Crock Pot Chicken Baked Tacos

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bottle (16 oz) Italian or zesty vinaigrette dressing
• 1½ tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can (16 oz) refried beans
• 12 hard taco shells
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons green salsa (salsa verde)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon milk

Before you cook

• Halve the grape tomatoes and set aside.
• Seed and thinly slice the jalapeño and set aside.
• Peel and slice the avocado just before assembling to prevent browning.
• Measure out the cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder into a small bowl.

Steps

1. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Pour the entire bottle of vinaigrette dressing evenly over the chicken.
3. Sprinkle the cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder over the top, then use a spoon to gently stir so the spices are distributed throughout the liquid.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and very tender.
5. Using tongs, transfer all the chicken breasts to a large cutting board and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes until cool enough to handle.
6. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl.
7. Ladle most of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker over the shredded chicken and stir to combine, keeping the chicken moist and flavorful.
8. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
9. Make the avocado sauce by placing the sliced avocado and green salsa in a bowl and mashing them together until smooth. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl to remove any lumps, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.
10. Make the sour cream drizzle by whisking together the sour cream and milk in a small bowl until thinned and pourable. Transfer to a second squeeze bottle.
11. Arrange all 12 taco shells standing upright and close together in a 9x13-inch baking dish — the shells should support each other and stay open.
12. Spoon a thin layer of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell, followed by a generous scoop of shredded chicken, then a large pinch of shredded Mexican cheese blend.
13. Bake at 450°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
14. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately top each taco with halved grape tomatoes and sliced jalapeño.
15. Finish each taco with a drizzle of the avocado sauce and sour cream drizzle from the squeeze bottles, and serve right away.