Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos

 

ngredients

SLOW-COOKER MEXICAN CHICKEN (SEE NOTE 1)

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast (see note 2 if you prefer to use thighs)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
• 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
• 400 g (14 oz) canned diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to finish
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

LOADED CORN TOPPING

• 1 cup (200 g) corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or tinned – I used fresh)
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• ¼ cup (35 g) crumbled feta
• ½ cup (15 g) coriander (cilantro) leaves, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish (optional)
• 1 tsp Tajin (or ½ tsp sweet paprika mixed with ¼ tsp sea salt flakes)

NACHOS

• 300 g (101/2 oz) corn chips
• 250 g (9 oz) shredded Mexican cheese
• ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream
• 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)
• ¼ tsp Tajin or sweet paprika, to finish (optional)

Instructions

PREPARE THE SLOW-COOKER MEXICAN CHICKEN

1. Place all of the slow-cooker chicken ingredients in the base of a slow-cooker.
2. Stir to combine the chicken with the spices and liquid.
3. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours until the chicken is tender and shreddable.
4. Once cooked, use a ladle to remove half of the sauce (the chicken releases juices during cooking). Shred the chicken directly in the slow-cooker using two forks or tongs. Ladle the sauce back into the slow-cooker, until you have reached your desired consistency (I like to serve any leftover sauce on the side for extra drizzling and dunking!). Season the chicken to your liking with extra salt, if desired.

PREPARE THE LOADED CORN TOPPING

1. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE NACHOS

1. Preheat the oven grill (broiler) to high.
2. Spread the corn chips evenly across a baking tray or ovenproof dish. Sprinkle generously with the shredded Mexican chicken (see note 1 for quantities).
3. Cook under the grill for 6–8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

FINISH AND SERVE

1. Remove the nachos from the oven and top with the loaded corn topping, sour cream, sliced jalapeño and a sprinkle of Tajin/sweet paprika, if using.
2. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Crispy Beef and Bean Wraps

 

CRISPY BEEF AND BEAN WRAPS

yield: 8 WRAPS

 

prep time: 20MINUTES MINS

cook time: 10MINUTES MINS

total time: 30MINUTES MINS

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup diced onion
• 16-ounce can refried beans
• 4-ounce can green chiles, drained
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wraps:

• 2 to 3 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese
• 8 to 10 8- or 10-inch tortillas
• Cooking spray or olive oil, for brushing

INSTRUCTIONS 

• In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain excess grease.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the refried beans, green chiles, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt. Add the ground beef and onions and stir to combine evenly.
• For each wrap, sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese over the tortilla then spread about 1/2 cup filling down the center in a wide strip.
• Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling, followed by the other side (so that the tortilla is folded into thirds). Press lightly to flatten. It should be thick and flat, not rounded like a burrito.
• Heat a large non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot. I use an electric griddle set to about 350 degrees F.
• Spray the seam side of the wraps with nonstick cooking spray (or brush with a bit of olive oil). Place the wraps, seam side down, on the griddle or pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-4 minutes.
• While they cook, spray the top with nonstick cooking spray (or brush with olive oil) and carefully flip with a wide spatula and press down lightly to flatten just a bit. It's normal for a little filling to fall out when flipping – just tuck it back into the ends of the wrap with the spatula.
• Cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden and the filling is hot and cheesy melted.
• Serve warm with sour cream, salsa, or other toppings of your choice!

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Tacos

 

SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE HONEY LIME CHICKEN

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup mild salsa verde (medium for a kick) (I use roasted Herdez in the jar)
• 1/3-1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste

TACOS

• 1-2 packages Flatout FolidIt Flatbread Ancient Grains***
• Monterrey Jack Cheese
• lettuce
• Tomatoes
• cilantro
• Avocadoes
• sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

• Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add all of the remaining Slow Cooker ingredients except for the hot sauce. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
• Remove chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (there will be a lot of liquid remaining). Return shredded chicken and let cook on low for an additional 20-30 minutes to absorb some of the liquid/juices. Drain excess liquid before serving or use tongs to remove shredded chicken. Taste and add more honey for sweeter, lime for more tang, hot sauce/cayenne for spicier.
• To make Seasoned Flatout FolidIt Flatbread Taco Shells, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each FoldIt in half and lightly brush with Salsa Verde Honey Lime juices from slow cooker on one side. Hang each cut FoldIt in half over individual oven rungs so they from a taco shell and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 10-12 minutes or until edges are crisp. Remove and let cool for 1 minute. (See video on how to bake shells).
• Stuff taco shells with chicken and top with desired taco toppings.

Floating Taco Bowls

 

FLOATING TACO BOWLS WITH CREAMY LIME DRESSING

yield: 6 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 20 MINS

cook time: 45 MINS

total time: 1 HR 5 MINS

INGREDIENTS

Tacos:

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can (6-ounces) tomato paste
• 1 can (15-ounces) tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth, I use low-sodium
• 1/2 cup long grain, basmati, or jasmine white or brown rice
• 1 can (15-ounces) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (see note)
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Creamy Lime Dressing:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of black pepper

Toppings:

• Corn chips, lightly crushed
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped lettuce
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced olives
• Sliced or chopped avocados

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Stovetop Directions: In a deep 12-inch skillet, electric skillet, or saucepan set over medium heat, cook the ground beef or turkey, onion, and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the meat into small pieces as it cooks; continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to the heat.
• Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano and pepper. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir often and moderate heat to prevent sticking.
• Slow Cooker Directions: brown the ground beef or turkey, onion and garlic the same as in step #1 above. Transfer the mixture to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano and pepper. Stir well to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
• For the dressing: combine all the ingredients together in a blender and process until smooth.
• Serve the taco meat over crushed corn chips. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, dressing, and any additional toppings your heart desires (like, tomatoes, olives, avocados, etc).

NOTES

Rice: if using brown rice, I'd suggest increasing the broth by 1 additional cup.

Chili Powder: because chili powder is a blend of spices, different brands have varying degrees of heat. Moderate as needed in the recipe if you want to lessen or increase the heat.

Dressing: the dressing can be made several days in advance - the flavors get better if made a day ahead of time, but it's delicious whipped up the night of, too.

Instant Pot: I have not tried this in the Instant Pot/pressure cooker yet.