My husband and I love Cafe Rio, but we don’t go there often because eating out costs money and it adds up fast, especially if you are trying to stick to a budget. I decided to try out a Slow Cooker Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken recipe, and it tasted so good, especially with the Cilantro Ranch Dressing on top. And of course I love slow cooker meals that I can throw in the crock pot in the morning and it’s ready to eat when my husband comes home from dinner. And you’ll also want to make this Slow Cooker Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe.
| Slow Cooker Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken & Cilantro Ranch Dressing | Print |
Author: Lisa Park
Ingredients
- CAFE RIO SHREDDED CHICKEN:
- 3-4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- ½ cup Zesty Italian Dressing
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ Tablespoon chili powder
- ½ Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 packet (1 oz.) dry ranch dressing mix
- ½ cup water
- CILANTRO RANCH DRESSING:
- 1 packet traditional dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- 2 tomatillos, remove husk and diced
- ½ to ¾ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the Italian dressing, 2 cloves of minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, one package of dry ranch dressing mix, and water.
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray and pour the mixture in. Place the chicken breasts on top.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Place the chicken back in the slow cooker with the juices and mix.
- To make the Cilantro Ranch Dressing, place the package of ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, buttermilk, tomatillos, fresh cilantro, 1 clove garlic and lime in the blender. Blend well.
- Serve the shredded chicken on tortillas topped with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, black beans, cheese, fresh cilantro, and the cilantro ranch dressing.
- *Note: To make 1 cup buttermilk, place 1 Tablespoon lemon juice in a one cup container, then fill the rest with milk up to the one cup line. Bring to room temperature. I usually don't have time to allow it to come to room temperature, so I let it sit 10 minutes, then add it to my recipes. It's worked great.
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