Confession time: if left to my own devices, I would eat burrito bowls every day of the week. There’s just something about the combination of flavours and textures that you get from a burrito bowl that keeps me coming back. Besides, I always make sure to load it up with lots of vegetables, so I don’t feel too badly about all the sour cream and cheese.
I love any excuse to pull out my slow cooker and have it do the work for me. This is a great meal prep recipe to tackle on the weekend and enjoy all week. You can use this chicken in a variety of ways — stirred into pastas, added to salads or sandwiches, or whatever you prefer. What I prefer is a burrito bowl heaped high with toppings that makes lunchtime more exciting, so here’s how to make that:
Equipment:
- Slow cooker, 3 quart or larger (I have this 6 quart one and usually make a double batch)
Ingredients:
- 1-1.5 pounds (approx. 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved crosswise (see note below)
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
- 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced into thin half-moons
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning (see note below)
- 1-2 tsps hot sauce of choice (optional); I used Tapatío
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup julienned bell peppers
For serving: Cooked rice, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, slivered green onion, shredded lettuce, julienned radishes, etc.
Here’s what you do:
- In the bowl of your slow cooker, add tomatoes, onions, chicken stock, taco seasoning, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Nestle chicken into the mixture so that it is mostly submerged.
- Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the lid and add the frozen corn and peppers to the bowl; stir to combine, then replace the lid (try to be quick so you don’t lose too much heat).
- Cook for 1 additional hour.
- Remove the lid. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Let the meat rest while you prepare your toppings; the sauce will thicken as the chicken cools.
- Serve over rice and piled high with toppings of your choice.
- This keeps well in the fridge for at least 5 days (if it lasts that long!), or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Total cooking time: 6 hours
Servings: 8
A note on chicken: I used chicken breast because that’s what I had on hand this week. If you’re worried about the chicken breast drying out, fear not: low, slow cooking will help ensure that the end result is tender and delicious. You could also use a mix of chicken breasts and thighs to add more flavour and stretch this recipe further.
A note on seasonings: you can use packaged or homemade taco seasoning; watch how much salt you’re adding if you use a packaged seasoning, as these tend to be quite salty to begin with. Making your own taco spice blend is easy and very cost-effective if you shop in the bulk aisle. There are a million recipes for taco seasoning online; I like this recipe from Budget Bytes, and that’s the blend I used here. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste!
