Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

I'm trying to use my slow cooker more these days and decided to try this recipe from the October 2008 issue of Everyday Foods. I think this recipe is a jazzed up version of the ever popular slow cooker salsa chicken recipe. I made the recipe as follows below. It does have a bit of a kick, it wasn't too much for me though and I usually don't go much hotter than mild salsa. I thought the taco toppings tempered the heat. I used chicken breasts since I'm not a fan of chicken thighs. I decided to cook mine 8 hours on low. At about 6 hours the meat was fully cooked. I fear if I had it go longer it would have been dried up. So definitely be careful about the cooking time. There isn't that much liquid in this recipe. I was also very excited to find taco shells made with organic corn meal. They were much better than the typical grocery store brand taco shells. Serve these with some Mexican rice and you have a pretty good meal with minimal effort. Also, don't forget the limes, they add a nice punch of flavor.

Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

Serves 4

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6) (I used chicken breasts)
  
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup prepared tomato salsa, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 hard corn taco shells
• Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream, for serving (optional)

1. In slow cooker, combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Cover; cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours).
2. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells, with toppings, if desired.

Oven method: preheat oven to 350 degrees. In step 1, use a 5-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid; add 2 cups water. Cover; bake until chicken is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Proceed with step 2.

Source: Everyday Food, October 2008.