Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see note)
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in flour tortillas with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.
Notes
Red Pepper: add more if you like extra heat – with 1/4 tsp. it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness
Liquid: leaving the tomatoes undrained makes for a fairly juicy chicken mixture. If you don’t want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as liquidy, slightly drain the tomatoes before using them.
Quantity: also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.
Freezable Meal: I freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. I reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.