Name: Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1.5-2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs; 4 c. cooked black beans; 4 c. vegetables (I used green beans, carrots or corn would work too); ¼ c. chili powder; 2 tsp. cumin; 2 tsp. garlic powder; 2 tsp. onion powder; 4-5 c. homemade chicken stock; 1½ tsp. salt; Add when cooking:; 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes; Topping options:; shredded cheese; crushed tortilla chips; cubed avocado; diced onion; diced peppers; cilantro

Description

Adapted from No Cook Freezer Meals by Kelly McNelis

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 green pepper, sliced
2 red peppers, sliced
3 small onions (or 2 medium/large), sliced
2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts (or round steak)
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
2–4 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. chili powder
4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Serving options:
Tortillas (here’s my homemade tortilla recipe) or cooked rice or salad greens
shredded cheese
salsa
cubed avocado
diced red onion
homemade guacamole
homemade refried beans
fresh cilantro
sour cream

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Instructions

If cooking right away, put the meat and seasonings in the slow cooker and hold out the peppers and onions to stir fry separately if you like (or just slow cook everything).
Set the slow cooker to LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Shred the chicken with two forks or an appropriate plastic cooking utensil.
Stir fry the onions and peppers in a few tablespoons fat until cooked however you like them, al dente or caramelized.
Serve hot on tortillas, over rice, or as a salad. This dressing is delicious with any Mexican style salad!
To freeze:
Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with the name of the recipe.
Add everything to the bag.
If the chicken goes in last it will be first in the slow cooker, which is good. I actually put my peppers and onions on top in case I decide I want to slow cooker the meat only and stir fry the veggies for a more “al dente” feel to them.
Seal tightly and freeze.
When you’re ready to use the meal, thaw in a large bowl in the fridge overnight so you can at least break apart to get into your slow cooker, OR do a quick thaw in a large bowl of warm water for about an hour. Your bag will be huge, so you might need to flip it around and replace the water once or twice in order to make headway. Do not thaw on the counter – raw meat!
Dump everything into the slow cooker (or withhold peppers and onions that weren’t touching your raw meat, to stir fry them).
Set the slow cooker to LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. If partially frozen, cook on LOW for 10 hours.
Shred the chicken with two forks or an appropriate plastic cooking utensil.
If applicable, stir fry the onions and peppers in a few tablespoons fat until cooked however you like them, al dente or caramelized.
Serve hot on tortillas, over rice, or as a salad. This dressing is delicious with any Mexican style salad!