Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Mondays always seem to be the hardest for me. Hardest to get out of bed, to focus all day at work. I just want to crash and dream about how lovely the weekend was and knit myself to sleep.

We all have had our fair share of forgettable Mondays. Sometimes, it would make our day so much better to know there is a delicious, hot meal waiting for us when we get home. Here is a great, flavorful recipe to help you beat the most miserable of Mondays.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Serves 4, makes 8 tacos

1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1-2 cups water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package whole grain tortillas

In the bottom of your slow cooker, layer the ingredients in order. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. To finish in about 6 hours, set to high, for 8 hours set to low. Cover, and let your slow cooker do all the work.

If your taco mixture seems to have too much liquid for your preference, make sure your slow cooker is set to high and remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to thicken. The meat should stay plenty hot while you kick off your shoes and warm up the tortillas. Break up the chicken thighs with a wooden spoon.

Serve with warm tortillas and top with cheddar (or sour cream, or guac, or whatever your taco-loving heart desires).

Experiment with your taco meat -- add tomatoes if you love those, leave out the jalapenos and red pepper if spicy just isn't your thing. Remember, its Monday, you can at least eat what you want. Whatever you do, enjoy an effortless meal knowing Tuesday is that much closer to Friday.

TIP: If you love tacos, but hate the way the drip all over your plate no matter what you do, try propping up one side of your plate with an extra coaster. No one likes a soggy second taco and the hubby is genius for thinking of this.