Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Slow Cooker Recipe for Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos (or Tostadas) with Avocado Salsa 

 From  kalynskitchen.com

Spicy Shredded Chicken cooked in the slow cooker and then made into lettuce wrap tacos or tostadas!

These Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos are one of those recipes that every slow cooker fan will appreciate because once you've made the spicy shredded chicken, there are endless ways to use it.  I experimented a few times with the slow cooker part of the recipe to get the chicken flavored just like I wanted it, and we made lettuce wrap tacos and tasty chicken tostadas, but you could also use this shredded chicken to make regular tacos, nachos, burritos, or even enchiladas.  And don't skip the avocado salsa, which was the perfect thing to go with the spicy meat.

Trim four boneless-skinless chicken breasts, and then cut each one in half lengthwise.

Arrange the chicken in a slow cooker that you've sprayed with olive oil or non-stick spray.  (I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker, and you need one that's close to this size.)

Mix together the salsa, onion powder, diced green chiles, Cholula hot sauce, and lime juice.

Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Cook on low for about 5 hours, or until chicken is very tender.  (I did experiment cooking it on high for a shorter time and the chicken was much more tender when cooked on low.)

Remove chicken from slow cooker, and let it cool; then shred chicken apart with your fingers.  (Turn the slow cooker to high and leave the lid partly off while chicken cools and you're shredding it.)

Then put the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, stir to combine with the sauce, and let it heat up again while you prep your other ingredients.

For these lettuce wraps, we liked Iceberg lettuce best.  I cut a head of lettuce in half and wash it in the salad spinner before I break it apart for the lettuce wraps, but some lettuce may not need to be washed.

Combine the chopped avocado, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and lime juice to make the salsa.

To make the lettuce wrap tacos, peel off two pieces of lettuce, fill with some shredded chicken, and put a generous scoop of avocado salsa on top.  Fold over the lettuce and eat with your hands.

If you'd rather make tostadas, crisp flour tortillas in the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes, turning a few times.

Spread some of the chicken over the top of the tortilla.

Then spread a layer of salsa over that.

We liked tomatoes on the tostadas, and you could use some on the tacos as well.



Slow Cooker Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos (or Tostadas) with Avocado Salsa
(Makes about 8 tacos or tostadas; recipe created by Kalyn)

Equipment:
I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker to make the chicken in this recipe.  You will need a slow cooker that's close to this size.

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
1 cup mild or medium tomato salsa (homemade or from a jar)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 can ( 4 oz.) diced green chiles, not drained (Anaheim chiles)
1-2 T Cholula hot sauce, or other Mexican hot sauce of your choice
2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice

Avocado Salsa Ingredients:
2 medium or large avocados, diced into small pieces
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

For Lettuce Wrap Tacos:
2 large heads iceberg lettuce, washed if needed

For Tostadas: 
8 medium-sized flour tortillas (use whole wheat or low-carb tortillas for South Beach Diet)
chopped tomatoes (optional but good)

Instructions:

Trim visible fat and other unwanted parts from chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise.  Spray the inside of the slow cooker with olive oil or non-stick spray and arrange the chicken strips in the bottom.  Mix together the tomato salsa, onion powder, diced green chiles with juice, Cholula hot sauce and lime juice.  (Start with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce and taste the mixture on your finger to see if you want more.)  Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and cook on low for about 5 hours, or until chicken is very tender.  (You can cook for a shorter time on high, but I thought cooking on low gave more tender chicken.)

When the chicken is done, remove each piece with a slotted spoon and lay it on a cutting board to cool.  Turn the slow cooker to high and leave the lid partly off so steam can evaporate.  When the chicken has cooled enough to handle it, use your clean hands to pull it apart into shredded chicken pieces.  Put the chicken back into the slow cooker, stir to combine with the sauce, and let it heat back up while you prepare other ingredients.   (If there seems to be a lot of sauce in the slow cooker, you can drain the chicken when you use it, but I just scooped chicken out with a slotted spoon.)

Peel and dice the avocados and toss with the lime juice (in a bowl that's big enough for all the salsa ingredients.)  Add the chopped cilantro and chopped red onion and stir to combine.

For tacos, cut iceberg lettuce heads in half and wash in salad spinner if needed.  Peel off two pieces of lettuce and fill with a scoop of chicken mixture and a scoop of avocado salsa.  Eat tacos with your hands.

For tostadas, toast flour tortillas 2-3 minutes in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 400F/200C, turning them over a few times.  Spread a layer of spicy shredded chicken on teach tortilla, followed by a layer of avocado salsa and chopped tomatoes if desired.  Pick up and eat with your fingers or eat with a knife and fork.

The spicy shredded chicken can also be used to make regular tacos, burritos, nachos, or enchiladas.