Shredded Chicken Tacos {Slow Cooker}

{Sour cream, anyone?}

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts {it's o.k. if they're still frozen}

1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

Diced white onion

1 packet taco seasoning

Favorite Toppings:

Lettuce

Shredded cheese

Avocado/guacamole

Olives

Tomatoes

Salsa/hot sauce

In a medium size bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, diced onions and taco seasoning together. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken with forks and mix all together in the slow cooker. Serve in warm flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.

** THIS is my new favorite hot sauce. It is SO addicting! I search out Mexican recipes I can make just so I can have an excuse to eat it! :)**

Layered Fiesta Dip

This delicious Mexican dip is very similar to 7-Layer Dip... except for it only has 5 layers :). I like this recipe because it's quick to throw together and doesn't involve any chopping of the tomatoes, olives, and green onions like the traditional 7-layer bean dip does. This is what we snacked on this evening during our little Academy Awards family party/get together. It's pretty addicting!


1 can refried beans
guacamole
sour cream
salsa
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese {or plain cheddar cheese will work just fine too}

Heat up the refried beans for 2 minutes in the microwave. Spread them evenly in an 8x8 baking dish. Spread guacamole on top of the beans, then the sour cream, then the salsa, and top with the shredded cheese. Cover with foil and put it in the refrigerator to let it "set." Serve with tortilla chips.

Baked Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

Filling:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can (14.5) oz. diced tomatoes with chilies, drained {SAVE THE JUICE FOR THE SAUCE!}

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

diced white onion

Sauce:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

juice from the canned tomatoes with chilies

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

corn tortillas

favorite hot sauce

avocado slices

In 2 separate bowls, combine the filling ingredients and set aside. In the other bowl mix together using a whisk the ingredients for the sauce. Place the filling mixture into the corn tortillas, spoon the sauce over the mixture, and then top with shredded cheddar cheese. Place the tacos in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

*I took this picture before I baked my tacos in the oven. When they're done, the cheese will be all melted. Top with your favorite hot sauce and avocado slices. Enjoy!*

Taco Soup

I love recipes that don't require any measuring ~ and this is one of them! This Mexican soup is really quick to make, and it tastes even better the next day for leftovers. It's also perfect for when feeding a large crowd, and is very filling :)

1 lb. ground beef, cooked

1 can kidney beans (undrained)

1 can garbanzo beans (undrained)

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 can corn (undrained)

1 small can diced green chilies (undrained)

Diced white onion

1 packet taco seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir well, and let simmer in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Favorite Toppings:

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Avocado slices

Louisiana Hot Sauce {my favorite!!} or Tabasco

Spanish Rice

This homemade Spanish rice is so good, you'll feel like you're at a restaurant! It's a really quick and easy side dish, and it tastes even better the next day as leftovers. I serve it with my favorite Mexican dishes :)

1 1/2 cup rice
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, including juice
2 T. melted butter
2 T. olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Saute onion and garlic in butter and olive oil. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on very low heat for 20 minutes.

Tamale Casserole

6 beef tamales
1 can corn, drained
1 can black olives, diced
cheddar cheese, shredded

In a casserole dish evenly spread corn along the bottom. Line beef tamales on top of the corn. Top with a solid layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle olives on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. This is a quick and easy recipe and is really yummy! :)

Southwestern Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 large bag frozen corn

3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1-16ounce jar medium salsa

Toppings:

Shredded cheese (cheddar, or fiesta/Mexican blend pre-shredded)

Diced avocado

Diced tomatoes

Cilantro

Sour cream

Hot sauce (Louisiana Hot Sauce is my favorite!)

*you will also need tortilla chips*

In a slow cooker, layer first the corn, chicken, black beans and then salsa. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. When it's finished cooking, shred chicken with a fork and stir everything together. Serve on top of tortilla chips and top with favorite toppings. So yummy!!

*This recipe is also really easy to cut in half -- the one above makes a ton!*

Mango Salsa

My good friend Shelly made this delicious mango salsa for our dinner group appetizer Friday night. It was a hit! She got this fantastic recipe from The Food Nanny on BYUtv. Shelly served it with tortilla chips, but I think it would also be good over tostadas, vegetarian enchiladas, salmon or just about anything else. This salsa is addicting!


2 large ripe mangoes, chopped
1/4 medium red onion, minced
1/4 small red pepper, minced
1/2 small green bell pepper, minced
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 slice (1/2 inch) jalapeno chile, minced with seeds
juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a bowl ~ enjoy!

Chile Verde Chicken Enchiladas

6 flour tortillas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 large can chile verde enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. cream cheese
chopped onion
shredded cheddar cheese
pepper

In a mixing bowl, combine the chile verde sauce, soup, sour cream and pepper. Stir together to make a sauce (I use a whisk for this). In each tortilla pile chicken, onions, cheese, and sauce. Roll like a burrito. Place each tortilla in a greased casserole dish. Spread remaining sauce on top, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake just long enough for the cheese to melt, at 450 for about 15 minutes.

Tostadas

Tostada shells
1 can refried beans
Shredded chicken (optional) seasoned with a little seasoning salt

Favorite toppings:
Shredded cheese
Lettuce
Avocado slices
Tomatoes
Olives
Onions
Sour Cream
Salsa or Louisiana Hot Sauce (my favorite!)

Place tostada shells in the oven on hi-broil for 1-2 minutes. Put beans and chicken on top of the shell and top with favorite toppings. These are so yummy, and are really quick to make!

* Serve with chips and salsa and/or Spanish rice

Southwestern Chicken Burritos

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
minced onion
1/4 c. sour cream
2 T. lime juice
romaine lettuce leaves
flour tortillas (I love the homemade tortillas from Costco!)

Over medium heat, add cooked chicken, BBQ sauce, beans, corn, onions, sour cream and lime juice. Stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes.
To assemble, place a lettuce leaf of flour tortilla and top with chicken mixture. Roll like a burrito. Serve with avocado slices or mango salsa.

Fajitas

Chicken (you can also use shrimp or steak meat)

1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lime juice
2 T. (or 1 packet) fajita seasoning
pepper to taste
Tortillas (I love the homemade tortillas from Costco!)
Favorite toppings: cheese, sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, salsa...

Cook chicken in 2 T. olive oil. When it's almost done, add the vegetables. Season everything with fajita seasoning, pepper, and lime juice. Serve in a warm flour tortilla and top with your favorite toppings! Enjoy!

Homemade Guacamole

2 soft avocados
1 fresh lime, juiced
1/2 c. finely diced onions
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper

2 tbs. sour cream

1/2 tbs. olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely diced

Cut and pit avacados. Mash with a fork in small bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Chill 30 minutes.