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crockpot taco chicken and rice served in a plate
Katie

Crockpot Taco Chicken and Rice

This Crockpot Taco Chicken and Rice is an easy 5-ingredient slow cooker dinner — tender shredded taco chicken folded into cheesy Mexican rice and ready for all your favorite toppings. Just dump, cook, shred, and serve.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 packet taco seasoning about 1 to 1.25 oz
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) unsalted cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies undrained; such as Rotel, mild or original
  • 1 box (7.6 oz) cheesy Mexican-style rice mix cooked separately per package directions

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Mixing bowl
  • Saucepan

Method
 

  1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the taco seasoning, cream of chicken soup, and the whole can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (liquid and all) until combined into a smooth sauce.
  3. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken, making sure each piece is coated.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and shreds easily.
  5. Once the chicken is tender, shred it directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir so the shredded chicken soaks up the sauce.
  6. Near the end of cooking, prepare the cheesy Mexican rice separately on the stove according to the package directions. (Do not cook the rice in the slow cooker — it will turn gummy.)
  7. Stir the hot cooked rice into the shredded taco chicken mixture until fully combined and creamy. If the mixture looks watery before adding the rice, cook uncovered on HIGH for 15-20 minutes to reduce it first.
  8. Serve warm with your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes

Keep the rice from going mushy: Always cook the rice separately on the stove, never in the crockpot, and stir it in right before serving. Cooked rice that sits in the hot sauce too long turns soft.
Watery sauce fix: Cream of chicken soup plus undrained tomatoes can sometimes go thin. If so, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes to reduce before adding the rice.
Chicken thighs work too: Swap in boneless, skinless thighs for juicier, richer meat. Cook time stays about the same.
Add veggies or beans: A drained can of black beans, corn, or diced bell pepper bulks it up. Add during the last 30 minutes of cooking to warm through.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days, ideally storing the rice and chicken separately for the best texture. Freeze the chicken mixture (without rice) up to 3 months and make fresh rice when reheating.
Reheating: Add a small splash of water or broth and warm gently rather than microwaving on high, which dries out the edges.
Spice level: Use mild tomatoes and seasoning for a kid-friendly version, or add a diced jalapeno, cayenne, or hot Rotel for more heat.