Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Who out there doesn’t love tacos? I don’t mean the greasy yet crunchy tacos with questionable meat sold by what I think is a clown…? Although those tacos are tasty, and have their place in college at 2 AM, they do not compare to soft tacos full of tender, shredded chicken topped with guacamole and a squeeze of fresh lime. Yum!

I’ve talked before about my affinity for slow cookers – flavorful yet simple meals ready for you when you walk in the door. Can’t be beat, right? Wrong! Let’s combine slow cooker simplicity with the deliciousness of tacos!!!

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of boneless, skinless dark meat chicken
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Juice of two limes
• Optional toppings:
  • cilantro
  • onions
  • fresh lime juice
  • hot sauce
  • guacamole
  • salsa

Directions:

• Place chicken and garlic in your slow cooker (I have this small one – it’s on sale right now!)
• Cover with seasonings
• Squeeze lime juice over chicken (I suggest using a manual juicer to get all the juice and none of the pulp or seeds)
• Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5
• Shred chicken
• Serve on tortillas or lettuce wraps with plenty of toppings, and don’t forget the side of guac and plantain chips!
• Leftover meat will keep covered in the fridge for up to a week – it goes great on a taco salad.

I hope this taco recipe can “spice” up your weekend! For more spicy meals, check out my One Pan Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas, Taco Stuffed Potatoes with Avocado Chipotle Ranch, or Spicy Garlic Chicken Nachos. And if you like slow cooker meals, you may also like my Slow Cooker Potato and Kale Soup, Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Veggies, or Slow Cooker Meatballs – can you tell I use my slow cooker often?! I hope these tasty tacos can help simplify your life, and bring peace knowing that you are feeding your family well. Nothing beats taco night! Go ahead and get another scoop of guacamole…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

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Spicy Garlic Salsa

Sad Salsa No More

Confession time: one of the things I miss most about Texas is Tex-Mex. I know some people think it’s gross or inauthentic, but I am not one of those people.

In fact, I wish I could sit down right now with some salted chips, spicy salsa, and a frozen margarita. SoCal Mexican food is very different from what I grew up with, and I like it, too, but it’s not home.

We often have more than one jar of store bought salsa in our fridge, but nothing beats fresh, homemade salsa. And it’s healthier, too; it is lower in sodium, sugar, and has no additives!

What really amps this salsa up is the charred jalapeno. Seriously. Don’t skip this step! You can either lay the jalapeno on top of your gas burner on the stove, which is what I do, or you can put it in the broiler, just make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Once your jalapeno is all black and blistery, you just need to blend up your ingredients and that’s it! I’ve included a picture of the ingredients so you can see what the jalapeno looks like after it’s been charred.

Enjoy this versatile salsa with your eggs in the morning, with your beans and rice, on top of tacos or fajitas, or to dunk your plantain chips in.

Spicy Garlic Salsa

I make a small batch for just the two adults in our family, but feel free to double up the ingredients if you want.

Equipment Needed:

• Blender or food processor

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to one charred jalapeno, with or without seeds, depending on taste
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce (no added salt or sugar)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Juice of half a lime

Directions:

• Char jalapeno either on gas stovetop or in the broiler, making sure it doesn’t burn
• Once charred, add all ingredients to blender or food processor
• Blend until desired consistency
• Store in airtight container in fridge for up to a week, although it never lasts longer than three days here

I hope this salsa adds some spice to your meals and snacks! Dunk away…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!