When it comes to cooking the crockpot is my savior. Sometimes I don’t even like to take credit for certain meals if they were made in the crockpot because it feels like I’m cheating…
But it’s not cheating right? The crockpot is just “assisting” me in my cooking efforts. Yes, we’ll stick with assisting. I’m sure the greatest chefs of all time have slow cookers in their kitchens and restaurants…and if they don’t they totally needa get with the program. It improves your meals, preferably chicken, beef or chili, in magical ways. So now I got it down. The crockpot is not cheating it is assisting you in magical ways for a deliciously improved meal.
The The Recipe Redux challenged us this month to make something using “treasured cookware” and the first thing I thought of was our crockpot. It was the one kitchen tool I could think of that my mom has passed down to me with various methods and recipes to go along with it. In fact I think I inherited my obsessiveness over the crockpot from her because we both go WILD over the meals that get concocted in that thing. We even own an extremely overpriced magazine dedicated to crockpot meals, sectioned by seasons. We are all about that crockpot life.
The first time I made chili it was done in a skillet and to this day I can still hear my mom yacking in my ear “you needa use the crockpot” “it would taste way better in the crockpot” “why can’t you just use the dang crockpot”. Yes, the typical nag effects that mothers give off. The type of comments they make where we absolutely HATE to admit they’re right…
So after I got over my pridefulness, I tried the crockpot. And my chili was the bomb. Ever since then the crockpot has been used on a weekly basis. It requires minimal time in the kitchen and makes a better chicken that the oven EVER will. It just gets me. And the outcome always makes my family happy. That’s what it’s all about right?
So these bbq pulled chicken tacos are something you need. Your family needs too. It will make them happy and make them love you oh so much more. They’re not rocket science to make either. Who knew a homemade bbq flavored sauce would be so easy? The main ingredients you need to make your chicken a crockpot full of flavor are:
-Maple Syrup
-Molasses
-Apple Cider Vinegar
-Chipotle Sauce
-Dijon Mustard
EASY! Along with a few seasonings of course but you get the jist of it. Instead of opting for a store bought bottle of bbq sauce with ex amount of sodium and unheard of ingredients, you can just make a sweet maple flavored one on your own!
The chicken absorbs all these tasty ingredients over the course of 4-6 hours and the result is beyond worth the wait! I would rather wait 4 hours for a flavorful, NON-DRY shredded plate of chicken than a quick, tasteless, dry as cardboard piece of chicken…
Not to say all oven baked chicken is bad, they’re not! But the crockpot takes it to a whole different level. And feel free to have the chicken in more ways than just tacos. It tastes delicious over quinoa, rice, in a bun with cheddar cheese, quesadilla style, a salad topper…the options are not limited!
Crockpot Bbq Pulled Chicken Tacos
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs skinless + boneless chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce (Franks)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp molasses
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp chipotle sauce from a can of chipotle adobe chiles
- 3 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, in juice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except chicken, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl. Place ingredients into a high powered blender or food process and blend until a smooth sauce has formed. Place chicken breasts into the crockpot and pour sauce to cover the chicken. Sprinkle in sea salt and brown sugar.
- Cover and heat on low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and serve in tortillas as tacos with cheese and avocado or toppings of choice! Enjoy!
Notes
- This chicken can also be served in a bun, over quinoa or as a salad topper! It is very versatile!
- Makes about 8 servings.