Cafe Rio Slow Cooker Chicken is a whole family favorite recipe and one made with simple ingredients that make the best burrito bowls with chicken and the best Mexican rice like any other cafe rio recipes you’ve tried.
This is a personal favorite since it is a healthy delicious chicken recipe that I can pair with my favorite toppings and enjoy the leftovers for an easy dinner or lunch recipe.
For this yummy recipe, serve the chicken and copycat cilantro lime rice with some pico de Gallo and tortilla chips for your next taco Tuesday.
Ingredients used to make Cafe Rio Slow Cooker Chicken:
Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
- Italian dressing (light or fat free) – about half a bottle
- Cumin
- Chili powder
Rice
- Uncooked brown rice
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Salsa verde green salsa
- Green onions sliced
- Water
- Salt
How to make Cafe Rio Slow Cooker Chicken:
- Mix cumin, chili powder & dressing in bowl.
- Place frozen chicken breasts in crock pot.
- Pour mixture over chicken & cover.
- Cook on high for 5 hrs or on low for 7 to 8. Shred chicken in the crockpot and mix it well.
- Wash and chop the cilantro. Mix the cilantro with 2 cups of water and pour in the pan for cooking the rice. Add two more cups of water, the salt, Salsa Verde, and onion. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice in the boiling water. Cover and turn down heat to very low; steam for 30 minutes. Makes about 10 servings.
- Put it all together with Toppings:
- Cook whole wheat burrito tortillas on non-greased skillet 10-15 seconds on each side.
- Put Chicken, Cilantro Rice, black beans, avocado, lowfat cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, (I also added red pepper, green onions and spinach) inside of tortilla.
- Add anything else you like (fat free sour cream, salsa, etc.).
- Roll up your tortilla and eat your delicious and healthy Cafe Rio Burrito!
Of course, it can! Simply use your favorite corn tortillas or flour tortilla and use your favorite toppings for cafe rio chicken tacos.
Toppings for this copycat cafe rio chicken recipe
This copycat recipe does not need too many ingredients to be delicious and the best Mexican flavor. You can keep this a simple recipe or get extravagant with it! Here are some of my favorite things to use with this easy recipe and favorite taco toppings:
- Olives
- Banana Peppers
- Red Onions
- Lettuce
- Refried Beans
- Spanish Rice
- Black Beans
- Sour Cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- Guacamole
- Avocado
- Jalapeños
- Tomatoes
- Bell Peppers
How to store this tasty chicken recipe:
Store the café Rio chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The leftover chicken will be great for dinner the next night or stay delicious for 4-5 days.
What to serve with this cafe rio shredded chicken recipe:
- Easy Mexican Salsa Rice (Quick Spanish Rice) Recipe
- Fresh Lime Salsa (Easy Homemade Salsa) Recipe
- Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa Recipe
- Fully Loaded Guacamole Recipe
- Baked Avocado Egg Rolls Recipe
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Cafe Rio Slow Cooker Chicken and Cilantro Rice Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 ounces Italian dressing, (light or fat free) – about half a bottle
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
Rice
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice
- 2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup salsa verde, green salsa
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced
- 4 cups water
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix cumin, chili powder & dressing in bowl
- Place frozen chicken breasts in crock pot
- Pour mixture over chicken & cover
- Cook on high for 5 hrs or on low for 7 to 8. Shred chicken in the crockpot and mix it well.
- Wash and chop the cilantro. Mix the cilantro with 2 cups of water and pour in the pan for cooking the rice. Add two more cups of water, the salt, Salsa Verde, and onion. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice in the boiling water. Cover and turn down heat to very low; steam for 30 minutes. Makes about 10 servings.
- Put it all together with Toppings:
- Cook whole wheat burrito tortillas on non-greased skillet 10-15 seconds on each side
- Put Chicken, Cilantro Rice, black beans, avocado, lowfat cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, (I also added red pepper, green onions and spinach) inside of tortilla.
- Add anything else you like (fat free sour cream, salsa, etc.)
- Roll up your tortilla and eat your delicious and healthy Cafe Rio Burrito!
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
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Just came across your blog on Pinterest…the name intrigued me. I’m the youngest of 6 girls, but we also have 4 boys in the mix! (but we’re a “bit” older than you girls!)
Am now following!
Looks so yummy! We moved from out there about 6 years ago, and I am kicking myself that we never went to Cafe Rio. I am always hearing how great it is! Now I guess I can try the copycat recipe!
Delicious flavors – simply wonderful
Mary x
Way to go with such a simple and easy recipe. I have never heard of Cafe Rio, but I think this looks like the perfect dinner for on the go nights. Thank you for sharing on Trick or Treat Tuesday!!!
OMG!! I love Cafe Rio… and I live in Indiana. Needless to say… I was so happy to see this… will try it out soon. Thanks!
Yum! Just put the chicken in the crock pot for tonight, going to make your white chicken enchiladas with it. I can’t wait!
This was great! Thanks for sharing! I also added 3 garlic cloves as suggested by another copy cat recipe!
Love love love this site! Will look more at the allergen friendly site too… when my 2yr old isn’t trying to grab the keyboard… lol This looks amazing! I’d love your salsa verde recipe… if you have one! We’ve only had Costa Vida – I love love love their green enchilada sauce… I love that you made the cilantro lime rice w/brown rice!!! Keep up the great work – what a fun thing to do with your sisters!!!
Love Cafe Rio! How many does this serve?
Do you happen to have a copycat recipe for Cafe Rio’s mild enchilada sauce?
We do not have a recipe for their mild enchilada sauce yet. We’ll try to find one though! That would be delicious!
Can’t wait to try this! Can the rice be made in a rice cooker?
Okay, full disclosure we haven’t tried it in a rice cooker yet – it SHOULD work? I think! If you are brave enough to try it out, let us know!
Quick question in the ingredients it just says chicken breast or thighs but in the notes it says to place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot. Should the chicken be frozen?
While it’s possible to cook frozen chicken in a crock pot, it’s generally not recommended because it may not come to a safe temperature fast enough. We have done frozen cooked on high or defrosted overnight first
Tastes just like the restaurant favorite, and the slow cooker makes it effortless!