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Benefit from the scrumptious flavors of Cafe Rio at dwelling with this simple and flavorful crockpot Cafe Rio hen recipe. We’ve included a step-by-step video directions for an ideal copycat dish!

This hen dinner recipe tastes similar to Cafe Rio’s recipe for shredded hen. It’s a terrific dinner thought to take to somebody who might have a household pleasant meal. It’s scrumptious served with cilantro lime rice and topped with creamy tomatillo cilantro ranch dressing. Use it for a salad, tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, or a hen taco salad. It’s so versatile!
Okay, so when you reside in Utah there are most likely 3 Mexican quick meals chains that you simply attempt to copy their hen or pork. (Principally the candy pork, however I’ll try this one later.) This copycat Cafe Rio Hen recipe is critically so good and when you don’t wish to do a salad then flip it right into a burrito!!

This hen is a kind of life saver crock pot (sluggish cooker) recipes. Kinda like this common Crock Pot Hen. I like which you can throw every little thing collectively in lower than 5 minutes, let it prepare dinner all day after which really feel like a hero as you serve it to your loved ones. The one factor you actually need to be careful for is how darn a lot the recipe makes.
Scale that sucker again! It’s an excessive amount of hen for simply our little household! Nevertheless, that often means it’s a terrific alternative to ask somebody over or to shock a neighbor with dinner. And I’m positively all about that. It additionally freezes nicely to save lots of for an additional night time!


Substances for Cafe Rio Hen
You solely want 5 substances to make this scrumptious hen recipe! And also you actually toss all of it within the sluggish cooker let it prepare dinner. Right here is the substances listing:
- Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing: I do know that is tremendous particular but it surely’s simply the proper taste for this recipe. Keep away from the fats free dressing.
- Cumin: provides taste
- Chili Powder: provides taste and slightly warmth
- Garlic: provides taste
- Hen Breasts: boneless skinless hen
- Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch Dressing: simple to make and so scrumptious
- Cilantro Lime Rice: the proper complimenting flavors to this hen
The measurements and particulars for every ingredient could be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of this publish.


The way to Make Crock Pot Cafe Rio Hen
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.
- Combine: Place the hen within the crock pot. Stir all the remainder of the substances collectively in a small bowl and pour it over the hen.
- Prepare dinner: Set the sluggish cooker to low and prepare dinner for 4 hours.
- Shred: Take away the hen (leaving the juices within the crockpot) to a chopping board and shred utilizing two forks.
- Prepare dinner: Return the shredded hen to the crockpot and mix with the juices. Let it prepare dinner on low for an additional hour.
- Serve: Serve over copycat cilantro lime rice, as a burrito or salad with tomatillo cilantro ranch dressing.
These directions may also be discovered within the recipe card beneath. You may as well save or print the recipe there.


Watch the Full Video Right here:
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The way to Serve Cafe Rio Hen
If you wish to serve this hen similar to they do at Cafe Rio while you order a shredded hen salad (my private favourite), that is what you do:
- 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.
- Add a scoop of the cilantro lime rice and a scoop of tasty black beans and unfold them over across the tortilla.
- Prime the rice and beans with the shredded hen. Then high with chopped romaine lettuce, some pico de gallo (or your favourite salsa), a scoop of do-it-yourself guacamole, crispy tortilla strips, a bit 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 cherished 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!

Can I Make this Recipe with Hen Thighs?
I wouldn’t suggest utilizing hen thighs for this recipe. Thighs simply don’t shred fairly the identical as hen breasts do.
Hack for Shredding Hen
I’ve a brilliant simple technique to shred hen that may prevent a while and shred the hen completely however it would soiled an additional bowl. Commerce offs…there are at all times commerce offs! After the preliminary 4 hours of cooking, place the hen breasts within the bowl of a stand mixer and shred the hen utilizing the paddle attachment. It ought to solely take a minute or so and your hen might be shredded to perfection. Place the hen again to the crock pot and proceed with the recipe as written.

The way to Make Cafe Rio Hen in an On the spot Pot
This copycat Café Rio shredded hen recipe may completely be made immediately pot as nicely. To make hen immediately pot, add all of the substances to the moment pot, set it to the poultry setting for about 6 minutes, launch 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 should preserve for 4-5 days. You may as well 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 should preserve within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
To reheat it, use the sluggish cooker or place it in a baking dish and canopy it with foil. Add slightly water or hen broth and warmth it at 300 levels F for 10-Quarter-hour or till heated by way of.

Recreate your favourite Cafe Rio hen at dwelling with this simple and scrumptious crockpot recipe. Excellent for meal prep and busy weeknights, this copycat recipe is certain to be a success with the entire household. I’m assured will probably be added to your listing of favourite recipes!
Extra Crock Pot Recipes:
Description
Cafe Rio Hen in a sluggish cooker or prompt pot is a good meal thought for taking dinner to somebody or for a brand new child!
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Combine substances and pour over hen in a crock pot and prepare dinner on low 4 hours.
1 Bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing, 1 Tablespoon Floor Cumin, 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder, 3 Cloves Garlic, 5 lbs Boneless
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Take away hen and shred.
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Place again in crock pot for an additional hour.
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Serve over copycat cilantro lime rice, as a burrito or salad with tomatillo cilantro ranch dressing.
Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch Dressing, Cilantro Lime Rice
Could also be saved within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Energy: 300kcal
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