Normally when I make tacos it’s either ground beef or ground turkey. I always wanted to try to make a shredded variety, but most of the recipes I found called for boiling or baking the chicken and then shredding it. That didn’t leave you with that much flavor in the chicken. This one has you slow cooking it in beer and spices and then it becomes the sauce! So good. Of course I changed and added a few things from the original recipe…..call it adapted/inspired, etc. Here is the original recipe.
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup beer (I used a dark ale)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/4 red pepper flake
1/2 jalapeno (seeds and all!), rough chopped
4 gloves garlic
1/2 medium onion cut into quarters
Toppings (what ever you want!):
Monterey Jack Cheese
Romaine Lettuce
Diced tomato
Black Beans
Red onion – diced
Green onion – diced
Avocado – diced
Sprouted grain tortillas
In a bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Measure out 3/4 cup of the beer and whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning into the beer. Save the rest of the taco seasoning for another use and drink the beer while you cook 😉
Place chicken in the crock pot and pour in the beer with seasoning. Throw in the jalapeno, garlic gloves and onion into the crock pot as well. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Remove the lid and shred the chicken. The “excess” liquid will be absorbed into the chicken and become the sauce. Don’t worry about the garlic gloves, onion and jalapeno, they melt into the chicken. Taste for seasoning and let it cook in the crock pot for another 15 min. Voila! Tacos are ready. Assemble as desired. Drink with beer – there’s no other way 😉
xoxo,
Dominica