Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

When I was pregnant with Connor, before I even knew if he was a boy or a girl, I had this image in my head of what if would look like to have two children so close in age. Given that Dillon was 11 months old when we found out we were pregnant again (SURPRISE) I knew it would be chaotic. I figured I would be tired, though given that Dillon wasn’t much for sleeping anyway that wasn’t anything new. But I also figured it would be, on some level, harmonious. Without even knowing the gender of my second child I had an expectation that I was creating a team, a duo, a set of two close in age siblings/ride-or-dies. I was a bit smug about this even, assuming that my stellar parenting coupled with our rock-solid family unit we had this in the bag.

And when, at the twenty-week scan, I discovered that Connor was to be a boy, well, even better. I didn’t suffer any of expected disappointment over not getting my precious little girl (though she would come just two years later because Jeff and I are gluttons for punishment and not very smart). I was excited about having two boys so close in age. I thought it would be a smashing success to introduce a playmate to my oldest. I thought they would be best friends. I was so sure of it.

Y’all…I was an idiot.

Because let me tell you what our household, with two brothers born 17 months apart, is like. It’s like Jurrasic Park meets Fight Club meets Friday the 13th (minus the chainsaw). It’s so much testosterone and so much angst and so many fistfights. Just fistfights all the time. It’s a life-long game of “he’s touching me/I’m not touching you” and “Fart Wars” and it always seems like there are at least 10 long gangly limbs reaching out for a kick, trip or punch at every moment. It’s WAR, y’all. ALL OF THE DAMN TIME.

I was such a fool.

Weekends in our house, when we’re not running from gymnastics meet to baseball games to church to birthday parties, are always the worst. My children, for whatever reason (obviously not my parenting which, once again, is stellar) have become near incapable of entertaining themselves unless YouTube is on and some weirdo named Preston and his WIFE (because they are adults, people, real-life adults) are screaming at me through the TV about some dumb video game or some kids somewhere in America, who are being ruthlessly exploited by their parents for money, are doing a “how long can I sit on the toilet” challenge. It’s true. They are completely incapable of entertaining themselves in the good old fashioned way. Like, outside. In nature. Or really, just anywhere not near me. Double Duty Recipe Crock Pot Chicken Tacos and Sour Cream Enchilada Quote Block

Nope. Instead, when my kids are bored and have used up all of their allotted weekend screen time and we, as parents, are so dang exhausted that we just want to sit on the couch and veg out to the blissful numbness of NFL football, that’s when the gloves come off and the chaos begins.

I have never seen anything like it. Truthfully. I have never seen kids, young boys, fight so dirty and so hard. It’s mind blowing to me the things they will do to each other, the lengths they will go to torture. Just because. There are no holds barred and no bodily function out of the question when it comes to the brother wars in this house. Farts are not meant to be private, y’all, NO, they are saved and used as weapons, often on a sibling’s head or right in their face. Want to know one of my kid’s greatest weaknesses? Stick around on a Sunday afternoon. His sibling is sure to expose it, exploit it and rub as much salt in it as possible.

The real truth of the matter is that Jeff and I are so exhausted by this that we often just sit and watch until it becomes dangerous. We stare at each other and do that silent conversation thing that couples do, tossing responsibility back and forth using just the slightest of eye movements until one of us finally rustles up enough nerve to step up. I mean,  I might throw in a half-hearted, “boys, stop,” knowing full well that even if I screamed it at the top of my lungs and directly in their faces, they would not listen, but that’s about all I’ve got the steam for. Not to mention the fact that not intervening falls right in line with our instinct to live. Because let me tell you, when you step in between two flaming mad brothers, you are taking your whole life in your own hands. They will take you down if you step between them. They have no chill during battle.

I have broken up fights that involved strangulation, crotch kicks and face spitting. I have watched an instigator in process, given warnings, tried to stop it before it begins. But if one of my boys has it in his mind to pants the other and cause a fight, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that will stop them. Crock pot chicken tacos and enchiladas quote block1

They’re almost always laughing, which being a woman and also not insane, I find weird. Sure, one child is sitting on the other child’s head while passing gas, but they’re laughing. Or they are chasing each other around and around and around our kitchen island, grabbing at pants and limbs and yelling inane insults at each other at the top of their lungs (can someone please explain the hairline insults to me. please?). But they’re laughing. And unless someone breaks an unspoken and unwritten rule of brother fight club, like it’s ok to fart in someone’s face but not ok to do it without pants on, it’s generally done with a sense of levity in the chaos.

But when it goes South, it goes South in a hurry. And y’all….I’m so tired.

I was such an idiot thinking that my two boys, so close in age yet as distinctly opposite in personality as humanly possible, would get along. What was I thinking? Had I ever met a kid before? Clearly I had not. Because this is what brothers do. They fight. They live hard and loud and stinky. And they fight.

And this is our life for the next 6 years at least, maybe more. So if you think of it, check on the #boymoms in your life We are not ok. We need therapy and wine, not necessarily in that order. I repeat. We are NOT ok.

Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Because life is hard and chaotic, I need easy and simple when it comes to dinner. I need to have one hand free to grab a shirt or intercept a fist. I need easy. So these Easy Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos are my jam.  First from my awesome sister in law, passed down to my mom, this is a true family effort and it’s totally double duty. Throw everything in the crockpot, literally just dump it, and then a few hours later you have incredibly tender shredded chicken for tacos. As a bonus, if you want it, you can also use the leftover chicken (you should have some) you can use the second recipe for delicious Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. BONUS!  It’s so simple and everyone loves both. It might be my most genius #toolboxrecipe yet.

A few notes on this one:

  • I used chicken thighs because I like them best in the slow cooker but have also used breasts in a pinch with good results. A mixture of both might be great as well.
  • I like a drier enchilada, one that’s not drowning in sauce, but if you like more I recommend doubling the recipe for the sauce.
  • If you have a family of big eaters, I recommend going up to 3.5 pounds of chicken just to be sure you have enough for the enchiladas (you won’t need to adjust the rest, there will still be enough liquid).
  • I use Herdez Brand Green Salsa, but any will do. I highly suggest mild if you’re feeding a family, though.

You’re going to LOVE this double-duty recipe. I promise.

Peace, love, and boymoms,

Meaghan

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos and Sour Cream Enchiladas

September 23, 2019

By:

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, breasts, or combo
  • 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup green salsa (salsa verde--I use Herdez brand)
  • juice of 3 limes
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • black pepper to taste
  • For the Enchiladas:
  • Leftover CrockPot Chicken
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
Directions
  • Step 1 For the Crock Pot:
  • Step 2 Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to coat chicken.
  • Step 3 Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 8-10.
  • Step 4 Shred chicken and return to sauce.
  • Step 5 Serve on tortillas with shredded cheese, salsa, etc.
  • Step 6 For the Enchiladas:
  • Step 7 Preheat oven to 400 and spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Step 8 On a clean work surface, spoon a tablespoon or so of chicken into center of a tortilla, top with tablespoon of cheese and roll.
  • Step 9 Place seam side down in dish and repeat until all chicken is done, nestling the tortillas close to keep from falling open.
  • Step 10 Melt the butter in a saucepan and add flour, stirring constantly, to make a roux. Stir until bubbly.
  • Step 11 Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to boil. Stir frequently.
  • Step 12 Remove from heat once thickened and stir in sour cream and green chilies.
  • Step 13 Pour sauce evenly down center of rolled enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese.
  • Step 14 Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
double duty recipe
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