Cooker Chicken Tacos

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If there has been one thing to steal my heart from the wonderful clouds of smoke from my grill this year, it has been my slow cooker. I have always loved having a magic dinner-ready-when-I-walk-into-a-house-filled-with-tummy-growling-awesomeness tool but this year I really feel in love with it. And why? BBQ nachos waiting for me at 9:30 at night after a long day of work, creamy soups comforting me when I can’t chew, and this cookbook.

America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution has been my most used cookbook this year. I am constantly flipping through it tabbing more and more pages. I have expanded my slow cooker collection to one large one, two small, and now one of those fancy triple ones for parties (thank you, Santa) and there are days when I feel like I could possibly use all of them. Every time I think I can walk away from this cook book for a little while, I am drawn back in by one more recipe I just have to try.  (Heck, I have made two from it this week alone!)

Now, because this is a book from America’s Test Kitchen (cough, Cook’s Illustrated) even this slow cooker book is not for a novice chef. It’s not dump everything in and walk away, poof, dinners ready 7 hours later. There is prep work, though it’s not terribly much. There may be some browning, or some simmering before hand but because its a ATK book, you know they did some crazy amount of research to make that simmering and browning 100% worth it.  Every recipe I have tried from the 336 page thick book has been mouth watering, hearty, and satisfying.

No, the following recipe is not from Slow Cooker Revolution. It’s a simple, fast, and painless kind of meal with no prep work and the product of some quick rummaging through the pantry. But I did want to get you all excited about the book. Why? Well I guess you will just have to scroll down a bit more.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs, whichever you prefer)
1 8oz can enchilada sauce
4 teas taco seasoning (I love this recipe)
a few dashes of tabasco sauce
1/8 teas pepper
2 oz cream cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Whole wheat soft taco shells

Toppings:
1 bunch cilantro
black beans
salsa
1 green pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
guacamole
sour cream
Preparation:

Toss chicken in slow cooker with enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, tabasco sauce, and pepper. Cook on low for 5-7 hours, until chicken is easily shredded with two forks. After shredding, stir in cream cheese and cheddar until melted.

Serve with soft shell tacos and desired toppings.