Free The Mexican Slow Cooker: Recipes for Mole, Enchiladas, Carnitas, Chile Verde Pork, and More Favorites by Deborah Schneider

Mexican oregano
    TO SERVE
    Round corn tostadas ( see Note )
    Diced Hass avocado
    Mexican crema
    Place the chicken in the slow cooker and add the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until just tender.
    While the chicken cooks, make the salsa. In a 2-quart saucepan combine the tomatoes, tomatillos, and jalapeño. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the tomatillos are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the vegetables well and transfer them to a blender along with the garlic, chipotles, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until fairly smooth and refrigerate the salsa until needed.
    Peel the onions and cut ½ inch off the stem and root ends. Cut each onion in half vertically. Set one onion half on the root end and cut from top to bottom to create ¼-inch slices. Repeat with the remaining onion halves.
    When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and break it into large pieces. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding the solids, and reserve for another use.
    Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and oregano and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the salsa and chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
    To serve, pile the chicken mixture on tostadas and top with the avocado and crema.
    NOTE
    Available in all Mexican markets, tostadas are 4- or 5-inch round corn tortillas that are fried until crisp. They are often sold in stacks labeled as tostadas caseras .

Tacos de Pollo
    SOFT TACOS WITH CHICKEN AND SALSA MEXICANA Makes 12 tacos
    I usually keep a batch of cooked meat in the refrigerator for impromptu use in tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. If you have some shredded chicken in your fridge, these simple, fresh-tasting tacos take only minutes to finish in a sauté pan. Or make the quick version from start to finish in the slow cooker, which turns out more like a guisado but is equally good.
    1 tablespoon fresh lard or vegetable oil
    ½ white onion, finely diced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    2 Roma tomatoes, diced
    Shredded Chicken
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    ½ cup Caldo de Pollo or or reserved cooking liquid from the Shredded Chicken
    TO SERVE
    Warm corn tortillas
    Salsa Mexicana or other salsa of your choice
    Diced white onion
    Fresh cilantro sprigs
    Sliced pickled jalapeño chiles
    Crumbled cotija cheese
    Shredded iceberg lettuce
    Bottled Mexican hot sauce
    Mexican crema or sour cream
    Heat the lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and the pan is dry, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and salt and cook until the chicken is heated through. Add the broth and simmer until the chicken has absorbed the liquid.
    To serve, divide the filling among the warm tortillas, a few to a plate, and fix to taste with any of the garnishes.
    VARIATION
    • To makechicken taquitos, place a heaping tablespoonful of the filling down the center of a corn tortilla (don’t overfill it). Roll the tortilla tightly and secure with a toothpick. Add ½ inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet and fry the taquitos until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels, remove the toothpick, and serve a few on a plate garnished with the taco toppings. Beef or pork taquitos can be made in the same way.

Tacos de Pollo Deshebrado
    QUICK SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS Makes 12 tacos
    This recipe is more like a shredded chicken guisado than traditional tacos. Though these tacos won’t have the same fresh taste as those that you cook at the last minute, the recipe still makes perfectly acceptable tacos that are very easy to prepare.
    2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
    ¾ cup water or Caldo de Res
    ½ white onion, diced
    2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
    1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    TO