16 Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes for Easy, Flavorful Meals (2024)

These Mexican slow cooker recipes come together quickly, then take their time developing delicious and deep flavors traditional to Mexican cuisine. Our ideas include tortilla soup, beefy burritos, and an authentic tinga poblana. These easy-to-make meals will quickly become a tradition in your home.

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Beef and Chipotle Burritos

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Chipotle chiles lend their smoky flavor to this beefed-up main course. The Mexican slow cooker recipe for burritos is hearty and satisfying, with sprinkles of chopped onions and diced tomatoes. Add fresh homemade pico de gallo.

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Pork Ribs in Mole Verde

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Mole verde is a star of sauces when it comes to Mexican cuisine. It combines tomatillos, onion, honey, and—of course—green chiles ($2, Walmart) for a smooth and delicious glaze. This Mexican slow cooker recipe finishes in the broiler to give the ribs an extra-crispy texture.

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Mexican-Inspired Tomatillo-Poblano Eggs

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The eggs are added to this Mexican slow cooker recipe in the last 30 minutes where they reach their ideal doneness floating in a hot bath of the tomatillo mixture. The fresh tomatillos, poblano peppers, and delicious blend of spices pack a powerful punch and make this an easy favorite for brunch.

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Spicy Buffalo Tacos

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Swap the buffalo meat for ground beef if you prefer, but don't skimp on the poblanos. These mildly spicy peppers season the meat with just the right amount of heat, while chopped kale adds great texture to the black and red beans in this slow cooker taco filling. Warm the tacos and finish them with your favorite toppings.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Tortilla soup is served in restaurants and homes throughout Central Mexico, and this Mexican slow cooker recipe brings your home a version with just 15 minutes of prep work. Swap frozen vegetables for fresh ones, or use whatever you have. There's no need to measure lots of herbs and spices for this tasty soup—they're already in the chicken broth and Mexican-style tomatoes.

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Slow Cooker Chilaquiles

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This traditional Mexican dish came about as a way to revive unused tortillas and leftover salsa, and it's become a favorite breakfast dish around the world. Our slow cooker breakfast recipe takes just 25 minutes to prepare; the flavors develop over four hours in the slow cooker. Yes, we included the slow cooker liner in the ingredients list for a reason. You'll thank us during cleanup.

Buy It: Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners ($4, Target)

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Pulled Pork Enchiladas

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Turn pulled pork into tender, flavorful perfection. Then simply assemble the enchiladas and bake. In just 30 minutes in the oven, your new favorite Mexican slow cooker recipe will be ready to enjoy.

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Mango-Chicken Tinga

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We love how many ways we can enjoy this smoky Mango-Chicken Tinga. Use it as a filling for chicken burritos or tortas, or add it to huevos rancheros for a coastal-inspired breakfast. Every option is tasty.

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Jerk Pork Wraps with Lime Mayo

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Bring the whole family together with these one-of-a-kind wraps. They're fun to make and delicious topped in homemade lime mayo featuring crunchy red onion and a lot of zest.

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Slow Cooker Taco Soup

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Brown your ground beef before adding it to this Mexican slow cooker recipe so it has more time to soak in the fiery flavors of the taco seasoning and Mexican-style stewed tomatoes ($1, Walmart). Three types of beans give this soup great texture, while the crisp corn adds a nice sweetness to every bite. Garnish with fresh cilantro or pickled jalapeños for some added spice.

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Cola-Chipotle Pork Tortas

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Who knew a can of fizzy cola and quick-pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) could combine for a sandwich as delicious as this? Blended spices and a full can of cola come together for a sauce that makes this Mexican slow cooker recipe super tender. Canned chipotle peppers and creamy avocado balance the hot and cool flavors.

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Tinga Poblana

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Another delicious twist on tinga, this extra-hearty slow cooker recipe is spiced with adobo-covered chipotle peppers and Mexican oregano. The stew is best served hot with fresh corn tortillas or a side of refried beans. For creamy, fresh flavor, garnish it with queso fresco.

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Lamb Birria with Barley and Dried Plums

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This slow cooker Mexican stew is a must-have for any festive get-together. Tender chunks of lamb and fragrant spices create an enticing entrée, so don't expect leftovers. For a lively bowl of Mexican goodness, serve it with crispy golden tortilla strips, diced tomato, and lime wedges.

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Mexican-Inspired Meatball Stew

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Precooked frozen meatballs cut the prep time for this Mexican slow cooker recipe to just 10 minutes. From there, it's only a matter of hours of hands-off cooking before this substantial stew hits the table. To keep cleanup as easy as prep, line your slow cooker with a disposable liner.

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Slow-Cooked Beef Pozole

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This beefy twist on Mexican pozole is one of the heartiest soups your spoon will ever meet. This savory slow cooker pozole is the essence of delicious Mexican dining and is filled with potatoes, onions, corn, and many other fresh vegetables. Top it with chopped cilantro and queso fresco for an extra touch of freshness.

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Chipotle Chicken-Avocado Lettuce Wraps

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This slow cooker chicken taco filling is lightened by being served in a lettuce shell instead of a tortilla. Let the appliance do its magic on the chicken during the day, then slice some avocado and wash some lettuce for an easy and light dinner. So simple.

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16 Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes for Easy, Flavorful Meals (2024)

FAQs

Do Mexicans use crock pots? ›

Yes! The recipes above are just a few examples of how to cook authentic Mexican food like pozole, carnitas and seasoned chicken in a slow cooker.

How do you add Flavour to slow cooker? ›

Savoury ingredients, like soy sauce, fish sauce, Marmite, or Worcestershire sauce, can add some of the umami depth you're missing. Acidic ingredients like vinegar and lemon juice can brighten up flavours that have been dulled by hours of slow steaming and simmering. Add arrowroot or corn flour to thicken sauces.

How do you make slow cooker food taste better? ›

Use More Spices and Aromatics

The flavors in a slow-cooker dish can become muted over the long cooking time. So we up the amounts of aromatics and spices in the recipes beyond what is normally used. But it's not just increasing spices that does that trick; you'll also want to increase their potency.

Is a slow cooker good for meal prep? ›

The slow cooker is the ultimate tool for making bulk meal prep as simple as possible.

Which dish is originally from Mexico? ›

Tacos. It's the most popular Mexican dish globally. Usually served with fillings like steak, chorizo, offal, etc.

What is the best meat to slow cook? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature. Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

Why do my slow cooker meals taste bland? ›

Sometimes dried spices get burned and lose flavour, fresh herbs need to be added towards the end. Try to toast or slightly fry your spices and herbs in a little olive oil or butter before adding them to the pot, it helps develop flavours. Food from my slow cooker never really matches stovetop or oven-based dishes.

What is best cooked in a slow cooker? ›

Here are some great long-cooking cuts to try in your slow cooker:
  • Beef: chuck roast, brisket, stew meat and short ribs.
  • Pork: pork shoulder, pork butt, pork ribs, country-style ribs, ham.

Do you put hot or cold water in a slow cooker when cooking? ›

Preheat the cooker and add hot liquids, if possible. Preheating the crock before adding ingredients or cooking on the highest setting for the first hour will ensure a rapid heat start and will shorten the time foods are in the temperature danger zone.

Can you put onions straight in a slow cooker? ›

Onion - the One Ingredient You Must Pre-Cook Before Adding to Your Slow Cooker! Never add onions to a slow cooker dish that you haven't sautéed first – I find you get that slight raw onion flavour throughout and it just ruins the dish for me. I really think it's worth the extra effort.

What foods should not go in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? ›

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? Slow cookers only apply heat to the bottom of the crock, which cuts down on their ability to reduce liquids and brown foods, and develop flavor the same way a Dutch oven or pressure cooker can.

Do chefs like slow cookers? ›

Slow cookers remain at a low, consistent temperature while cooking. The lid traps much of the steam inside the pot and the condensation then helps bastes the food (note, you might want to prevent condensation dripping onto some dishes). Do chefs use slow cookers? Yes.

What cooking equipment do Mexicans use? ›

Wooden Spatula (Cuchara de Madera) Authentic Mexican cuisine is generally cooked on rough cookware, like cast-iron skillets and large frying pans. This means your favorite metal utensils won't do the trick—we prefer a wooden spatula when cooking albondigas, fish tacos and refried beans.

Are crock pots a Midwest thing? ›

But not everyone knows that the Crock-Pot is, in fact, truly Midwestern. Furthermore, few realize that this trusty kitchen staple was introduced as a feminist statement.

Do Mexicans use the oven? ›

Mexican natives did not have ovens, so everything was heated over an open fire. They used cast iron pots and pans and also ceramic ware. Today, you can get a similar result by using a grill instead of your oven.

Where did crock pots originate? ›

The Naxon Utilities Corporation of Chicago, under the leadership of electrical engineer Irving Naxon (born Irving Nachumsohn), developed the Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker for the purposes of cooking a bean meal.

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