When you’ve ever discovered your self craving that tender, flavorful Cafe Rio shredded hen, you’re in the proper place! This gradual cooker recipe makes it straightforward to have these daring, zesty flavors proper at dwelling—with out the takeout line. It’s family-friendly, good for meal prep, and actually one of many best methods to feed a crowd.

This hen dinner recipe is a kind of life saver crock pot (gradual cooker) recipes. I like that you would be able to throw every part collectively in lower than 5 minutes, let it cook dinner all day after which really feel like a hero as you serve it to your loved ones for dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Cafe Rio Hen

• Palms-off crock pot recipe – take 5 minutes to throw all of the components within the crockpot, set it and stroll away
• Just some pantry components – solely 5 components wanted!
• Freezer-friendly & nice for meal prep – freeze for one more meal or eat it all through the week
• Works in tacos, burritos, salads, and extra – so versatile!
• Copycat taste at a fraction of the value – restaurant costs are insane as of late, so I attempt to make extra restaurant copycats at dwelling
• Nice for a crowd or to share with a neighbor – It’s an incredible dinner thought to take to somebody who may have a household pleasant meal.

Components for Gradual Cooker Cafe Rio Hen

You solely want 5 components to make this scrumptious hen recipe! And also you actually toss all of it within the gradual cooker let it cook dinner. Right here is the components checklist:

• Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing: Acts because the flavorful marinade base. The vinegar tenderizes the hen whereas the herbs and spices infuse it with that daring, tangy punch Cafe Rio hen is understood for. Keep away from the fats free dressing.
• Cumin: Provides a heat, earthy depth and a touch of smokiness that balances the tangy dressing.
• Chili Powder: Brings gentle warmth and layers of chili pepper taste, making the hen savory and sturdy with out being overly spicy.
• Garlic: Boosts the savory notes and offers the hen that fragrant, crave-worthy taste.
• Hen Breasts: The protein star of the recipe; they take in all of the marinade flavors and shred superbly after gradual cooking, identical to Cafe Rio’s signature hen.
• Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch Dressing: The well-known Cafe Rio sauce! Creamy, tangy, and contemporary, it ties every part collectively when drizzled over salads, tacos, or burritos.
• Cilantro Lime Rice: The proper base. Gentle, fluffy, and shiny from the lime and cilantro, it balances the richness of the hen and dressing, identical to on the restaurant.

Methods to Make Copycat Cafe Rio Hen at Residence

With solely 5 minutes of prep time, dinner couldn’t be simpler! Listed below are the steps for making this recipe adopted by a video so you may see all of it come collectively.

1. Combine: Place the hen within the crock pot. Stir all the remainder of the components collectively in a small bowl and pour it over the hen.
2. Prepare dinner: Set the gradual cooker to low and cook dinner for 4 hours.
3. Shred: Take away the hen (leaving the juices within the crockpot) to a chopping board and shred utilizing two forks.
4. Prepare dinner: Return the shredded hen to the crockpot and mix with the juices. Let it cook dinner on low for one more hour.
5. Serve: Serve over copycat cilantro lime rice, as a burrito or salad with tomatillo cilantro ranch dressing.

Methods to Serve Crock Pot Cafe Rio Hen

If you wish to serve this hen identical to they do at Cafe Rio while you order a shredded hen salad (my private favourite), that is what you do:

1. Prepare dinner an raw flour tortilla (or higher but, make your personal do-it-yourself flour tortillas) and place it on a plate or shallow bowl.
2. Add a scoop of the cilantro lime rice and a scoop of tasty black beans and unfold them over the tortilla.
3. Prime the rice and beans with the shredded hen. Then prime with chopped romaine lettuce, some pico de gallo (or your favourite salsa), a scoop of do-it-yourself guacamole, crispy tortilla strips, a chunk of cilantro, some cotija cheese, a lime wedge and naturally, the creamy tomatillo cilantro ranch dressing.

It’s an absolute heavenly mixture of flavors and textures! I’ve by no means met an individual who doesn’t beloved it. All my children gobble it up and I get requested for the recipe on a regular basis.

Don’t restrict your self to a salad. Load up a burrito with this hen, unfold it over nachos, add it to a Mexican rice bowl, use it as filling for hen enchiladas or hen tacos! It’s so versatile and fabulous!

FAQs

Immediate Pot Cafe Rio Hen (Fast Model)

This copycat Café Rio shredded hen recipe may completely be made immediately pot as effectively. To make hen immediately pot, add all of the components to the moment pot, set it to the poultry setting for about 6 minutes, do a fast launch on the stress and serve! If the breasts are frozen you’ll wish to improve the time to 10 minutes.

Storing and Reheating

Leftover Cafe Rio shredded hen ought to be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge. It can maintain for 4-5 days. It’s also possible to retailer leftovers within the freezer. Let it cool utterly after which place it in a ziploc bag or higher but, use a meals saver to retailer it. It can maintain within the freezer for as much as 3 months.

To reheat it, use the gradual cooker or place it in a baking dish and canopy it with foil. Add a bit of water or hen broth and warmth it at 300 levels F for 10-Quarter-hour or till heated by.

This Cafe Rio shredded hen has been a staple in our dwelling for years, and I like that it’s simply as straightforward as it’s scrumptious. Whether or not you pile it excessive on a salad, roll it into burritos, or scoop it into an enormous bowl of rice, it’s a recipe that by no means fails us. I hope it turns into one in all your loved ones’s go-to dinners too!

When you do that Cafe Rio shredded hen, tag us on Instagram or go away a ⭐ ranking under — I like listening to the way you serve it and what you pair it with!

Watch the Full Video Right here:

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