You can be gone all day and come home to kid friendly, fiber and protein packed slow cooker tacos done with just 10 minutes of hands on time!
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We’re ready for SUMMER!
We’re almost there…and I’m dreaming of slower summer days, because these powdery sand beaches are calling my name! With a busy spring schedule, I’ve been sharing a lot of our fast and easy sheet pan dinners, and decided to change things up this week. This slow cooker dinner can be put on repeat literally all year round. Because school schedules may be slowing down, but summer calls for being outside all day rather than cooking, and what kid doesn’t love a good taco?!
My slow cooker dillema
I’m not a huge plan ahead and make dinner in the morning kind of a lady, so getting dinner into the slow cooker while trying to help kids off to school doesn’t usually make my list. BUT! When I do actually have a staple slow cooker meal, it’s because I can prep it the night before, and all there’s left to do is turn the slow cooker on in the morning – that I can do!
“Veternan Momma” Prep Tips for Slow Cooker Tacos!
Because, listen…I’ve got this down to a science. Those high schoolers have to get up EARLY…and I don’t need more things on my plate to do in the morning.
- I love doing all of the veg chopping the night before since our mornings are super early with school. I don’t have time to chop in the morning, and do not care to get up any earlier! For this slow cooker recipe, you can actually put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker vessel the night before, and pop it in the fridge overnight. Then, in the morning, just put the slow cooker vessel in the heating element, and turn it on!
- You can definitely cook this overnight! If you love doing a little 10 minute dinner prep before bed, this is a game changer! Just get everything into the slow cooker before you head to bed, and it will be ready to shred when you wake up. You can put it in the fridge while you are gone all day, and re-heat stovetop when you get home.
- YES you can double up and freeze portions of the chicken taco meat!
Let’s prep the optional veggies for fiber
The key to disappearing veggies into a dinner like this, is to keep them smaller. Use a shredder, and/or dice things small. I used shredded summer squash and carrot for this time, and I couldn’t even find shreds of the veggies when it all cooked down. And, again, this part can be chopped and prepped the night before. OR, you can use like a frozen cauliflower rice and have zero prep!
YES the veggies are *OPTIONAL*
I say optional, because if you want to skip the veggie loading part, you absolutely can. I love the added fiber and minerals that veggie loading brings, especially for growing kids. The veggies do literally disappear into the shredded tacos by the time it all cooks down, so I encourage you to try at least ONE of the veggies if you are hesitant! You might be surprised that the kiddos don’t even notice.
Pulling all the flavor together
This is where we make this recipe shine! The onions, garlic, jalepeno’s, lime, and other veggies add a layer of flavor that is just so good. The sauce is also flavored with your favorite taco seasoning, salsa, and broth too. All very easy pantry staples! If you need a good taco seasoning blend in your pantry, try my recipe! It is a budget saver too!
The last step before turning the slow cooker on!
Once you stir the sauce and veggies together, nestle the chicken breasts in, pop the top on, and let it slow cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Shredding the cooked chicken
As with all things slow cooker, the longer these chicken tacos cook, the better it gets. I actually had to pull the chicken out in small chunks because it was falling apart so easily with tongs! You could potentially just shred it right up in the slow cooker. I like to pull the chicken out to a cutting board to shred with a pair of forks.
Finishing the chicken tacos
Stir the shredded chicken back into the slow cooked sauce, taste for seasoning, and then dinner is ready! Serve your taco chicken meat in shells, over nachos, in a rice bowl, in lettuce wraps – however you wish! You can use all your favorite taco toppings and garnishes like fresh chopped cilantro, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, lime wedges, etc.
Leftovers, doubling, and freezing
This is one of those recipes that you don’t want to just make enough for one night. If you’re going to make it, do that whole double task thing and make enough for at least 2 dinners, or enough to freeze for another time. My kids love taking the leftovers in their lunchboxes the next day over rice or in a quesadilla. You can freeze the shredded taco meat in Souper Cubes portioned out, too.
A quick note on slow cookers!
Because I know I’ll get a few questions on what kind of non-toxic slow cooker I have! I have had my just regular slow cooker since my wedding over 20 years ago! I don’t think it is probably the best non-toxic slow cooker, so if you are in the market for a slow cooker, THIS is the non-toxic slow cooker that I would want to buy!
Fiber & Protein Packed Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium sweet bell pepper diced
- 1 medium jalapeño de-ribbed, and diced
- 1 medium summer squash or zucchini shredded
- 1 medium carrot shredded
- 5 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
- 2-3 tbsp taco seasoning homemade or store bought
- 1 16 oz jar of salsa
- 1/2 cup broth or water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper to taste
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- Taco shells or rice bowls for serving in
- Taco toppings and garnishes such as guacamole, sour cream, cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, etc.
Instructions
- Stir all of the ingredients together in your slow cooker, add the lid, and slow cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- Use tongs to pull the cooked chicken breasts out of the slow cooker, and place them on a plate or cutting board to shred with 2 forks. This meat literally falls apart, so this should only take a minute or 2!
- Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, stirring the shredded chicken up with all the flavorful taco cooking juices.
- Serve your taco chicken meat in shells, over nachos, in a rice bowl, in lettuce wraps – however you wish! You can use all your favorite taco toppings and garnishes like fresh chopped cilantro, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, lime wedges, etc.
Notes
- You can absolutely change up the veggies to what is in season. Another great, easy dump in is frozen riced cauliflower – packed with fiber too! Or, you can wilt in chopped baby spinach or kale at the end. I have swapped the shredded carrot for shredded sweet potato before as well. Use what you have!
- I have had my just regular slow cooker since my wedding over 20 years ago! I don’t think it is probably the best non-toxic slow cooker, so if you are in the market for a slow cooker, THIS is the non-toxic slow cooker that I would want to buy!
- Veteran Momma Prep Tips!
- I love doing all of the chopping the night before since our mornings are super early with school. I don’t have time to chop in the morning, and do not care to get up any earlier! For this slow cooker recipe, you can actually put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker vessel the night before, and pop it in the fridge overnight. Then, in the morning, just put the slow cooker vessel in the heating element, and turn it on!
- You can definitely cook this overnight! If you love doing a little 10 minute dinner prep before bed, this is a game changer! Just get everything into the slow cooker before you head to bed, and it will be ready to shred when you wake up. You can put it in the fridge while you are gone all day, and re-heat stovetop when you get home.
- YES you can double up and freeze portions of the chicken taco meat!
