Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice {Paleo + Whole30}
Life has been busy lately. I am talking seriously busy. Which means making dinner has felt more like a chore than normal.
Thus, our main requirements for dinner are three things. One, a meal that comes together quick. Two, something that is seriously simple. And last but not least, a dish that we can batch and/or bulk cook.
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice fits these requirements exactly.
We have been making this dish as part of our weekly meal prep, and a single serving feeds to the two of us for a couple of days. Bearing in mind we (cough, Garett) eats larger portions. Okay, Garett eats 2 portions in one sitting.
For many couples, this single batch will last you half the week. Or for a family of 4+, you will have enough for one entire dinner, and a bit leftovers for lunch the next day.
Looking for a larger portion? On the weekends we make a double batch, and leftovers last us through most of the week.
And you know what else? You can easily batch cook this recipe during the week, it is THAT easy. Did I mention the entire meal only has 10 ingredients? Yep, 10. High fives!
The beauty of this meal is its simplicity, but also how it can transform into an entirely new meal.
If you have spent any time on our site, you have noticed our slight infatuation with leftovers. We are big proponents of meal prep, and utilizing leftovers to create new meals throughout the week.
To transform this meal into a new dish, you can easily do any of the following:
- For breakfast, serve on top of tortilla chips with a side of fried eggs. Like a protein heavy chilaquiles.
- Make a greens salad, or wrap the chicken into lettuce cups, tortillas, or serve on toasted bread as an open faced sandwich.
- Turn the dish into a stew/soup. Add remaining chicken, extra stock, and whatever vegetables you have on hand.
What we really love is that the chicken and rice act as a perfect base, then you can add any number or combination of toppings that your heart desires.
In fact, we will be doing this very thing for Cinco de Mayo. This is excellent party fare, and everyone can make it their own. We plan on serving this buffet style, a la Chipotle style, with tons of toppings and add-ins.
Add a bucket of Mexican beers and a side of margaritas, and we have ourselves a Mexican fiesta.
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Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice {Paleo + Whole30}
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup chicken bone broth or stock or enough to cover chicken
- 1 14 ounces can no salt added diced tomatoes
- 1 medium sweet onion cut into quarters and sliced thin
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and sliced thin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cauliflower Rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 pound cauliflower riced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- Juice and zest from 1 large or 2 small limes
Instructions
Chicken
- Add all ingredients to your slow cooker, ensuring chicken is completely covered. Add more stock if needed. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Shred chicken in the pot and keep on warm until ready to serve.
Cauliflower Rice
- In a large saucepan melt ghee over medium heat. Add riced cauliflower and salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Let cook 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Remove from heat and stir in lime zest, juice, and cilantro.
- Add rice to a plate or bowl, and top with a generous helping of shredded chicken. Garnish with a lime slice and extra cilantro.
- Add avocado, sour cream, cheese, or your favorite toppings of choice.
Notes
- This recipe doubles very well and makes excellent leftovers.
- Turn this into a freezer meal by adding all chicken ingredients to a freezer safe zip top bag, and transfer to the slow cooker once ready to prepare. Increase cook time to closer to 6 hours if cooking from frozen.
Items Used in this Recipe:
