These Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls are an easy way to bring dinner to the table without all the time and hassle. Juicy shredded chicken, black beans, and the right amount of spice–plus, the topping options are endless!
This recipe was originally posted October 2015. Photos and copy updated March 2020.
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 crock pot is my very best friend in these cases–especially for these simple Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls!
Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls to the rescue!
These Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls are the answer to a good meal without having to think or work too much. There are a few tips as well that can help you get these ready in a flash if time is an issue.
You throw everything in the crock pot in the morning and then make some rice when you get home and poof! dinner is ready. You can keep it meatless by adding a can of pinto beans or kidney beans instead of chicken.
Dairy free? Skip the cheese or make a cashew cream to pour over. What you add to your bowl is really up to you! Avocado, guacamole, tomatoes, cheese, tortilla chips, salsa, Greek yogurt, etc. The list really goes on.
This meal is a staple in our house. Without it I don’t know what I would do! If you have other ideas for fun additions, please let me know because I am always up for some twists in my own bowl. So save some time and money and skip Chipotle tonight and still get everyone’s dinner made to order!
What you need to make these Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls:
- 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.
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 this recipe:
- Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker and cover with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and red pepper evenly. (steps 1 and 2)
- From here there is really no right or wrong way to add the rest of the ingredients, I just laid it out so you could see everything easily. The main focus is getting everything layered to cover the chicken. I toss in the onion, chile pepper (or jalapeño if you want more heat), corn and garlic. Top with tomatoes (drain most of the liquid from the tomatoes) and rinsed black beans. (steps 3 and 4)
- Stir all of the ingredients on top of the chicken to mix evenly and cover the chicken completely. Cover and heat on high 4-5 hours or low 6-7 hours. (steps 5 and 6)
- You want to wait until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F to shred it. I tend to wait until about an 30 minutes or an hour before serving to shred it, but sometimes I do it earlier if the chicken is cooked through. The size of your chicken will impact this. 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. (steps 7 and 8)
Pro-Tips and Notes:
- In a pinch, I have used frozen chicken to make this chicken burrito bowl recipe. There are people that say it is not ideal, but sometimes that is just the way it goes. I cook the frozen chicken a bit longer typically depending on how thick the chicken is. Just make sure to test for the internal temperature of 165°F.
- 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.
- These make great chicken tacos as well as a great taco salad topper. So many ways honestly to enjoy this recipe aside from a chicken burrito bowl.
Check out these 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
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Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
For Slow Cooker
- 1 ½ lb. chicken breast
- 1 can black beans (15 oz.) rinsed
- ½ cup corn kernels
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
- 1 large green chile 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 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.
- About 30 minutes before eating or when chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, turn to warm and, using two fork, pull chicken apart to shred. It should come apart very easily.
- 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
- In a pinch, I have used frozen chicken to make this chicken burrito bowl recipe. There are people that say it is not ideal, but sometimes that is just the way it goes. I cook the frozen chicken a bit longer typically depending on how thick the chicken is. Just make sure to test for the internal temperature of 165°F.
- 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.
- These make great chicken tacos as well as a great taco salad topper. So many ways honestly to enjoy this recipe aside from a chicken burrito bowl.
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