Mexican Pulled Chicken
Tender chicken, cooked simply and perfectly in the slow cooker and made super delicious with Mexican flavors. Top with melty cheese and creamy guacamole, and you have a Mexican Pulled Chicken dish that will make your whole party crew sing your praises.
You guys, how excited am I for Rotel! Sometimes there are recipes or ingredients that you just have a special affection for, and Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies is one of those for me. When I lived in Texas, where I learned to cook, I was introduced to Rotel by friends …because they put it in everything. I have been hooked since. I just gave you Super Quick Mexican Baked Penne where Rotel and a couple other pantry staples totally saved me on a weeknight. And today I am giving you another because you know what Rotel is great for? Party food. Lots of party food. …like The Bestest Best Queso of Them All. (that is really good stuff right there)
…And this. Healthy, delicious Mexican Pulled Chicken. This recipe is so easy and so special.
So it’s March, right? Where are my basketball fans raise your hand!!! Get out your brackets. Start making your picks!
There are all kinds-a reasons why March is big for sports, college basketball especially. Obviously. And spring has sprung, so March is all about entertaining and gathering and making amazing food to share. Cuz we’re all coming out of hibernation, right? Besides, my birthday was last weekend [smile]. ..So this recipe is for sharing, be it your big game day spread to watch the college teams play their hearts out, or weekend family gathering, or spring potluck. This one is for the crowd. Because this tender and oh-soooo-flavourful chicken is just so fantastically tasty.
This. Is. Delicious. With the uber-tender, slow cooked chicken, made soooo yums with tomatoes and green chilies and garlic and seasoning and red wine and guacamole. Mmmmmm. I used Original Rotel, which is spicy on its own, but this chicken is not spicy. Between the slow cooking and the creamy guacamole, the heat is totally mellowed. So don’t sweat and think this comes out spicy. If anything, there is heat from the cheese, so if feeding younger or more-spice-sensitive palates, use a different cheese or Mild Rotel.
So these pictures are of a big, guac’ed-out sammie like I typically eat. If entertaining more than half a dozen people, I would most definitely use slider buns instead of burger buns to extend the recipe and feed a bunch. …And you know why else this recipe is perfect for a party? Because it is butt easy to make. Seriously. You just throw the stuff in the crock and let’r go.
We need recipes like this in our lives …delicious, healthy, and ridiculously easy to make, Mexican Pulled Chicken.
Mexican Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- chili powder
- 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
- ¼ c red wine
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 T honey
- 2 T cilantro chopped
- 6 burger buns see Notes
- 6 slices pepperjack cheese
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and chili powder (a couple good pinches each, be generous), and place the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the Ro*tel, red wine, garlic, and honey. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board or bake dish. Using two forks, shred the chicken taking care to discard all the bones and cartilage. Put the meat in a bowl. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes and green chilies from the slow cooker to the bowl with the chicken, along with ~1/4 c of the juices from the slow cooker to keep the meat moist. Add the cilantro.
- Serve the pulled chicken on bakery burger buns, topped with cheese and guacamole. Yields 6 servings (see Notes).
Notes
If you love making easy pulled chicken in the slow cooker, check out these other recipes
