Is it bad that I look forward to dinners where I don’t actually have to cook dinner. Ha! I’m “kind of” just kidding. Seriously though, I was talking with a blogger friend recently about this topic in particular. If you are a full-time blogger, you spend most of your days cooking and photographing your completed product. After a long day of cooking, you really don’t want to cook anymore. There is one way to solve this. Cook dinner early (and blog about it) and eat early or refrigerate and eat later. It’s all about the lighting, folks, and you can’t alway get a great shot after dark. This is why I ADORE recipes like this chipotle cheese slow cooker chicken taquitos dish. You can throw it in the slow cooker in the morning and just let it go. There are so many other reasons why it is a complete winner when it comes to a quick and easy dinner.
I am kind of obsessed with anything chipotle in flavor. I am a big fan of using chili powder in almost all of my dishes, BUT I’m an even bigger fan of using chipotle chili powder. It is one of my favorite spices. I think it is it’s general smokiness.
chipotle …
cheese …
chicken …
Mexican …
slow cooker …
What is not to love about everything going on in this dish!?
The slow cooker part really makes me happy. Especially with the start of the school year/fall season, the slow cooker is my go-to cooking vessel, especially after a long-day of cooking and photographing in the kitchen.
It pretty much goes like this. You throw everything in the slow cooker (except for the grated cheese, tortillas and garnishes of course), and you let it go. Seriously, you don’t even need to stir it.
You just let it go.
When all is said and done, you shred the chicken, layer it on top of tortillas with some grated cheese, roll them up and bake!
I like to serve them with salsa and guacamole and a side salad.
What’s even better, is that it is perfect for leftovers. I love to put the loose chicken on a bed of greens with a fried egg. It’s the perfect breakfast pick-me-up. ;)
Let’s talk about some beer on this fabulous Sunday!
Beer: Great Northern Brewing’s Tea Pale Ale
Brewery: Great Northern Brewing
Style: American Pale Ale
Alcohol Content: 5%
Description: What a fun, great and unique beer Great Northern Brewing’s Tea Pale Ale was! It always seems to work this way: I find a beer that I love and I find it in locations where I know they won’t distribute to where I live. It’s so sad, but it does make me appreciate these particular beers just a little bit more! I can’t say that I’ve ever had a “Tea Pale Ale.” It was the absolute perfect pairing for these spicy, scrumptious taquitos. You really get some heavy notes of Earl Grey Tea in this beer. That, along with some citrus and florally aromas and flavors, they really highlight all of the spice going on in this dish. I know this beer may not be the easiest one to get your hands on. If you can’t find it, try another American Pale Ale infused with tea!
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Yields 12
5 minPrep Time
6 hr, 15 Cook Time
6 hr, 20 Total Time
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, diced small
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 8-12 6-inch tortilla rounds, flour or corn
- sour cream, salsa, pico, avocado, and red onion (for topping/dipping)
Instructions
- To your slow cooker, add the chicken breast, chicken broth, cream cheese, sour cream, chipotles, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and salt. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Once the chicken has cooked, give it a good stir and shred the chicken with two forks. Keep the slow cooker set on warm or low.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat or spray with a non-stick spray.
- Prepare your tortillas by layering on a couple of tablespoons of shredded chicken and then topping with a tablespoon or two of grated cheese. Roll the tortillas up firmly and place, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Finish this step for the rest of the tortillas.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are just beginning to brown and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately with desired toppings.
- Enjoy!