A delicious taco bowl loaded with cilantro lime rice, seasoned chicken, black beans and corn. Easily made in the slow cooker and dinner is ready when you are!
Want more easy Mexican recipes? Try cheesy taco pasta, navajo tacos and sheet pan fajitas, too!
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Easy Crockpot Taco Bowls
When it comes to easy Mexican dinners, this chicken taco bowl recipe is at the top of my list. It’s made in the crockpot and takes only 5 minutes to prep. Some of my other easy favorites are Mexican lasagna and Mexican chicken casserole!
These chicken taco bowls join the ranks of this taco bake as an easy recipe for Taco Tuesday! They are a family favorite and are on our monthly (sometimes weekly) rotation. The slow cooker does all the work for you just like with my crockpot fajitas and the taco bowls are super easy to assemble.
We love to serve our bowls over cilantro lime rice, however you could easily serve over lettuce or in a tostada shell too. They have great flavor and are filled with so much goodness! These chicken taco bowls are delish and my whole family loves them!
Why I Love Them
- You can throw it all in a crock pot (in less than 5 minutes).
- It’s some-what healthy! You can even use brown rice or cooked quinoa to make it healthier.
- You can freeze the leftovers. Just place the chicken in a freezer zip lock bag and pull it out when you need a quick meal.
- The leftover shredded chicken also works great in tacos, nachos, taco salads or burritos!
- You can customize with your favorite toppings.
- My kids love them (which is the main reason I love to make these taco bowls so often).
What to Put in Them?
- Chicken: I used 4 frozen chicken breasts, about 1.5 pounds.
- Beans: I love to use 1 can black beans, but pinto beans would work too. Make sure to drain and rinse your beans first!
- Corn: Canned corn is my go-to for convenience, but frozen or fresh corn work great as well.
- Seasonings: To season the taco bowls, you’ll simply add in the following to the crockpot: salsa, chili powder, cumin, minced garlic, lime juice and salt.
- Rice: We love to serve our chicken taco bowls with cilantro lime rice. It has such great flavor! You could also serve over Mexican rice or even just plain white rice.
- Optional toppings: Sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, cilantro lime crema, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro
How to Make Taco Bowls in Crockpot
Scroll down for the printable recipe.
- Add chicken to crockpot. Place chicken in the bottom of a large crockpot and pour water and salsa over.
- Add in spices, beans and corn. Then add in chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic, lime juice, black beans and corn.
- Cook until tender. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Cilantro Lime Rice
While the chicken cooks in the crockpot, you can prepare the cilantro lime rice on the stove. In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt the butter with the rice. Then stir in chicken broth and remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Add more chili powder or salt if desired. Fluff with a fork.
Serving + Toppings
When the dish is ready to serve, place the rice in the bottom of 6 bowls, then add chicken mixture on top. Top with any of the desired toppings below. We love to use cheese, avocados and sour cream and serve with tortilla chips.
- Salsa (red or green)
- Pico de gallo
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Sour cream
- Cilantro lime dressing
- Shredded cheese
- Cilantro
- Avocado lime dressing
- Lime juice
- Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Meal Prep and Freezer-Friendly!
Another reason why I love these chicken taco bowls is because not only are they great for meal prep, but they make a perfect freezer meal too. I’m all about dishes that make life easier, and this taco bowl recipe is one of those meals!
- Meal prep: This is the perfect dish to meal prep! Simply add rice (or quinoa) to the bottom of 4-6 meal prep containers, then add chicken mixture on top. Cover with lid and place in the fridge until ready to enjoy. You can even prepare your desired toppings ahead of time too. That way you can literally just grab and go!
- To freeze: Chicken taco bowls make a wonderful freezer meal! Just add the chicken mixture to a zip top freezer bag and label it with the date. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then just pull it out when you need a quick meal! I usually let mine thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Need more easy slow cooker recipes? This seafood stew recipe, crack chicken crock pot and Mexican crockpot chicken are always dinnertime wins!
More Mexican Dinners
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Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls
Video
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds chicken , I used 4 frozen chicken breasts
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup fresh salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder , more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt , more to taste
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn , drained
- ½ Tablespoon lime juice , juice from 1/2 a lime
Cilantro Lime Rice:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup uncooked white long rice
- juice and zest from 1 large lime
- 14 oz can chicken broth
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place chicken in a large crock pot and pour water and salsa on top. Next add in chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic, lime juice, black beans and corn. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, or until chicken easily shreds.
- To make the rice: In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt the butter with the rice. Add the chicken broth and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Add more chili powder and salt to taste. Fluff with a fork.
- Add rice to the bottom of 6 bowls, then top with chicken mixture. Add favorite toppings like cheese, sliced avocado and sour cream and serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Chicken, Cinco De Mayo, Crockpot, Crockpot, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Mexican, Nut-Free, One Pot, One Pot
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I followed the recipe and Wow! So Delicious & love the cilantro lime rice!!!
Thank you!!!
Thanks for the review!
Made this recipe for the first time and had guests over to share it with. It was a hit!! Everyone loved it, can’t wait to make this again! I keep telling everyone about this recipe because it tasted so good and would highly recommend!
Yay, so happy to hear it was a hit with your guests! This is one of my dinner favorites too :)
Loved it and was great to put everything in slowcooker! I blended a chipotle pepper in adobo with a bit of the salsa before putting in slowcooker!
That sounds so delicious!
I’ve made this recipe for many years now. It’s a family favorite! Thank you for the delicious recipe.
This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for your comment and review, Liz :)
Jamielyn,
How would you adapt this to the Instantpot? The recipe looks awesome and I can’t wait to try. You come up with the best ideas.
Maureen
Hi Maureen! If cooking in the Instant Pot, place the ingredients in the pot and cook for 18 minutes on poultry mode. Then do a natural release. :)
I LOVE taco bowls! This one was easy and delicious.
I have been eating a lot of bowls lately. I’m looking forward to trying this one.
I love how easy and delicious this is!! My family would LOVE it!!
Such a quick and flavorful dinner recipe! My whole family loved this; it has quickly become a family favorite meal!
We love taco bowls and this recipe is so so good!
Hi, this recipe looks delicious! I’m making it today!
2 questions:
If I double the recipe, will it fit in a 6 quart crockpot?
If I use chicken thighs instead, do I need to adjust the cook time?
This will be my first crockpot recipe and I can’t wait to try it!!
It might be a little tight to double this recipe in a 6 quart crockpot. I would use the greater of the cooking times if using thighs.
I have made many of your recipes over the past year and each has been a keeper. I cook supper for my children & their families several times a week. I’m now a retired teacher but I remember how hard it was to get a tasty meal on the table quickly since everyone would be famished after school. I’ve made this recipe many times and it is a family favorite, even with my younger grandchildren. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad you have enjoyed so many of my recipes. Thank you for your kind comment and review. :)
I love chipotle but cannot eat there as much as I’d like, too much eating out isn’t great for the budget. But I love this recipe, reminding us that we can make our favorites right at home! I like mixing my cilantro lime rice with lemon and lime juice but I hadn’t used the zest of the lime and I’m definitely trying that out next time. Thanks!
Hey Jamielyn, I will definitely cook this today. This looks so delicious and mouth watering. I loved the way you have defined each and every step. Do share more recipes. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Thanks for your comment Tracy! :)