Ahhh the first of many crockpot recipes! 🙂 I don’t know about you guys, but as the weather gets colder, I am definitely craving warmer meals. Which is where the crockpot comes in pretty darn handy! You can literally just throw everything in there, mix it around a bit, and BAM. You’ve got a super yummy and easy meal! I love prepping crockpot meals for the week because it is so quick and easy! I can prep other food or get other things done while it’s cooking, and then all you have to do is put it into containers and that’s it. Me and Dylan also make these on the weekend A LOT! Crockpot recipes can also be really cheap and healthy! I typically just pick my protein source (chicken, ground turkey/beef, etc.) and add some canned vegetables! Always try to look for the lower sodium/no salt added options if you can because this is where that can easily add up! And the beauty of canned foods is that they’re typically less than $1 and last for a long time! I have the cost breakdown below, so if you’re ballin’ on a budget, like me, this is just for you 🙂
I actually don’t even have a full-size crockpot, I just have a medium sized one that my mom wasn’t really using (which is why you can’t see all the food in the pictures, LOL it’s not big enough to space it all out). But I am asking for a large crockpot like this one for Christmas! I’m pretty excited about that! 🙂 So if you’re looking for any last minute Christmas ideas for someone (or yourself, hehe), a crockpot would be a great idea!! There are also fancier ones like this that have more programming options, which is super handy if you’re gone all day and want to set a timer etc.
Crockpots rock because they are just so easy to use and you can make so many different recipes with them! One big recommendation with crockpots is that you use liners! Seriously these are GAME CHANGERS! And if you’ve used your crockpot without one, you know what I mean. I recently ordered crockpot liners on Amazon because it was a much better deal than getting them at the grocery store.
This recipe is so perfect for this time of year! I feel like I am always cold, so hot food is my best friend. I also really like this recipe because it’s so versatile. When I made it, I added reduced fat shredded cheese, lettuce, and light sour cream; so it was more of a taco salad. You could also obviously put it in taco shells and tortillas, or you could make it into a big yummy salad like I did! You could even add chicken broth or water to make into a soup! There are lots of options so you can make it a lighter or heavier meal, whatever you want. Alright, let’s get to it!
These are the specific ingredients that I used! The chicken is boneless skinless breasts, the Walmart brand I believe. I always take it all out of the big plastic/foam packaging and then put it into separate baggies to make it easier!
STEP 1: Line your crockpot! 🙂 When the food is all gone, all you have to do is take out the liner and throw it away, it’s a pretty satisfying feeling haha!
STEP 2: Add in all of your ingredients. Be sure the chicken is thawed.
I actually didn’t use lemon juice, I used about 1/3 of a lemon. I don’t keep lemon juice on hand and didn’t want to buy a whole bottle just for one recipe. But I do always have lemons on hand for my lemon + AVC water in the morning, so I used that instead!
STEP 3: Mix everything together as well as you can and let cook on high for a total of 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
STEP 4: About halfway through or so, use two forks to shred the chicken apart. It should come apart really easily! If not, just wait a while longer! Then put the lid back on until it’s finished.
And that’s it! Add a little cheese and sour cream, and you’re good to go 🙂 I hope you guys love this easy and yummy recipe just as much as I do!!
MEAL PREP:
When I made this recipe, I did prep it for lunch for the week! So I just split it into 5 containers and then added a serving of reduced fat shredded cheese, 1 T. of light sour cream, and lettuce!
COST:
TOTAL = $5.22 / 5 servings = $1.04 per serving.
NUTRITION:
*may vary depending on the brand of ingredients you choose
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (thawed)
- 1 can corn (no salt added)
- 1 can black beans (no salt added)
- 12 oz. salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning (reduced sodium)
- 3 T. lemon juice
Directions
- Put everything in the crockpot and mix together.
- Cook on high for 4 – 4 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. (Can also cook on low for 6 hours)
- About halfway through cooking, use two forks to shred chicken apart.
- Serve with desired toppings.
I hope you enjoy the recipe! Be sure to tag me or hashtag #kristenskitchen if you try it 🙂
Kristen