(Serves 4)
There is nothing I love more than to walk into the house at the end of the day and being hit with the smell of something delicious cooking away quietly in the slow cooker. I have almost always forgotten about it and am THRILLED dinner is almost done, and I don’t have much to do. This one doesn’t disappoint, in scent or flavor. I originally made this recipe because I was low on chicken (and everything else) and was looking to fill out our tacos a bit. I was so happy with the result; these chicken tacos are quite tasty and super simple to prepare. The vegetables can even be prepped ahead of time and simply poured into the slow cooker when you’re ready to turn it on, even better on a busy weekday.
You Will Need:
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large Yukon gold potato
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons salsa (do not use Pico de Gallo)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican (or taco) seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Flour tortillas, taco size
- Taco toppings – avocado, tomato, cheese (I like Monterey Jack), sour cream, more cilantro, etc.
Instructions:
- Scrub and chop the potato into cubes, about ¾” thick.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Seed and chop the bell pepper. Stem and chop the cilantro.
- Mix the chopped vegetables with the salsa, cilantro, and Mexican seasoning. Place in the bottom of slow cooker.
- Put the chicken thighs on top of the other ingredients in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the vegetables are very tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Pull the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Mix the shredded chicken back into the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Warm the tortillas by toasting in a dry skillet over medium high heat until there are brown spots. Assemble the tacos with your favorite toppings.
NOTE – Check the Mexican or taco seasoning you use to see if it contains salt and pepper. If not, be sure to season the vegetable mixture as well as the chicken.
To make ahead – Chop the potato, place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Assemble the vegetable mixture with the salsa and seasoning as described using the par-cooked potato. Place in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. When time for dinner, proceed with placing the ingredients in the slow cooker as outlined above.
