Introduction: NO THAW Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Breasts With Variations

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About: I'm "retired", and now have time for all the creative things I've done since I was a child. I especially like anything with texture.....fabric, wood, glass, stones....even rusty objects. I have a LARGE fabric…

The BEST part of this recipe is that you don't have to brown, or even thaw the chicken breasts, so it's a GREAT "go-to" meal for a rushed day. Just dump everything together, set the slow cooker, and you come home to a yummy meal.

My Daughter shared this recipe with me several years ago. I think she MAY have gotten it from a low carb site, but I've made many changes to it, and I encourage you to do so as well. I will post some of the variations.

Step 1: Step 1: Gather Ingredients

Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS

1. FROZEN (do NOT thaw) Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts.....as few as 2, or as many as 6 with no change in other amounts
2. 1 Medium size jar of your choice of Salsa (at least 16 oz)
3. 2 Medium (15.5 oz) cans of your choice of beans.......I like Black Beans

OPTIONAL

4. Sour Cream

Step 2: Step 2: Assemble

I always turn my Slow Cooker on to about #4 while I start putting this together, just to give it a head start.

Step 3: Step 3: the Beans

Once I have my Slow Cooker heating I go ahead, and open the beans. Today I used 2 cans of Black Beans, but I have used Pinto Beans, or Navy Beans as well. I have even mixed two kinds.....Beans are GREAT fiber foods, so use your favorite.

Drain the beans IF YOU WANT.....You don't have to at all, OR you could drain, and rinse only 1 can.

Step 4: Step 4: the Chicken

While the beans are draining.....IF you decided to drain them....Put the FROZEN, Skinless, boneless chicken breasts into your slow cooker. As you can see there is no need to even separate them. I repackage the bulk chicken breasts into packages of 2-4 breasts (this was a package of 3). It's much easier than using the ones frozen in the foam packages from the store. I end up breaking those and running them under COLD water to get the foam off.

Step 5: Step 5: Add the Beans

Once you have the chicken in the slow cooker, dump the beans over the top.....DO NOT add any other seasoning....NO SALT, NO PEPPER

Step 6: Step 6: the Salsa

Now dump the jar of your choice of salsa over it all, and you're DONE! Put the lid on your slow cooker. Cook on Medium for at least 6 hours.

DO NOT add any salt or pepper

Once you get home, serve the chicken "as is" or top with sour cream.
OR shred the chicken for burritos, or tacos, and "dress them up" however you want with lettuce, cheese, diced tomatoes
OR shred the chicken and serve over rice with the beans on the side

Step 7: Variations

1. CORN I think the original recipe called for only 1 can of beans, PLUS a can of drained corn. My daughter substituted a small package of frozen corn. I don't care for corn IN dishes all though I love corn alone. So I NEVER use it, and just double the beans.

2. CREAM CHEESE The original recipe said to put a whole 8oz brick of cream cheese on top of the salsa in the slow cooker for the last 10 minutes of cooking.......I never seem to have the cream cheese, but always have sour cream, or Greek Yogurt to searve on top.

3. GRILLED VEGGIES I had a whole bowl of left over grilled veggies (onion, zucchini, bell peppers) that I added to the top for the last 10 minutes of cooking time, just to warm up.


4. RICE Serve over white, or mexican rice 

 5.TORTILLAS Serve the chicken, beans, and salsa rolled in a flour tortilla, or layer in hard corn tortilla