Crock Pot recipes are perfect for the holidays! This Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Nacho Bar is easy to make and can be served at a holiday party.
It’s Friday which means that it is time for the next Holiday Progressive Dinner and a fabulous giveaway! This week’s sponsor is Crock-Pot and one lucky winner will get a Crock-Pot Hook Up Connectable Entertaining System. For the recipes this week, we all made something in our Crock-Pot. I have the upcoming holidays on my mind and everything that comes with them. We only celebrate Thanksgiving once but it feels like the celebrate Christmas for a month. There are Christmas parties with both of our immediate families and our extended families. We have cookie exchanges, ladies’ Christmases and kid’s Christmas parties with their friends. For each of the parties, we have delicious food! The only time we have a traditional Christmas dinner is the two with our immediate families. The rest of the parties have non-traditional dinners, appetizers and snacks. So, today’s recipe for a Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Nacho Bar is for all of those celebrations. It would also work great for a holiday open house or a New Year’s Eve Party.
Before we get to the recipe, I want to show you the new Crock-Pot Hook Ups Connectable Entertaining System that I received. First I want to say that I love the color! My system is metallic blue and looks really nice. I have three Crock-Pot Hook Up units: a 3 quart oval, a 2 quart circle and two 1 quart ovals. The cord is designed to pull out for use with standard outlets and stores inside the base when connecting multiple units together.
Connecting two units is as easy as pressing them together. Up to 6 units can be connected and powered from one outlet and one cord. Each unit in the Crock-Pot Hook Up Connectable Entertaining System has its own settings dial with high and low cooking setting and a warm setting as well. I love that even when connected, each unit can have its own temperature setting. In the photo above, the 3 quart oval unit on the right has chicken in it and it is being cooked on high. The unit on the left has chili in it and it is being heated on low. This system is going to be perfect for all of the holiday parties and after the holiday season I will use the individual units for my family dinners.
Now for the recipes, in the 3 quart, oval Crock-Pot Hook Up unit, I made Slow Cooker Taco Chicken. Place fresh (thawed) chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Top with a can of spicy diced tomatoes flavored with lime juice and cilantro. Sprinkle with a packet of taco seasoning and a packet of powdered ranch.
Cook on high for a total of 6 hours. (If you use frozen chicken, it will take 6-8 hours to cook.) After 4 hours, shred the chicken so that it can soak up the spices and continue cooking it.
In the 2 quart, oval Crock-Pot unit, go ahead and put your favorite chili. I don’t really have a chili recipe and I wanted to make something easy so I poured 2 cans of chili with no beans, 2 cans of chili beans in mild sauce and one can of tomato soup into the Crock-Pot. I gave it a stir and put it on low to heat up.
Two hours before serving, cut 24 oz of Velveeta cheese into cubes (3/4 of the large, 32 oz loaf). Place in one of the 1 quart Crock-Pot units and add heavy cream. Turn on low and heat for 2 hours, or until melted, stirring occasionally. Another way to make this cheese sauce would be to microwave the cheese and cream for 1 minute intervals, stirring in between and then pour the melted cheese into the Crock-Pot to keep warm. The third option is to buy store bought cheese sauce and heat it in the Crock-Pot.
Two hours before serving, pour store bought queso blanco dip into the other 1 quart Crock-Pot unit and turn on low. I planned to make my own queso blanco dip but couldn’t find the Velveeta Queso Blanco cheese that I wanted to use. Feel free to use your own recipe instead of buying store bought dip.
Serving is a breeze! Place the Crock-Pot Hook Up Connectable Entertaining System on the serving table. Add some plates, a large bowl of chips and nacho toppings to the table. Then, cover your plate with tortilla chips.
Add the shredded slow cooker taco chicken.
Top with some chili.
Drizzle on some cheese sauce.
Top it all with black olives, cilantro, salsa, avocado, shredded cheese, green onions and sour cream.
The food will be kept warm in the Crock-Pot units and party guests can serve themselves whenever they get hungry!
- 2 1/2 lbs thawed chicken breasts
- 10 oz can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro drained
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 packet powdered ranch mix
- 2 16 oz cans chili bean with mild sauce
- 2 15 oz cans chili, no beans
- 10 3/4 oz can tomato soup
- 24 oz Velveeta cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
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Place fresh (thawed) chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock-Pot.
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Top with a can of spicy diced tomatoes flavored with lime juice and cilantro.
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Sprinkle with a packet of taco seasoning and a packet of powdered ranch.
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Cook on high for a total of 6 hours.
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After 4 hours, shred the chicken so that it can soak up the spices and continue cooking it.
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Pour all of the cans into the Crock-Pot and cook on low for 6 hours.
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Two hours before serving, cut 24 oz of Velveeta cheese into cubes (3/4 of the large, 32 oz loaf).
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Place in one of the 1 quart Crock-Pot units and add heavy cream.
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Turn on low and heat for 2 hours, or until melted, stirring occasionally.
Holiday Progressive Dinner Week 5 Recipe Links
Potluck Dishes to Get You through the Holiday Rush
Crock Pot Meatballs and Loaded Baked Potato Casserole at Busy-at-Home
Famous Dirt Dip at Adventures in All Things Food
Easy Apple & Cranberry Compote at Flour on My Face
Potluck Corn and Black Bean & Cilantro Salsa Dip for a Crowd at Daily Dish Recipes
Nacho Bar at The Gunny Sack
Hi, I'm Tonia, a lover of food and photography! Fill a gunny sack with delicious ingredients, tie on an apron and let's get cooking!
Love the nacho bar idea! I was wondering where you got the container holding the mason jars.
Thank you!
Thanks! It is actually Crate and Barrel Coffee Mugs with a Tray called “Pick Me Up Stacking Mugs with Tray”. I don’t believe it is available anymore. Here is a link to my blog post showing the tray https://www.thegunnysack.com/250-millstone-coffee-keurig-giveaway/#more-1990
Can you tell me where you got the darling mason jar condiment holder?
Hi Summer! It is actually a Crate and Barrel Tray With Coffee Mugs. You can see it in this post https://www.thegunnysack.com/2013/04/250-millstone-coffee-keurig-giveaway.html#more-1990
I don’t know why I allow myself to look at your blog, this late at night! 🙂 Now, I want chicken chili tacos — right now! So, beautiful, Tonia. Your pictures and that delicious plate of food. Thanks for sharing!
I like the metallic black.
I love this idea! I think my fave is the charcoal, will go with any party decor. I notice the 2 – 1 quart ovals only have one temp control, do you know if you have to use both crocks then at the same time or can only one be used at a time? I haven’t been able to find the answer yet anywhere. Either way, they will be in my home sooner rather than later!
Hi Jody,
I haven’t read the manual but from using the Crock-Pot I think that both of them come on at the same time. I made fondue and ended up only needing one of the ovals so I put a little water in the bottom of the second one. Thanks for stopping by!
~Tonia
The metallic blue is awesome and can’t wait to try the recipe!!!
That blue is BEAUTIFUL!! The charcoal is nice as well, but that blue is so vibrant and attention grabbing. I’m in love with it! 🙂
Also, it’s almost my lunch time and I want this nacho bar in my office stat! lol
Metallic blue
I love the metallic blue!
Love the Metallic Sage!
I love the metallic charcoal!
I like the Metallic Blue Crock-Pot.
I love the Metallic Sage. Such a beautiful green. 🙂
Metallic Charcoal is my favorite!
i really like the metallic blue
Definitely the charcoal grey!! My mind is racing at all the possibilities for this!! Baked potato bar… Pasta bar… and I can definitely see all my Thanksgiving side dishes all lined up for a buffet bar…
I like the metallic charcoal.
Though the charcoal grey would be more practical, I’d go with the metallic blue!
I love the metallic sage crockpot. And your nachos look delicious. Definetely a recipe I will be trying.
The universal Metallic Charcoal is my choice. I love the idea of a Nacho Bar.
Tonia, My friend, You are doing it to me again. The food always look so AWESOME. & yes the Metallic blue crock pots are beautiful. Of course blue is my #1 Favorit color & Green is my #2 favorit.
Metallic blue! And by the way I have never seen these product before! It is awesome!
Metallic Charcoal is beatiful
I like the metallic sage
I love the sage. My favorite color.
I’d probably pick basic black but the copper is gorgeous!! Thanks for the opportunity!!
I love the matalic copper one. This would sure make family get-to-gathers a lot easier and less messy. Thank you for the chance to win this.
I like the black…Very sleek
I like the metallic blue!
I generally hate cooking unless it is in a slow cooker! I love this item! The charcoal would be perfect!
I also am going to use these recipes!
You’re making me hungry here.
I love the blue color and would look so good in my kitchen.
Thank you for this opportunity
ColleenB.
Texas
I love the Metallic Sage. I think it’s festive!
*hugs*deb
I love the copper but I’d probably pick charcoal so it would go with any theme and color.
This is an excellent idea, my family would love a nacho’s bar. I am pinning to remind me on my party board.
I would love metallic charcoal! It will look good with any theme!
I like the metallic sage.
Love this idea – and I love Crock-Pots! {Have a special Chili going in my Crock-Pot this morning!}
I really like the Metallic Charcoal the best.
Thanks….
I love the blue or green!