsa
-add taco seasoning packet
-OR your own taco seasoning mix: 2 tbsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp cumin, dash of cayenne
-add some rinsed canned black beans (as much as your family can tolerate, freeze the rest)
-add some frozen kernel corn
-add a big can of diced tomatoes if you'll be gone all day (to prevent dry chicken)
Turn your crockpot to low and we are walking the other way 🫰🏻🕺
When you get home, shred the chicken with 2 forks
-Soft or hard shell tacos
-Top with shredded cheese, fresh diced tomatoes, avocado slices, lettuce, or bagged coleslaw, sour cream/greek yogurt
-Place bowls of the add on ingredients on your table. That way everyone can dress up their taco exactly how they like.
Enjoy and get back to your life. Heck, even leave the dishes for later. You've got things to do!
One final word of advice. Keep all of these items on hand - fridge, freezer or pantry. If you use up all the shredded cheese or hard tacos shells, buy more. That way you can make this whenever you need, without getting groceries. Even if that means no avocados on top!
