Healthy Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl
Earlier this week I shared my thoughts regarding food trends. 2017 is going to be an exciting year for blogging and this Healthy Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl the first in an installment of “bowl” recipe I’m going to share with you.
Not only is this a meal in a bowl – you’re going to be even more excited about it because it starts in the slow cooker!
Yep, it’s a set it and forget it kinda meal. Love that!
Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl
I did not take a ton of pictures of the slow cooker process. Well… mostly because you don’t need one! Boneless skinless chicken breasts, an onion, a can of enchilada sauce, taco seasoning and salt. You get it, no pictures necessary!
Because every great bowl starts with a great grain, this bowl uses forbidden rice (also known as black rice) the flavors are more complex than white rice, but in a pinch you can certainly use brown or white rice.
Want to pump up the flavor of an ordinary boiled rice? Ditch the water and substitute your favorite stock – chicken/beef or vegetable stock with a pinch of salt. When it’s done mix in lime zest and a squeeze of juice and you’ll have a delicious and easy Tex Mex Rice!
Black Rice is also known as Forbidden Rice. Never tried it? The flavors are more complex than white rice, similar to brown rice it’s nutty and rich in flavor – better for you too and gluten free.
So back to the bowl – next top off with some greens – a good handful of baby spinach and a few leaves of cilantro. Hominy is next (though you could use black beans or kidney beans) and 1/2 cooked chicken breast per bowl.
Next add hominy and the slow cooked chicken.
The protein is going to take a back seat to all of these crunchy grains and the beautiful fresh vegetables!
Top off with your favorite fresh vegetables.
Add your fresh sliced vegetables. Now it’s not necessary to group each ingredient together, but it looks really pretty! And you know me… I love pretty food! 😀
Top it off with crumbled cotija cheese – pronounced [Ko-tee-hah]. Cotija is a Mexican cow’s milk cheese. It’s quite pungent and salty and ridiculous yummy! A bit similar to feta cheese in texture, if you haven’t tried it – now’s the time!
A spoonful of your favorite salsa and a dollop of sour cream finishes it off. Serve lemon or lime wedges alongside. That fresh burst of citrus finishes it off perfectly. Save the heavy salad dressing for another meal – these flavors together are perfectly delicious!
This recipe makes four generous bowls and on day two it was just as delicious! You’ll have two leftover chicken breasts and I used those for nachos on day three or grab a tortilla and make a wrap. Cook once and have three meals? LOVE that!!
Let’s get cooking!
Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl
Healthy Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl is an easy meal in a bowl! SO DELISH with big flavors, great crunch, serve four with leftovers for another meal!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 yellow onion peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1 15 oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- Bowl Ingredients and Toppings
- 1 cup Black Rice* cooked according to package directions
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 4 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 can hominy
- 1 avocado peeled, seed removed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 cup red onions diced
- 1/2 cup black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled
- 2 lemons cut into wedges
- salsa & sour cream to taste
Instructions
The morning of your meal lightly spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the onions on the bottom, top with the chicken breasts, sprinkle with taco seasoning & salt, pour the enchilada sauce over the top. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours.
Before your meal, cook the black rice according to package directions. While it is cooking slice your vegetables. Generously drizzle lemon juice on the avocado to keep it from turning brown.
Remove two of the chicken breasts from the slow cooker, saving the remainder for another meal. Dice into bite sized pieces.
Time to assemble the bowls! Evenly distribute the ingredients, starting with the rice, then the greens, next the hominy, then the remaining vegetables. Finish with a couple spoonfuls of salsa and a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe Notes
*Cooking your rice in your favorite stock, chicken, beef or vegetable will make it that much more flavorful!
If you like the bowl concept, then you may be interested in learning more. These cookbooks are all about meals in a bowl!
Healthy Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken Bowl is an easy meal in a bowl! SO DELISH with big flavors, great crunch, serve four with leftovers for another meal!
Healing Tomato says
Thank you for using cherry tomatoes in this recipe! They make this meal look so appetizing! I love the different ingredients you put into this chicken bowl. It looks so appealing!
Bowl Me Over says
Oh yes, love all the bright crunchy veggies. Cherry tomatoes are one of my fav tomatoes for salads. So sweet and delicious! Thank you Healing Tomato for stopping by!!
Petro @ Creative Homemaking says
I love the bright colors in this bowl, I’m always attracted to a colorful dish! And the healthy factor plays a big role too. Some of my favorite ingredients in just one bowl, perfect meal!
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Petro, yum yum yum!! Thanks for stopping by!
Michelle says
Looks delish and so easy. I forgot about Forbidden Rice. Need to hunt some down. Thanks for the reminder and the great looking (healthy too) recipe.
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Michelle – gotta love that slow cooker short-cut! My kinda meal!
Julie says
The photos are fantastic! The recipe looks really good and a must for football parties.
Bowl Me Over says
It would be perfect for a party – anything handheld always worked for me, thanks Julie!!
Brian Jones says
Lovely collection of ingredients, I have been hunting down black rice for a while but no joy apart from horrendously expensive on line outlets 🙁
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Brian! Do you have any asian markets you can check at? Though I’ve purchased it online http://amzn.to/2jmQC7j the most affordable option was at the market, in fact it wasn’t much expensive than brown rice! I hope you can find one nearby.
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube says
The colors are amazing! Must try find the black rice in our supermarket so I can try this!
Bowl Me Over says
Awesome, let me know what you think Julia! Here’s a link if you can’t find it locally – http://amzn.to/2jmQC7j
Dannii says
That is one beautiful looking bowl. I just love all the colours and I am glad that avocado is on there.
Bowl Me Over says
With all the great crunch the avocado takes it back to the creamy/luscious side – I’m big fan of avocado too Dannii!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
What a fabulous looking plate of food, with loads of goodness. The forbidden rice sounds like a great choice, I do like a rice with more flavour.
Bowl Me Over says
Thank you so much Helen – I appreciate you stopping by!
debi at Life Currents says
This bowl looks amazing! Healthy and colorful! I love that you used black rice too. I love the flavor, nutty, like you said. It makes it fun and special!
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Debi! I think the black rice a little different texture too which is super yummy! Hope you give it a try!
Kavey at Kavey Eats says
I really love slow cookers – not only for the ease of cooking, but because slow-cooked food tastes so good. Your sante fe chicken bowl looks so colourful!
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Kavey, love a yummy meal in a bowl!!
Ilka says
Such a beautiful salad with so many great colors! You packed in so much nutrition and the black rice is a great idea!
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Ilka – I love all that yummy crunch, I hope you do too!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
That does it. I’m getting some black rice this week!
Bowl Me Over says
Off to the store you go Dorothy! 😀