Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos: The Tastiest Game Plan For Super Bowl Sunday!
A slow cooker is your best friend when it comes to feeding a crowd, and there is no better time to put it to good use than Super Bowl Sunday! These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are so rich and tender, from the flavors cooking together low and slow all day. Making the taco shells crunchy is entirely optional but totally worth it. It’s one additional step that makes a huge difference, and might have you adding them to your regular weeknight dinner repertoire, too!
For this recipe, you can use a variety of bell peppers – each color offers a different flavor and adds dimension to the tacos. And, if you don’t have a slow cooker, you can make this on your stovetop, too, as more of a skillet-style fajita, by sautéing the bell peppers and onion over high heat to get a great char. Cook the chicken separately, then toss them together with the taco seasoning. If you’re looking for some great veggie options you can try my Sweet Potato or Mushroom Tacos too – there’s truly something for everyone!
This is also one of those slow cooker Super Bowl recipes that you can freeze and save for later. These tasty tacos can be made ahead of time and stored in freezer-friendly containers, so you can thaw them in the fridge the day you want to eat them, then heat them up when dinner time rolls around. A simple trick that I use is to store tortillas in the freezer too, so I always have them on hand. When I want to reheat them, I pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Easy peasy! So, no matter what celebration comes your way, you’ll be prepared having these tacos on-hand.
If you’re looking for something sweet to bring your meal to the end zone, there’s no better play in your game plan than these Double Chocolate Football Brownies – they are an absolute winner, and utterly delicious too!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Oven-Baked Crunchy Shells
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into very thin strips
- 1 red onion, sliced into thin strips
- 3 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
- 1 12 ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus additional lime wedges for topping
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10-12 8 inch tortillas (corn or flour work)
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 tablespoons shredded Mexican-style cheese
Tutorial: Watch How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
It can be hard to decide on which slow cooker Super Bowl recipes to make for your crew, but these Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos make the choice so easy. Each bite brings a different flavor that's super addicting. Everyone will be asking for the recipe!
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Oven-Baked Crunchy Shells
- Lightly coat the bowl of the slow cooker with cooking spray, or two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the chicken, onion, bell peppers, and black beans to the slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil, garlic, taco seasoning, and salt.
- Pour the mixture over chicken, onions, and peppers and toss to coat well.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
Assembling the Slow Cooker Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the corn tortillas on a half-sheet baking pan, or similar size baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
- Drizzle enough olive oil over the tortillas to evenly coat each side of the shell with olive oil.
- Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese along with about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto 1 half of the tortilla so that the other half can fold over; exact amounts will vary based on the size of the tortilla used.
- Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and folded.
- Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, then flip the tacos over and cook about 10 more minutes or until both sides are crispy.
- Remove the tacos from the oven and once they are cool enough to handle, add toppings and a fresh squeeze of lime onto the tacos and enjoy while they are hot.
- Top with your favorite toppings like Cotija cheese, fresh salsa, fresh cilantro, chopped guacamole, and sour cream
Check out my favorite go-to, no-mayo slaw to serve with these crunchy tacos available in my cookbook, Everyday Celebrations From Scratch, which is on SALE now! Get your copy in time before your next celebration!
Here are some more of my Southwestern favorites for your Super Bowl shindig!
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Photo courtesy of Leslie Grow.
This post has been updated.
