Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls (Meal Prep)
These slow cooker chicken taco bowls are a high-protein meal prep recipe made with tender taco-seasoned chicken thighs, enchilada sauce, corn, and black beans, then mixed with savory broth-cooked jasmine rice and finished with a creamy chipotle lime yogurt sauce. Perfect for make-ahead lunches and dinners, they reheat well and can be portioned into containers for the week or frozen for longer storage.
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Taco Chicken
- 48 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 packets taco seasoning
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 2 1/3 cups fire-roasted frozen corn
- 15 oz black beans drained
- salt to taste
Bone Broth Rice
- 2 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 3/4 cups chicken bone broth
Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce
- 1 3/4 cups 0% Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup milk or as needed
- salt pinch
- cilantro chopped, to taste
To Finish
- cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Taco Chicken and Rice
- Add chicken thighs, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, fire-roasted corn, black beans, and salt to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2–3 hours or LOW for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
- When the chicken is nearly done, combine jasmine rice and chicken bone broth in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Shred the cooked chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Add the cooked rice and a handful of chopped cilantro, then mix until evenly combined.
Make the Chipotle Lime Sauce
- In a blender, combine Greek yogurt, lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, honey, avocado oil, milk, salt, and a small handful of cilantro. Blend until smooth.
- Adjust seasoning and consistency as needed (add more milk for a thinner sauce, or more lime/salt to brighten the flavor).
Assemble the Bowls
- Divide the chicken and rice mixture into 10 equal portions in meal prep containers.
- Drizzle each portion with chipotle lime sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Storage and Reheating
- For best results, freeze portions and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, if desired.
- To reheat, cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and microwave for 3–4 minutes. Stir, add a splash of water or broth if dry, then microwave for 1–2 minutes more until hot.
Notes
- Cooking time depends on your slow cooker; cook until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
- If you prefer less heat, start with 1–2 chipotle peppers and add more to taste.
- For meal prep, store sauce separately for the freshest texture, and add after reheating.
- When reheating from frozen, add a splash of broth or water to keep the rice moist.