Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

As I have said before on this blog, Mexican food is the best. [See here, here, and here if you don’t believe me! Or even if you do. :)] I could eat it for days on end, I think. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes, because a girl can only have tacos so many times! When I saw this recipe on Iowa Girl Eats, I was instantly intrigued because it looked so easy and so tasty. I knew I had to make it, and so I did on a recent weekend day. [I have this fear of fire, and it just makes me nervous to leave a crock pot on all day while we’re away, especially with our low kitchen cabinets (no counterspace without cabinets over it) and our kitty who enjoys hanging out on the kitchen counters when we don’t chase her off… so crock pot recipes are reserved for days when we’ll be home.]

We found this dish to be so flavorful! I love how Ben put it when he said that the zest of the seasonings combined with the taste of each individual ingredient gave it a distinct Southwestern or Tex-Mex feel. I really enjoyed how the toppings of cheese, sour cream, green onions, lettuce, and cilantro blended with the rice and chicken to bring everything together and make every bite different and unique. Don’t skimp on the fresh cilantro or green onions–you’ll regret it if you do! 🙂

This chicken is also really versatile. Initially, we ate it on a bed of rice [brown for me, white for him] and scooped up more with tortilla chips. Then… I made oven-baked burritos–just roll up tortillas stuffed with the chicken filling and a slab of cream cheese [sounds weird, but tastes amazingly creamy] and place in an oven-safe baking dish in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Top with shredded cheese the last few minutes of baking and with other toppings after it comes out of the oven and before it enters your mouth. Finally, I made nachos. No matter how you serve it, you will find it yum-a-licious!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Servings: 10+
Time: 7-8 hours
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from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

15 ounces chicken broth
15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chili peppers
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
8-10 ounces frozen corn
3 green onions, chopped + more for serving
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro [also called coriander]
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper [or more if you like a lot more kick]
1 pound chicken breasts, thawed
fresh cilantro, chopped for serving
cheese for serving
sour cream for serving
lettuce for serving

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a crock pot with the exception of the fresh cilantro and the additional green onion for serving [but do put in the 3 chopped green onion… pieces? stalks? stems? What are they called? Anyone??!]. Cook on low for 7 hours. If you’re in a rush, you could probably cook it on high for 3-4 hours but I haven’t tested that out.

Remove the chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks or a combination of fork and fingers if you’re like me. 🙂 Return to crock pot, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve over cooked rice or tortilla chips, or in tortilla shells. The possibilities are endless! Top with any combination of green onions, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lettuce.

Notes:

This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd or feed two people many times. I think we’ve each had about 5 servings and we still have plenty more waiting in the freezer for a busy day. So have your tupperware on the ready!