Description
Hearty slow cooker taco chicken & rice delivers Mexican-inspired comfort in one simple pot. Spicy, tender chicken melds with fluffy rice, creating a delicious meal you can easily prepare for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 3 or 4 breasts)
- 1 can (10-oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies (undrained)
- 1 can (10.5-oz) cream of chicken or mushroom soup
- 1 packet (1-oz) taco seasoning mix
- 1 box (7.6-oz) Old El Paso Cheesy Mexican Rice or equivalent
Instructions
- Layer chicken breasts along the bottom of the slow cooker, creating an even base for the dish.
- Whisk together taco seasoning, cream soup, and diced tomatoes with green chilies in a mixing bowl until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Gently cascade the seasoned mixture over the chicken, ensuring complete coverage.
- Cover and cook on low temperature for 6-8 hours, or alternatively select high temperature for 3-4 hours until chicken becomes tender and easily pulls apart.
- Utilize two forks to meticulously shred the chicken directly within the slow cooker, creating tender, bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare Cheesy Mexican Rice according to package instructions, then fold the rice into the shredded chicken mixture, blending flavors and textures thoroughly.
- Allow the combined mixture to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, enabling the rice to absorb the rich, savory liquid from the chicken.
Notes
- Swap chicken breasts with thighs for extra tenderness and richer flavor profile, preventing dry meat during long cooking times.
- Consider reducing sodium by using low-sodium taco seasoning and cream soup variants, perfect for heart-healthy diets.
- Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for quick meal prep, maintaining quality for up to 3 months without compromising taste or texture.
- Enhance protein content by adding black beans or quinoa during the last hour of cooking, creating a more nutritionally balanced one-pot meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg