This simple slow cooker chicken taco salad is so delicious and it’s packed with fiber and protein which means it’s very satisfying, all for under 300 calories. Trust me, you won’t miss the tortillas!
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Salad
Taco salads are my favorite when I am craving a big hearty salad. If you want to turn this into tacos, just reduce the lettuce, omit the dressing and heat up some tortillas!
To make this easy dish, I basically added chicken breasts and black beans to the slow cooker, seasoned it with taco seasoning and topped it with salsa. Doesn’t get easier than that! A few hours later I shredded the chicken and combined everything for this wonderful topping to this salad.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Salad
I also whipped up some of my favorite zesty avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing for the perfect salad that’s so satisfying and super easy to make. Try this for taco Tuesday!
And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). Although I love my Instant Pot, I still use my slow cooker all the time! I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is so great, I actually own two!
More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes:
- Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
- Slow Cooker Harrisa Chicken
- Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken
- Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 16 oz total
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup chunky salsa
For the Salad:
- 6 cups chopped romaine or red leaf
- 1/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
- 1/2 cup zesty avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with taco seasoning and cumin.
- Pour the beans over the chicken and top with salsa. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with 2 forks.
- Shred the chicken and combine with the beans and sauce, keep warm until ready to eat. Makes 3 1/2 cups.
- To make the salad, place 1 1/2 cups lettuce on each plate, top with 3/4 cup chicken and bean mixture, 1 tbsp cheese and 2 tablespoons zesty avocado buttermilk dressing.
Last Step:
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I have a very large family so I tripled the recipe. It was a real hit! Everyone loved it and there were no leftovers! They’re already asking for me to make it again!
Easy and so good! Husband loved it too! Perfect for hot Texas summer.
This is really quite tasty with the homemade dressing. I use Greek yogurt because I almost never have buttermilk on hand. I cooked the chicken in the IP for 14 minutes with a 5-minute natural pressure release. It came out perfectly. My teen daughters inhaled it and took seconds, even the so-called “picky” one. I added chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and red cabbage to the salad. Lots of leftovers for lunches!
This is such a great meal prep salad! I typically make a salsa ranch dressing to go with it (half salsa, half ranch). When pulling into Weight Watchers the points are too high, WW thinks we’re using 2 1/4 cups cheese. This is a 1 point meal without dressing max!
This was so good! After thawing my 1lb of chicken breast I noticed it called for 2. I still used all the beans and adjusted spices accordingly. Still is amazing. The avocado dressing reall Hit the spot on this recipe. Definitely will be making this again! Thanks Gina!
Oops!
I layered the ingredients into the slow cooker according to the video with the salsa on top of the chicken and the beans on top of the salsa.
The written directions say to layer the beans on top of the chicken and then top the beans with the salsa.
Loved it. I will definitely make it again.
Can I make this an freeze the whole thing? How do you recommend re heating it? Thanks
Can I use pre cooked/shredded chicken in this? If so how long do you suggest to cook that with the other items?
Made this recipe tonight – using chicken thighs because that was what we had thawed. That was the only change – well, except for cooking it on the stovetop because I ran out of time. Added the avocado dressing as suggested. Was a win for the family! It will be a frequent repeat for us. Thank you so much.
Hi – can you freeze the chicken mixture in this recipe?
Can I make this on the stove or oven?
Can you use chicken thighs ?!
Yum! Going to have to try this.
I don’t understand why my e mail address was not accepted. I don’t have another one and would really like to access the recipes
I have you in now! Let me know if you don’t start receiving emails. 🙂
Total hit with my picky 3 year old as well as my husband and myself. SO easy to make and so moist. Definitely adding this pur rotation
I was also curious if you can adjust this to be cooked in an Instapot?
Do you have directions how to do this in a pressure cooker?
This was so good and incredibly easy. With slow cooker liner clean up was a breeze.
Can this be done in the instapot?
Thank you for this fabulous recipe. Just started my Skinnytaste diet and am using your meal planner. So glad to start off with such an EASY recipe that my family loved. Was just going to cheat and buy cilantro dressing but I am so glad I took the time to make your Avocado Cilantro dressing. My kids had their chicken mixture in a burrito with the dressing. They loved it….my oldest had two! She said it was better than eating at El Pollo Loco, which is quite the compliment. Easy+delicious+little clean up = happy mom on a diet (AKA lifestyle change).
Aww yay!!
Alright, a little confused, is the recipe for a pound of chicken, 16 ounces total?
I made this but wondering how the freestyle points would be 6?
I skipped the cheese and used chopped plum tomatoes and green onions vs salsa. My recipe builder came out to 1 point per serving.
Only factors were 2tbsp equivalent of dressing so 3/8 of avocado and 4 1/2 tbsp buttermilk for the 8 tbsp of dressing for the whole 4 servings.
I will double check it.
I was totally wondering this too. Does the 6sp include the dressing & cheese? I have different cheese, so I added that & the dressing separately. When I put this recipe in (as is) I also got 1sp per serving.
P.S. I’m SOO obsessed with your meal plans!!! Thank you soooo much for doing them!!!
Made this for dinner tonight! Absolutely delicious. My family (except for me) thought the dressing was too spicy with only 1 Jalapeno with no seeds added to the dressing. Oh well, more for me!
Hi. Enjoy your mealplans and recipes. However not having a slow cooker or crockpot, I look for some mention of alternative cooking methods. Thanks in advance
You can use your oven if you don’t gave a crock pot… Preheat it to 400, place your ingredients into a casserole dish, cover tightly. Place the dish in the oven, turn it down to 200… 4 hrs it should be done. Always check the temp with a meat thermometer, aiming for 160-170 internal temp.
I did this one with Skinny taste salsa verde and navy beans, we loved it, so easy and better then any restaurant. So that version works as well. Wonderful Thank you.
That sounds wonderful! A great idea that I will try. Thank you.
Temp your chicken so you don’t over cook and dry out chicken. Made this with the dressing recipe you attached. Both together and this is the BOMB.
I didn’t make the topping but followed the rest of the recipe and it is sooooo delicious. Make it, you won’t regret it.
SO SO SOOOOOO GOOD! Very filling! Easy to make! Delicious and highly recommend!!!
Thanks Jennifer!
This looks delicious. Will def be trying it soon! One question, how many calories do you count per ounce of boneless skinless chicken breast? I read somewhere to count 30 calories per ounce, so a 4 ounce serving would be around 120 calories. Is that correct?
Should say on the package, yes usually 120 calories per 4 oz.
I only have frozen chicken and want to make this tonight. Will it be okay in the slow cooker?
Yes, I would add one more hour to be sure the chicken is fully cooked.
Amazing, def one of my favs!!!! Prepped th night before for lunch and was perfect!! Generally have a hard time with warmed up chicken but you can’t tell it was warmed up at all!!
Great!
This was delicious! Do you know if the cook time would change if I tried to scale it up to feed more people?
It shouldn’t.
Cook time should be the same.
It turned out great! I added some corn and used Rotel for the salsa part. I don’t have a slow cooker so I used my rice cooker and it worked! I put the rice cooker on the cooking mode for 30 mins to get the temperature high, and then changed it to the keep warm setting for another 3.5 hours without opening the lid. The chicken turned out very mushy just as desired. If you use a rice cooker and are worried about the chicken not cooked through, you can cook it some more in the microwave afterwards.
This dish was incredibly delicious! I used a very spicy salsa and a large jalapeño with some of the seeds left in. I subbed parsley for the cilantro. It was so nice to come home to a meal that is filling but healthy. Thank you, Gina!
I loved this, esp the dressing! I did the recipe builder though and I got the 2 points for the dressing (soooooo good!), but only 1 point for the chicken and bean part. I’m still new to WW, so I may be doing it incorrectly. I still did the quick calculator to keep myself honest. I have loved this week’s meal plan. Thank you!
Gina love the recipe especially the dressing! Was wondering how the calculation of 6 freestyle points was calculated? Most ingredients in the recipe are free except cheese which was only 1 tablespoon of reduced fat cheese for 1 point and 2 tablespoon of the dressing which is 2 points per 3 1/2 tablespoons. So, is it 6 freestyle points for the entire recipe?
Love this!! So simply and easy.
Delish! The salad dressing was a little bland for my tastebuds, easy fix though. Add more garlic, salt, lime and jalapeno. Loved it, easy to make and great for leftovers. Thanks for the recipe.
This was soooo good! I was nervous it might be too spicy for my 3 1/2 yr old, but she devoured it! I’m trying to hold back from getting seconds. Thank you for easy and delicious recipes!
For anyone who does Weight Watchers….this is a very WW friendly recipe! I top it with some nonfat plain Greek yogurt. SO easy and very, very tasty!
My girls and I love this recipe! Wondering, though, if it could be made with pork instead of chicken. My husband doesn’t eat any fowl (and, no, that doesn’t make meal planning AT ALL difficult…LOL). Would the timing change at all? Don’t know if pork cooks in the slow cooker in the same time frame as chicken.
depends on the cut, maybe a pork tenderloin could take the place
What is the weight of the serving size of the chicken part., 3 oz or 4 oz
Rated a 5 star winner, winner chicken dinner by my boys! So good with the dressing! And, so easy!
what other kind of dressing can you use I am not a big fan of avocado?
Is there a way to make this chicken and bean recipe in the instant pot??!!
Sure, make sure you have 1 cup liquid and cook high pressure 20 min.
This is absolutely DELICIOUS for a weekday lunch. My favorite desk salad topping! I use bottled Bolthouse cilantro yogurt dressing and top it with this heated-up.
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Hi Gina! I love your recipes!! I’m making this for lunches for the upcoming week. Do you know what this salad (with cheese and dressing) would be with the new freestyle points? I was thinking 3 for the dressing and cheese but wanted to check with you too. Thanks.
All recipes now reflect the new freestyle points so 6 is the correct points.
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Hi! I’ve made this so many times and it’s one of my favorites! I’m going to make it for a bigger group soon. If I’m doubling the recipe do I still only need to cook on low for 4 hours? Thanks!
If I’m doubling the recipe do I still only cook on low for 4 hours? Thanks!
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What kind of chunky salsa was used for this recipe? Brand? Homemade?
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I made this last night and my husband said it was the second best recipe of yours that we’ve ever tried! And we have tried at least 50 over the past year. 🙂 His first favorite was the chicken fajita pasta. So, we definitely hope you continue to post Mexican inspired dishes!
🙂
Hi!
I added frozen sweet corn to this and put it in my instant pot. Turned out amazing. Served it in mini tortilla bowls and my Smalls were thrilled. They even liked the dressing (minus the jalapeño).
Thanks so much for your creativity and delicious recipes. I’ve yet to have a fail with your recipes. ❤
Thanks Sandy! Glad everyone enjoyed it!
Hi Sandy!
Can you share the settings/time you used in the Instant Pot?
Thx!
I did this in the instant pot tonight and it was wonderful! I did the exact same instructions: chicken breast, seasoning, salsa, beans. Did the high pressure cooker setting in the instant pot for 25 minutes, released the pressure, then shredded the chicken. I added some frozen corn here, stirred up and finished off for 10 minutes on the slow cooker setting. Was perfect!!
How long did you cook it in the instant pot
Hi Sandy
How long did you cook it in the instant pot?
How could you make this vegetarian? tempeh?
Do you think this could be done in the pressure cooker? I don’t know if the liquid from the beans and the salsa would be enough liquid.
This was easy and delicious! Made as directed, except used homemade taco seasoning (1/2 tsp each of cumin, chipotle chili powder, and Italian herbs). Had with soft tortillas, avocado and cheese for taco night, then will have leftovers for lunch on salads. Definitely adding this one to the regular recipe rotation!
Ha! I was checking the comments for a homemade taco seasoning..thanks Laura!
This looks amazing! I love how flavorful and nutritious your recipes are, without being too expensive or time-consuming to make. And your instructions are always so easy to follow 🙂 Any chance you know the nutrition facts for the 3/4 cup of chicken and bean mixture on its own, without the salad ingredients? I’m thinking of mix & matching this a bit. Thank you!!
Thank you. Sorry though, I don’t have that information.
For the easy crock pot taco salad, does the smart points include the salad part with cheese and zesty avacado dressing?
yes
This looks yummy! Do you know what the smart points would be without the dresseng?
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Forgive me for the dumb question but I can’t eat salsa bc I can’t eat onions (I know, tragic…). So many recipes call for salsa and I’m just wondering if there’s a good alternative or perhaps a good salsa recipe that would still be great without onions. Thank you!
There are a lot of recipes for “onionless salsa” if you Google it, but I haven’t tried any of them . If you find a good one let me know! 🙂
Healthy and great tasting, what more can you ask for.? Well, how about quick, easy and made with things you usually have on hand! The dressing is amazing and I’ll be using it a lot for both a dressing and a dip.
This was delicious! I wish I had double the scrumptious dressing because it’s so good we all wanted extra. Thanks for sharing this recipe. We loved it. (Vickie Parks/Northwestgal)
Glad you enjoyed it Vickie!
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This was delicious. Doubled the recipe for 8 people and had some left over. Everyone loved it! I used black beans and navy beans in this recipe. Did not see the recipe for the dressing so I purchased Cilantro Lime, Avacado, and Cilantro Dressings to provide choices. All were delicious.
This is so good. We have made a couple of times in the crock pot but just got an instant pot. Would this work in the IP?
Sure!
Is it possible to make this a day ahead of time in the crock pot and eat it the next day?
yes!
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Do the calories and the macros listed above include the dressing? Please let me know!
Yes her calories for the recipes always include everything listed!
I made this recipe last night and it was great!!! Especially the buttermilk dressing, so fresh and perfect with the salad. My husband can be picky and he was not sure about the green dressing but I told him it was so good to try it and he did and loved it! Thank you for the recipe and I cannot wait to try more.
🙂
How long do you think this will keep in fridge? Or do you think it can be frozen? It’s so hard to find good recipes for us singles and this sounds delicious!
It should last about 3 days in the fridge and yes this freezes well. 🙂
made this for dinner tonite and all i can say is WOW! another winner that even hubby loves (who is very finicky!! shhh) thank you and keep them coming!
If I were to make these with dried beans, do I need to cook them first after soaking or will they cook in the crock pot?
Yes, the beans should be cooked prior to the crock pot.
I made this tonight; simple, easy, delicious and I had all the ingredients! I had over salad, hubby had as a burrito, son had over rice….very versatile recipe and really good.
How long Does the https://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/zesty-avocado-cilantro-buttermilk.html last in refrigerator ?
How many points if you don’t use the dressing?
How many smart points without the dressing?
What is the nutrition info without the dressing and cheese?
This salad is awesome…we just loved all the different flavor…I cut the recipe in half because there's just two of us…but I have enough ingredients to make more…and I sure will be doing that…I cooked it in my Crockett…it's between a mini and a normal size crock pot…it was perfect…this is going in my best of 2016 cook book…
Hi,
If I wanted to add corn, would I just toss into the crockpot at the same time as everything else?
Thank you!
That's what I do, frozen corn. Works just fine.
When you say TWO breasts, do you mean FULL breasts, like the left and right?
Does the nutrition information include the dressing?
I used the avocado dressing from your tuna lettuce wraps since I had some left over, and it was delicious!
This was a delicious salad. We will definitely be using it again. Thank You!!
This was delicious! I made this with deli rotisserie chicken cut in small pieces. I put the chicken, beans and other ingredients in a bowl around noon so the ingredients could meld flavors. It took minutes to prepare this way; which makes it a very fast after work meal.
Many people comment on leftover buttermilk. I freeze leftovers in one cup freezer dishes so I always have some on hand. To thaw in about an hour, place the container in a bowl of cold water. I see others using powdered buttermilk; another good way not to waste buttermilk.
Thanks for leaving a comment!! So haooy you enjoyed it, I recently started using powdered buttermilk myself!
How many points should i deduct for the dressing? I am going to have it without the dressing.
Can the dressing be made a day ahead?
Yes. Others comments it lasts well even days later.
Another great recipe! This is definitely one I will make over and over again. Also, since I live alone, I freeze some of the leftover shredded chicken and it's just as good thawed and reheated as it was the first day. Thank you Gina!
Michele
This recipe was amazing! It's not everyday I can please the whole family but this recipe did! Easy and so delicious! The creamy cool of the dressing went well with the spices of the chicken mixture. The portions were also very generous. I am a relatively new skinnytaste reader (this is the second recipe I've made) and I'm already sold!
This was so delicious! I used the "lazy version" of this dressing that Gina mentioned in the post for the Santa Fe lettuce wraps (mash an avocado in ranch dressing), as I don't like cilantro and that's a really delicious, easy taco topping. All of the flavors mixed together were phenomenal. The only change I'd make is I might add more beans next time.
How many Calories is in just the chicken & bean mixture?
Made this last night and it was great! The chicken becomes very tender like rotisserie. Ate it for breakfast and dinner after letting it cook on low all night in my small slow cooker. Super easy to make.
I'm wondering if it would work to cook the chicken on HIGH for TWO hours instead? I'd like to make this during the week and this way I can start it as soon as I get home form work. Otherwise, if I made it as written, I'd have to cook it the night before and reheat it for dinner the next night. I'd prefer to eat it fresh. Thoughts on this?
this looks soooooo good an healthy! I'm starting the first of the year to get on a healthy eating to lose weight and this is my type of recipe!
This has become a staple in my house, at least 3x a month! I double the recipe and instead of adding 2cups of salsa, i do one cup and a small can of organic diced tomatoes so it doesnt get too spicy for my picky teenager. Usually i just serve over lettuce, but sometimes we make tacos or burritos with it. And it's so easy and quick! My fav recipe by far!
Ok, just threw the chicken in the crockpot and can't wait to pull it all together when my hubby gets home!! I love the ease of your recipes and the minimal ingredients. Just so easy to prepare and to afford! I can't recall the first time I discovered your website, but I am so grateful to have found it! It's just so easy to eat right with enticing recipes you post.
Tried this recipe for first time today….loved it. I will definitely make again. I think I may try adding some additional salsa and corn and then serve over rice (my husband thinks all food tastes better with rice). Thanks for the recipe,
Can I use this same recipe but replace chicken with pork tenderloin?
We are having this tomorrow night for dinner and I cannot wait, especially for the avocado dressing. I have had so much fun trying out your recipes, that I decided to feature all skinny taste recipes of my weekly meal plan blog post!
Come check it out :
We are having this tomorrow night for dinner and I cannot wait, especially for the avocado dressing. I have had so much fun trying out your recipes, that I decided to feature all skinny taste recipes of my weekly meal plan blog post!
Come check it out 🙂
This was so good – even my picky 13yo had 3 helpings! I used my own homemade salsa…..and didnt make the dressing, but will try it next time. Definitely a keeper recipe!
AMAZING RECIPE! So easy my 7 yr old made it! She was the only one that did not like the dressing, she doesn't like cilantro, so she had a dollop of sour cream on top of hers instead. Thanks for the continued hits!!
This was so delicious, and filling too! Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes and pictures, Gina!
Made this and we LOVED it!! The hubby wants to make it again!! It was a huge hit!
I've made this twice now and I LOVE how easy it is! I used a whole can of black beans instead of just a cup, which I'm sure raises the points just a bit. I think it's even better the next day after the flavors meld a bit more. Awesome recipe!
This was amazing! I made if for dinner and had it in tortillas because i forgot lettuce at the store. Tomorrow I will make the dressing and have the leftovers in a salad. Then for dinner I'll probably make a burrito bowl with brown rice! So versatile and EASY, thanks Gina!
What the nutrition value fire just the chicken?
I am making this recipe tomorrow and bought about 2 pounds of chicken, essentially doubling the recipe, what is the recommended cook time? Does 8 hours on low work?
Made this when my MIL was visiting last week, she is very wary of anything seasoned with more than salt and pepper so I kept it to a very mild commercial salsa and skipped the dressing. It passed the MIL test and DH and I were pleased at the good flavor even 'toned down' can't wait to make it with my own salsa and try the dressing that gets such rave reviews.
Im going to double the recipe, should I cook for 8 hours instead of 4?
We made this last weekend and loved it! Used a combination of green salsa (Herdez) and some diced fire roasted tomatoes and got a nice bite to it! Super filling for only 300 calories – will definitely stay in our recipe box!!
This was incredible. I added the cilantro lime rice and it was, no kidding, exactly like going to chipotle. My husband LOVED it!
This was a fantastic recipe and so easy. I used chicken thighs as I think they have more flavor than breasts and it turned out great. I had mine on a salad and my husband made a burrito and loved it. The avocado dressing was a wonderful addition to the salad but I think I put too much lime juice in it because it was a bit tart so I’ll reduce the lime juice the next time.
This was amazing made it tonight and I think I could eat the zesty avacado dressing on anything!!! Cannot await for you cook book to come out!!!
FANTASTIC! WOW was this ever good! I used boneless thighs not breasts because that is what I had – it was so very good! My hubby and I ate it as a salad, and my children had a tortilla bowl! Everyone cleaned their plate.
I made this last night and brought it for work today. It reheated really well and instead of a salad, I wrapped it in a low-fat, high-fiber tortilla. Great and filling!
For those asking about WW PP, it came out to 5 PP when I put it through the recipe builder without the dressing and cheese (4 servings). So, for the person who asked about the nutritional information, my guess is that what's on here includes the dressing and cheese.
This was *really* fantastic. I made taco seasoning from the dry seasoning in this recipe: https://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/04/turkey-taco-lettuce-wraps-3-pts.html, made my own buttermilk for the dressing (1 c. milk + 1 tbsp of lemon juice). I also added red onion and corn to the salad.
Co-workers were salivating at the dressing. So they're bringing in chips & their own salads to help finish off the dressing this week.
Whats the serving size for this? I know it says one salad but does that mean a cup of the chicken?
Really great dish. I did add a little extra cumin and taco mix but no other adjustments. Even the boyfriend really enjoyed it as well.
Question. Does the nutrition information for this dish include the avocado dressing? Trying to figure out if I accounted for everything correctly in MFP last night. If it already includes the dressing, I put too many calories for last night.
Made this for dinner last night. Super easy to make and was very good! Had leftovers today for lunch in a whole wheat tortilla as a wrap.
So yummy!!! I added orange bell pepper, onions, and chopped garlic to it and used mango salsa. It was very delicious and the chicken just fell apart. I didn't make the dressing, just used some guacamole. Its so simple ingredients wise, I think I will be making this often. I'm pretty sure I could just put it over rice or make it into a taco if I don't have lettuce either.
This recipe is soooo yummy! Made it for dinner tonight and all four kids loved it. They are not salad eaters so served their meat/bean mix in hard taco shells. I had mine over lettuce. Skipped the dressing just because I didn't have time to make it, but added some diced avocado, red onion and tomatoes to the salad mix. It was so flavorful– didn't even need the dressing (though I'm sure with the dressing it would be even more divine)! This one is a keeper for sure.
This was amazing. I've been trying to find healthy recipes for my family. I usually try something that looks tasty but when I've made it, I don't like the taste. This was so easy and yummy. It's my favorite kind of food. Thank you for sharing.
Hi there! My name is Rolen and a mother of four kids. Thanks for sharing all your recipe! They're so good and healthy! 🙂
Think you can cook this on High for 3 hours and it will a.) cook properly and b.) not burn to a crisp?
I just made this delicious recipe. In my crock pot I think it would be cooked thoroughly on LOW after 3 hours. High would probably dry it out a bit, but then that would be a good excuse for more awesome buttermilk avocado dressing!
I think low for 3 hours would be fine. I checked mine at 3 1/2 hours and the chicken was falling apart. I guess it would depend on how thick the chicken breast is.
Winner, winner chicken dinner! This was so, so good! I used homemade taco seasoning (Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19). The buttermilk avocado dressing put it over the top! Thanks Gina for another great recipe.
I made this last night. It is FAN-tastic. I wouldn't change a thing. Me and the hubby even brought left-overs to lunch. I can't wait to try the dressing in other ways. I may mix it up with my avacado/tomato salad. Thank you for this easier than easy recipe. It is definately a keeper.
Made this tonight. So yummy!! Instead of the dressing I just made my own guacamole and topped the salad off with it. Really loved the ease of this one. 🙂
I made this for the family dinner tonight and it was amazing… thanks for the recipe, will definitely put it in my rotation!!!!
I made just the chicken mixture and it was so delicious! I will definitely make it again, and it was so easy! I was also told it was one of the best things I've ever made, so thanks!
The chicken was delicious. I think I put it on my salad too soon though. It made the lettuce warm, and it just didn't taste amazing together.
I'm eating this right now. OH MY GOODNESS it's so amazing. The flavours in the sauce complement the chicken perfectly. I gave my boyfriend a bite and he's going to be making this in the next few days too.
This was fantastic. Served with baby lettuces in a tortilla bowl baked in the oven. And used salsa yogurt ranch dressing. Loved how easy and delicious it is. Even my kids (6 & 3) ate it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Looks great. Can't wait to try it.
Super yummy! I even forgot the cheese & it was still delish!
I forgot the cheese as well and I agree with you it was so delish!
Made this last night and it was wonderful! Threw in some onion, red, yellow and green peppers with the chicken, beans and salsa and my kids ate it like fajitas in tortillas.
Made this for lunch today and my husband and I both loved it. I followed the recipe except that I used Bolthouse Salsa Ranch dressing. Definitely a keeper.
Yes just did this last night. Cook your chicken in a skillet — dust with chipolte powder and salt. Chop into bite size pieces when cooked. Make the black beans separately and arrange on bed of lettuce. I added in fresh scallions and tomatoes. The avocado dressing is perfect.
Any suggestions for making this without a crock pot?
Two questions: 1. What size crock pot? 2. How much longer if using frozen chicken?
I have a 6 quart
what would the points+ be if you left off the cilantro dressing?
This was SO GOOD! Agreed with anyone who says this recipe is going in the "keeper" file. My husband & I liked it so much we couldn't stop talking about how good it was while we were eating it. 🙂
Made this tonight and used 1.5 pounds of frozen chicken breasts and put in slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Served with pico de gallo sauce. Used powdered buttermilk for the dressing and it was wonderful. This is defintely going into the "keeper" binder.
Made this tonight sans the cheese. And made the dressing with plain greek yogurt rather than buttermilk. Very good!
Oh how did it come out with the Greek Yogurt? I always forget I can use that! I hate buttermilk b/c I can only buy a big container that I always end up throwing out
Tip: you can freeze left over buttermilk.
I thought it was great. I put all the ingredients in a blender and just added a few splashes of milk and then blended. I haven't had the version with buttermilk so I can't speak to that but I loved the version I made!
Yum! This recipe makes me want to start using my crockpot again! It looks delicious!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! The only thing I did differently was allow myself a little more dressing. This will definitely become a staple in our household.
Tacos are my favorite with a fresh salad and this recipe is awesome. I usually eat tacos on Tuesdays so this recipe is perfect for today.
My children don't like salad…any other suggestion to serve with the chicken mixture?
Rice…Tortillas….or just plain.
baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
Corn chips like nachos 🙂
Don't eat it with your kids. Lol, some of these questions are just ridiculous.
I am also on a big salad kick this spring. I love how easy this recipe is to make. Will definitely give it a try.
Does the Nutrition Information include the dressing?
I would like to know, too. I plan on mixing Greek yogurt and salsa for my dressing instead. I suppose I can calculate the calories on my own. 🙂
Suggestion: It is always helpful with crockpot recipes to specify what size crockpot was used. I'm guessing that this is made in a smaller one, and would need to be doubled for use in a larger one or it could burn.
place it in your oven, covered, 325 and check on it now and then. when the chicken is done the rest will be also.
I wish people would comment AFTER they try it, that would be helpful in knowing how well it is liked and if any adjustments would make it better.
OMG I agree lol I could careless if you want to make it tonight or not I care about AFTER you made it lol
Thanks you; yes!
Was just thinking the SAME thing as I'm scrolling comments looking for actual feedback about the actual recipe! Couldn't agree with you more.
Agreed!
I have no crockpot, so how can I prepare the chicken mixture stovetop?
I would imagine it would be fairly easy to just cut the chicken into strips and sear it in a soup type pot. Then add the black beans and everything else and let it simmer for about 30 minutes or so. (Longer you can cook it the better I'd imagine)
Or you could cook the chicken in a casserole dish with everything on top in an oven set to 375. If you have a food thermometer you can check internal temp of chicken to ensure done-ness.
Either way good luck!
This looks yummy. What could I substitute for the black beans my son will not eat black beans?
Pinto Beans
I use white navy beans – they are smaller in size and less obvious as I am not a fan of beans. Most often I never even notice them.
I used White navy beans and it turned out fantastic!
So glad you liked it!
This looks great and I'm especially intrigued by the dressing – I love creamy dressings that have been made healthier. I'm thinking that if I wanted to make this for a workday I could potentially start with frozen chicken breasts so they don't get dried out by the end of the day. Thanks! 😀
what is a good salsa to use? I always have trouble finding one I like, other than making your roja
Personally, I think Fresh Salsa is best. You can find different brands usually in the produce section.
When I need jarred salsa and not fresh, I use Herdez. No preservatives and it's pretty yummy.
Garden Fresh Brand is good. Try the jack's Special Salsa line.
Can you use frozen chicken breasts?
Per the USDA guidelines, frozen chicken should not be cooked in a slow-cooker or a microwave. It can only safely be cooked in the oven or on the stovetop.
i've cooked frozen chicken in the crockpot lots of times! it turns out great every time
Me too. I've also cooked frozen chicken in the crockpot. It has turned out very well each time, and no one got sick from it. I guess the USDA is erring on the side of caution.
As long as the chicken is brought to a safe temperature (180F for poultry) I don't see the problem? We also do frozen chicken in the crockpot all the time, have for years.
The meat should always be thawed first to ensure it cooks properly. It also effects the way the crockpot works.
I've been putting frozen chicken in the crockpot for years. Maybe the rule is there because some crockpots can't reach an appropriate temperature. I had a couple that couldn't get a few bubbles going if they were really full no matter how long I left them on. The last few pots I've had will get too hot if left on high too long, though. The temperature is more than enough to cook the frozen meat thoroughly.
In this recipe, you need to shred the chicken. If it wasn't cook enough, you wouldn't be able to shred it, right? That would seem to make it easy enough to determine if it's cooked enough.
Putting very cold or frozen items in the crockpot can also crack the ceramic. Happened to mine. Learned the hard way!! Was a mess too!!!
I use frozen chicken all the time and it works great!!! It has never caused damage to my crockpot or slow cooker and it tastes awesome. Of course, it you are the person who follows every precaution in the book, then you would not listen to our results. Just saying…..
I use all frozen meats in my slow cooker i find it makes it juicer so i cut back a little if i am adding any liquids to the recipe
My guess is that frozen chicken may not get to the required temp soon enough. Meaning that it may be sitting at unsafe temps for too long of a time before actually reaching the desired temp.
The issue is that if using frozen ingredients, slow-cookers are unable to quickly heat the contents past the "danger zone" of temperature at which bacteria multiply most rapidly. Even if the food is heated well past the danger zone afterward, thus killing bacteria, tasteless toxins produced by the bacteria will still remain.
Per USDA website:
Cooking Frozen Foods
Raw or cooked meat, poultry or casseroles can be cooked or reheated from the frozen state. However, it will take approximately one and a half times as long to cook. Remember to discard any wrapping or absorbent paper from meat or poultry.
When cooking whole frozen poultry, remove the giblet pack from the cavity as soon as you can loosen it. Cook the giblets separately. Read the label on USDA-inspected frozen meat and poultry products. Some, such as pre-stuffed whole birds, MUST be cooked from the frozen state to ensure a safely cooked product.