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These Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls are an easy way to bring dinner to the table without all the time and hassle. 10 minutes to prep, dump and walk away and come back to dinner! Juicy shredded chicken, black beans, and the right amount of spice–so many ways to vary and serve, plus this one is very freezer friendly!
Nothing like a chicken burrito bowl: takeout not required
Dinner is always one of those times that I find myself exhausted and not in the mood to think too much. The crockpot is my very best friend in these cases–especially for these simple Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls!
Between this recipe and my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, you can’t go wrong for easy dinners!
And for more crockpot recipes, try this Crockpot Honey Mustard Chicken, Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos with Simple Slaw or this Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili!
Why you will love this Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe
- So simple to prep! This slow cooker chicken recipe is as easy as dump all the ingredients and come back hours later to a simple meal. Just shred once it’s cooked and dinner is served!
- Easy to accommodate everyone’s taste buds. The fun of burrito bowls is in the toppings. You can very easily accommodate dairy free and gluten free eaters if needed. You can adjust spiciness to cater to the younger crew that may not enjoy much heat. We love this dinner because everyone gets what they want all from one meal!
- Great for meal prepping. If you like to do some Sunday meal prepping, these chicken burrito bowls are an awesome option. Toss everything in the slow cooker and allow it to cook for the day. Then shred and store. Frees up oven space so you can get other meals prepped and ready for the week.
- It’s freezer friendly. This is. a great option if you like to store some for later. You can freeze this recipe for about 2 months in a freezer safe container.
Try this Shrimp Taco Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing as well if you love this one!
Ingredients Notes
- chicken: thawed boneless skinless chicken breast. For safety, using frozen chicken in the crock pot is a no-no. This is because bacteria can grow and thrive in the process of it thawing and cooking in the slow cooker. Chicken thighs can also work in this recipe if you prefer them.
- tomatoes: diced in the can. I don’t drain the juices before adding to the chicken.
- corn: frozen or canned will work great
- green chile pepper: you could use a jalapeño for more spice. A small can of diced green chiles is also great if you don’t have fresh.
- beans: black beans is what we use but you could opt for pinto or kidney beans if preferred
- lime juice: freshly squeezed if possible for optimal flavor
- garlic: minced cloves is what I typically use. You could substitute garlic powder if you don’t have any.
- spices: cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper for these chicken burrito bowls in the crockpot. You can add some smoked paprika for a flavor twist. Sometimes I also like to sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of oregano as well
Get out that slow cooker and get to it! You should be all set in just a few minutes. Literally this is a dump and walk away recipe and that’s why I love it so much.
How to make the best crockpot chicken burrito bowls
Step 1: Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker and cover with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and red pepper evenly.
Step 2: Cover the seasoned chicken with toss in the onion, green chiles (or jalapeño if you want more heat), corn and garlic. Top with tomatoes and rinsed black beans.
Step 3: Gently stir all of the ingredients on top of the chicken to mix evenly and cover the chicken completely.
Step 4: Cover and heat on low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F. I like to check in at 3 hours. If your chicken is small it can cook a bit more quickly so it’s good to have an idea earlier in the cooking process. Chicken size is definitely a factor in cook time variances.
Step 5: When chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F , use two fork to shred it. You can pull the chicken out and shred on a cutting board or do it right in the slow cooker.
Step 6: Once you shred it, you will want to turn the slow cooker to warm. Using two forks, pull the chicken apart to shred it. It should shred very easily. Once shredded, stir it up and set to warm until ready to serve. Top with chopped cilantro before serving with your favorite chicken burrito bowl ingredients!
Recipe Tips
- Set up a burrito bowl bar for the crowd. You can set out lots of toppings and keep the chicken in the slow cooker on warm. The whole crew can serve up a bowl they love.
- Try to select chicken that is uniform in thickness. This will make cooking time for even and not cause one breast to be very dry and overcooked and others not even cooked through.
- These make great chicken tacos as well as a great taco salad. You don’t have to stick just to rice bowls. Add the chicken to quesadillas, lettuce cups, tacos, burritos and much more.
Storage
To store leftover chicken, put in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze in a freezer safe container for about 3 months, thawing int he refrigerator before serving.
Chicken Burrito Bowl Topping Suggestions
There are so many toppings to enjoy with your slow cooker chicken burrito bowls. Here are some of our favorites:
- diced tomatoes
- lettuce or chopped cabbage
- cheese–think beyond cheddar. Cotija, a cheddar blend, habanero spiced cheese, etc.
- pico de gallo
- roasted tomato salsa
- guacamole
- fritos or tortilla chips
- sliced olives
- pickled onions
- cilantro lime dressing (yum!!!)
- sliced radishes
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
What am I missing?!
Other Slow Cooker Recipes
- Simple Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Super Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Siracha Lime White Chicken Chili
- Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Slow Cooker Country Style BBQ Ribs
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Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
For Slow Cooker
- 2 lb. chicken breast
- 1 can black beans (15 oz.), rinsed
- ½ cup corn kernels
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.), no need to drain liquid
- 1 green chile or jalapeño pepper diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T cumin
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 T lime juice
- Sea Salt to taste
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
Burrito Bowl Contents/Extras
- 2 cups cooked rice, in a rush? Use frozen!
- 1 avocado
- lime wedges
- 1 roma tomato, diced
- Romaine lettuce
- shredded cheese
- cilantro
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with cumin, chili powder, red pepper, sea salt and pepper. Add green chile, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and black beans. Stir the ingriedients on top of the chicken to mix evenly. Cover and cook.
- Allow to cook for about 4-6 hours low or until an internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken.
- Either remove the chicken and shred on a cutting board, or shred with two forks in the crock pot. Stir the chicken back in and set to warm until ready to serve.
- Prep all of the desired bowl ingredients and then add mixture from crock pot to each bowl and top with your favorite ingredients!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is very easy to prepare. My household of teens really enjoy this meal.
any idea what the serving size would be to get that approx amount of calories? im trying to stay under 300 cal for lunch so i wanted to know how much to scoop in each tupperware. I know it will vary depending on toppings but for just as its listed here?
The serving is about 1/2 cup of shredded chicken or just slightly over that. Hope that helps!
Looks delicious! How would you do this with dried black beans?
Hi! Sorry for the delay. I recommend soaking them overnight in water before adding them to the slow cooker. Hope that helps!
Need to add drain tomatoes in your recipe
Noted! Thanks!! I put it as an option in the recipe card!
Hi, can you use chicken thighs?
Absolutely you can!!!
Do you use frozen or canned corn?
Hi! You can use either. If using canned, make sure to drain any extra liquid.
Do you put the Tablespoon of lime juice in the crockpot with the spices?or after it is cooked
Hi! You add it with the spices and everything. Sorry for the confusion!
does the calorie count include all the toppings (i.e. rice, avocado, etc.) or just the chicken?
thanks,
Hi! Just the chicken/bean/corn mixture, didn’t include toppings as they will likely vary from person to person!
Hi! How do you reheat this mixture from frozen? Do you need to thaw it in the fridge the night before? Thanks!
Hi! Thawing in the fridge overnight is ideal however if you want to reheat from frozen you can pop it back in the slow cooker and add a little bit of broth or splash of water and heat on low until cooked. You can also microwave if needed!
I’m in Australia, what does 1T mean, is it tablespoon?
Yes! That’s tablespoon!
I will try the chicken burrito bowl this weekend ???? thanks
Let me know how you like it!