4 Mexican Recipes Using a Crock-Pot

Save yourself tons of time by making your family's favorite Mexican fare in a Crock-Pot. These four recipes provide maximum flavor with minimal effort on your part, so they're perfect for those extra-busy days.

Warm up after a chilly day with a batch of slow-cooker chicken tortilla soup. Make this tasty soup by placing boned chicken breasts in a Crock-Pot, seasoning the meat with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add diced bell peppers and onions, plus chicken broth, black beans, tomato paste and a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Cover, and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8. Use two forks to shred the chicken breast in the Crock-Pot. Spoon the soup into bowls, and then top with avocado slices, shredded cheese and tortilla strips.

Forget about going to a restaurant for chicken and rice bowls; make your own version that pretty much does all the work for you, thanks to a Crock-Pot. Add cubed chicken pieces, chopped onions and green chilies to the slow cooker, plus a cup of uncooked brown rice, enchilada sauce, cumin and salt. Cover the pot, and cook 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. Spoon portions into bowls, then top with pico de gallo and queso fresco.

Mexican-style cornbread is the perfect accompaniment to many dishes. Make this Crock-Pot version by combining corn muffin mix, creamed corn, eggs, sour cream and butter in a bowl, stirring until the ingredients are well blended. Grease a Crock-Pot with butter or a nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the batter and a little salsa. Cover the pot and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours. Let it cool for 15 minutes with the lid askew. Flip the pot (sans lid) onto a plate to remove the cornbread. Slice the cornbread, and enjoy!

This dish is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy for families that love loads of flavor in their tacos. Make Crock-Pot pineapple-jalapeno pork tacos by placing a 3-pound pork shoulder in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, and add chopped garlic and onion, cilantro, a can of pineapple chunks and sliced jalapenos. Squeeze lime juice over the ingredients; cover the Crock-Pot and cook on low for 9 hours. Use two forks to shred the pork in the cooker. Dish into warmed taco shells, and serve with your family's fave taco toppings.