I’m a new member of the Secret Recipe Club. For those of you not familiar with the concept, its members are a group of food bloggers who once a month are secretly assigned to another member’s blog. You sneak around on your assigned blogger, choose a recipe that you’d like to try, write a post about it and reveal that post on the assigned day. Sounded like fun to me, I applied, was put on the waiting list and finally accepted.
My first assignment led me over to Terri’s site, That’s Some Good Cookin‘, and with a tag line of “Food is at it’s best when you have a happy heart”, and seeing a beautiful photo of mashed potatoes dripping in butter, I knew I had found a blog I was going to follow on a regular basis. When I started looking through her posts, I was afraid I was going to have a hard time choosing one recipe to showcase. I stopped in my tracks when I found Tacqueria-Style Slow Cooked Chicken. With my work becoming more demanding, I have vowed to find more crock pot recipes and finding one with a Southwestern flair, I was all over it. Let’s take a look.
This crock pot recipe is bursting with flavor. Chicken breasts are slow cooked in a sauce using packets of Good Seasons Italian Dressing and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. Add some chipotle chili, cumin and vinegar and you’ve got a unique and exciting combination.
With just two of us, there was enough for plenty of leftovers. Our first meal we used the meat for tacos, just as Terri’s blog suggested. Served on warmed soft corn tortillas and garnished with cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, sweet onion, lettuce and sour cream…it was delicious.
The next night for dinner, I made little sliders (top photo). The chicken warmed in the microwave, piled high on mayo slathered soft rolls, topped with thin slices of Monterey Jack Cheese and then broiled until the cheese was melted and bubbly. Finished with a spicy dill pickle chip, it was a great little sandwich.
Thanks for a great recipe Terri, it’s a keeper.
- * ¾ cup water
- * ¼ cup white vinegar
- * 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- * ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder or 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- * 2 cloves garlic, minced
- * 1 packet (0.7 ounce) Italian salad dressing mix (I used Good Seasons brand)
- * 1 packet (1 ounce) Ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley brand)
- * ½ cup salad oil (use a neutral flavored oil)
- * 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- * 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional
- * 1-2 limes cut into wedges, optional
- Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in the lightly oiled crock of a slower cooker. Set aside.
- In a pint jar, place the water, white vinegar, cumin, chipotle chile powder or chipotle chile in adobo, minced garlic, Italian salad dressing mix, and Ranch dressing mix. Put the lid on the jar and shake until the ingredients are well blended.
- Remove lid from jar and add salad oil. Put lid back on jar and shake to blend oil well with the other ingredients. Pour over chicken.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high 4-5 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and allow to remain in slow cooker for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker with a slotted spoon to allow juices to drain away. Keep cooking juices to moisten chicken as desired. Dress chicken with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, optional.
- May be used in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, or other Mexican dishes of choice.
Tacqueria-Style Slow Cooked Chicken…It’s What’s for Dinner.
Lea Ann, what a great idea for using the chicken in a sandwich. I hadn’t thought of doing that. Thanks for the nice write-up. This is my first time participating in the Secret Recipe Club and I find that I am really enjoying it. I look forward to getting to know your blog and having more great recipes to use for my family. Have a good day. ~Terri
My first time too Terri. I loved looking through your blog, so many delicious things. I about fainted over those mashed potatoes dripping in butter .. but I just couldn’t pick the first thing I saw on your blog.
I love something like this because you can use it in so many different ways.
You’re so right Karen. It was good served all by itself warmed up along side vegetables. A really good flavored dish.
Yum, yum and more yum! Great versatile recipe and I love the way you’ve used the chicken! Your photographs look good enough to eat!
Welcome to the SRC! Great job!
Thanks so much Suzanne. I’ve really enjoyed my first SRC. It was so exciting to see who had my name and what they made. Glad to be a member.
I want to eat at your house. Are you making these again tonight? It’s worth the plane trip.
And I want to eat at your house!
Love you photos .. looks like a great recipe
Thanks Judee! And thanks for stopping by.
Those little tacos look gorgeous!
Thank you Corina.
Having tasty shredded chicken on hand is definitely a major plus! There’s so much you can do with it!
Couldn’t agree more Joanne.
What a fun activity. I can’t wait to see your future posts. This does indeed look like a delicious recipe.
Thanks Karen.
Yummy! Welcome to SRC–great recipe for your first month. Pinning this to try it myself later.
Thanks for stopping by, the welcome, and the pin. Look forward to getting to know everyone better through SRC.
I’m on the hunt for slow cooked anything these days – life is crazy! I’m such a nerd but have to mention how much I love the font of your site. Hope you enjoyed your first month in the SRC!
I have loved the first month in the SRC and look forward to next month. And I’m finding so many blogs I didn’t know existed. Fun. And thanks for the font compliment, I’m such a nerd that I love the red color in the font.
What a versatile dish. I love meals like this. How fun that you are part of this now Lea Ann.
Sam
When I read the ingredients, I thought it was very creative. Just had to give it a try.
What a gorgeous taco spread – how pretty all that colorful food looks laid out like that! This chicken sounds delicious and I love the versatility. Do you think it would be good on nachos?
The chicken is so flavorful, it would go good on a board.
Actually, the chicken is so flavorful, we preferred it on the sandwiches. I think the less competing flavors the better. But yes, it would be good on nachos. Does that answer your question? Probably not. 
I just pinned your awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing and have a great day.
Miz Helen
Thanks so much for the Pin! And stopping by.
YUM. I love crock pot dishes, and this chicken dish looks and sounds like a real winner – so versatile and delicious. Really great choice.
Thanks Shelley, and thanks for stopping by and the comment.
what a fun food blog adventure~ Oh we have been super busy since school kicked off, this would make a perfect mid week meal! thanks!!
Good to hear from you Vianney. I’ve got to find more crock pot recipes. It’s been wild around here.
this does indeed sound like a great and easy recipe – glad you found it to share … I just made a big batch of chicken tamales this weekend but it never occurred to me to cook the chicken overnight in the crockpot.
Overnight might make the chicken mushy. Only a few hours will do. I really want to make tamales one of these days….:) Thanks for stopping by Drick.
It’s looks delicious. I love those kind of sandwiches.
Meeeee toooo!
I also enjoy reading Terri’s blog and she has some great photography! I missed this recipe so I’m very happy you chose it because I’m looking forward to trying this.
Thanks for the comment Susan. I have just found her blog and look forward to more delicious recipes. Thanks for the comment.
Looks so delicious!
I don’t know why I’m a little intimidated by my slow cooker, however, I fully intend to do a pulled chicken or pork dish this year. I’ll need to hang onto this as a reference.
I’ve done more pork than chicken. Both come out really good. Thanks for stopping by and the comment Dan.
The chicken sounds delicious!
Thanks Nancy.
Lea Ann – great choice! Throw me in that slow cooker with a few tortillas and I’ll eat my way out of there.
Love this comment.