The slow cooker has been getting a workout the past couple of weeks. I remade a favorite chowder recipe, made turkey stock, and then decided it was time for a new taco recipe. This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Bean Tacos was definitely inspired by a recipe I saw somewhere. All I could remember was that the recipe involved a slow cooker, chicken, beans and some corn.
Lately when we travel, when we get home we crave Mexican food. We use to want comfort food in the form of roasted chicken, endive salad and a hefty chunk of blue cheese. Now it is all about the spice. Don’t get me wrong, this recipe is definitely comfort food but not in the traditional sense of what we think of as comfort food.
I admit I cheated a bit as I used a prepared seasoning sauce from Frontera Fiesta. I love their products (and this is NOT sponsored) as they super easy to use and very flavorful. Open the packet and pour it with your ingredients. Typically I do not follow the instructions on the package, and I use whatever I am hungry for, in my recipe.
I use chicken thighs as I find them to be more flavorful, and I also use thighs with bone in and skin on, because, well it adds flavor. Feel free to use thighs that are skinless if you prefer. As well, I let the corn, and the beans drain for a while to make sure there is not any added liquid; would not want soggy tacos. I place them into a colander, rinse and then place the colander onto a plate in the refrigerator until ready to use. Whenever we are in Mexico, the tacos do not have what we traditional find on tacos at home, lettuce, tomato or cheese. I replace all that fluff with Napa cabbage and fresh cilantro, as well as drunken red onions, which are the bomb!
There you have it – easy peasy dinner in the slow cooker. After making these tacos I am thinking we should get back on the Taco Tuesday bandwagon; what do you think?
More Taco Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Bean Tacos
Flavor rich chicken tacos cooked slowly in the slow cooker, loaded with corn and two types of beans. A favorite for Taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs with bone and skin on
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes, low sodium
- 1 Frontera Fiesta seasoning sauce - we like the steak taco skillet one for this recipe
- 1 cup of frozen corn, thawed and drained well
- 1 can 15-ounce kidney beans, rinsed and drained well
- 1 can 15-ounce black beans, rinsed and drained well
- small napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/4 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
- pickled red onions - make earlier in the day or the day before, and place in the refrigerator
- corn tortillas
Instructions
If your slow cooker has a browning insert, place on the stove and heat over medium-low heat. If it does not then use a large frying pan.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown the chicken thighs on both sides until lightly golden brown.
Add the onion and garlic, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Place the insert back into the slow cooker or remove the chicken thighs from the frying pan and place back into the slow cooker.
Pour in the diced tomatoes along with the seasoning sauce. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours.
At the 4 hour mark, remove the chicken thighs and shreds the meat. Place back into the slow cooker along with the beans and corn and cook for another 2 hours.
15 minutes before serving warm the tortillas.
Serve with the thinly sliced cabbage, cilantro, and red onions.
Eat.
Notes
Make the pickled red onions earlier in the day or the day before serving the tacos. They are so good!
ANKIT KUMAR
Monday 19th of December 2016
Looking so delicious.. thanks for sharing with us.
Emilyl
Sunday 20th of November 2016
These look amazing, Denise! Those onions are calling my name :)
Angelique F.
Saturday 19th of November 2016
This was so delicious!