Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Cups
Taco Tuesday just got easier thanks to spicy chicken simmering in a slow cooker. The chicken gets served up in individual taco cups you make yourself.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 843kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup chicken stock
- Juice from 1 lime
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
- 20 small corn tortillas (6-inch)
Optional Toppings:
- Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
- Shredded iceberg lettuce or small spring greens
- Diced scallions
- Mexican-blend shredded cheese or crumbled queso blanco
- Sour cream
- Salsa
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Pour the ½ cup chicken stock, Juice from 1 lime and 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of a slow cooker or crock pot.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Rub this blend all over the 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs. Place the chicken in the liquid in the slow cooker and cover.
- Cook the chicken on the low setting for about 8 hours until it is very tender and pulls apart easily.
Prepare the taco cups:
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Have a 12-cup regular-size muffin pan ready and flip it upside down.
- Prepare the 20 small corn tortillas (6-inch): place a stack of 6 corn tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave them for about 20 seconds until they are very soft and warm. Brush both sides of all the tortillas with the remaining olive oil.
- Tuck one of the warmed tortillas into the space between the muffin wells to create a cup. Tuck the other 5 tortillas in the other spaces. Sprinkle a little salt over the cups.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake the tortillas for 15-18 minutes, until the cups are crisp but not too browned. Remove the taco cups to a cooling rack. Repeat the previous warming, oil and baking steps with the rest of the tortillas until all the tortillas are baked.
Shred the chicken
- When the chicken is done in the slow cooker, remove it to a cutting board: reserve ½ cup of the liquid from the slow cooker and discard the rest.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use a a fork to shred it.
- Place the chicken back in the slow cooker and toss it with the reserved liquid. Set the slow cooker to Warm and cover, until you are ready to serve the taco cups.
Serve the tacos
- Pile the warm chicken into a bowl. Set it out along with the taco cups.
- Set out bowls of your other toppings: Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced, Shredded iceberg lettuce or small spring greens, Diced scallions, Mexican-blend shredded cheese or crumbled queso blanco, Salsa and Sour cream—and any other toppings you like.
- Have your guests serve themselves, filling the taco cups with chicken and any toppings they desire.
Notes
- This recipe calls for chicken thighs, which are great for a long, slow simmer in the slow cooker.
- These taco cups are pretty easy to make, and don't take too long. You can make them a day or two in advance and seal them in an airtight container so they're ready to go on taco night.
Nutrition
Serving: 4taco cups with chicken | Calories: 843kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 953mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 5mg
