Some of my favorite dinners start with the crockpot, a few things from the pantry, and a little look through the refrigerator to see what needs to be used. This Mexican Chicken is one of those meals!

I’ve seen plenty of versions of this recipe, and I’ve made it with different ingredients over the years. But tonight’s version was too good not to share. Chicken, Mexican rice, veggies, salsa, taco seasoning, and melted cheese—it’s an easy dinner you can serve in soft taco shells, over nachos, or simply piled into a bowl.

And you already know how we do things around here: measured with love!

What I Used Tonight

My starting ratio is one bag of Knorr Mexican rice and two cups of chicken broth for every two large chicken breasts. From there, the vegetables and extras depend on what I have on hand.

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
• 1 bag Knorr Mexican rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• A little chopped onion
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small bag frozen corn
• Chopped fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, or rotel if you want even more spice
• 1 small jar or can of salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• Shredded Mexican-blend cheese, enough to cover the top
• Optional: black beans, drained and rinsed

I love black beans in this, but I didn’t have any tonight. That’s the beauty of this meal—you can work with what you’ve got!

Sometimes I use a frozen onion and pepper medley to make prep even easier. Tonight, I had fresh onion and a yellow pepper, so that’s what went in.

I also had tomatoes in the refrigerator that needed to be used. A few pulls of my string chopper, and they were ready for the crockpot. Canned diced tomatoes work, too!

How I Make My Crockpot Mexican Chicken

1. Fill the crockpot

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot. Add the Mexican rice, chicken broth, onion, bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and taco seasoning. If you’re using black beans, add those too.

Give the ingredients around the chicken a gentle stir so the rice is mixed into the liquid.

2. Let it cook

Cover and cook on high for about 3–4 hours or low for about 6–8 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked.

Slow cookers and chicken breast sizes vary, so use the times as a guide. Check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F before shredding.

Rice texture can vary with the rice mix and cooking time. This is a soft, cozy chicken-and-rice meal, and a longer cook may make the rice softer.

3. Shred the chicken

Once the chicken is done, take it out and shred it. I use my chicken shredder, but two forks will get the job done, too.

Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir everything together.

4. Add the cheesy finish

Sprinkle shredded Mexican-blend cheese over the top. Measure that with love, too!

Put the lid back on and cook for about 30 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.

One Crockpot, So Many Ways to Serve It

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you don’t have to serve it the same way every time.

• Soft tacos: Spoon the chicken and rice mixture into soft taco shells and add your favorite toppings.
• Nachos: Spoon it over tortilla chips just before serving for a cheesy, loaded plate of nachos.
• Chicken-and-rice bowls: Scoop it into a bowl and enjoy it just as it is, or finish with sour cream, avocado, cilantro, or a little extra salsa.

I love a dinner that gives you options without making you cook three different meals!

Make It With What You Have

This is a flexible recipe, especially when it comes to the vegetables.

Use fresh onion and peppers or grab a frozen medley. Add black beans if you have them. Use canned diced tomatoes or chop up fresh ones that need to be used. Choose mild salsa or something with a little more kick.

If I’m using more chicken breasts, I increase the rice and broth using my starting ratio and add more salsa—two small jars or one larger jar, depending on the batch. Just make sure your crockpot has room for the larger amount.

The ingredients don’t have to look exactly like mine for you to make a dinner your family will love.

A Little Prep, a Lot of Comfort

This Mexican Chicken is my kind of cooking: simple ingredients, flexible measurements, and a crockpot doing most of the work.

Tonight’s version came together with pantry staples and fresh vegetables I already had. Add that layer of melted cheese, and dinner was ready to serve however we wanted.

Some of my favorite kitchen finds for this are below

String Chopper: https://link.amazon/B0bPtYf3n

Meat Shredder: https://link.amazon/B0bI4HEvB

Ninja Possible Cooker: https://link.amazon/B0di8wrEl

Would you make yours into soft tacos, load it onto nachos, or grab a bowl? Tell me in the comments!

Made with love—and measured that way, too. 💕

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