Easy slow cooker beef fajitas are a fantastic, cheap, and simple dinner for busy weeknights!
It’s slow cooker month here on Baking Mischief, because anything that lets us avoid turning on the oven and adding to the stifling summer heat is welcomed and appreciated.
Last week I posted my totally killer Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches for Two . Today we are switching over to beef, using a cheap, tough piece of meat and turning it into fantastic fall-apart tender and delicious fajitas!!
These easy slow cooker beef fajitas literally take less than ten minutes to toss together in the morning, and when you get home in the evening, your house will smell amazing, and you will have delicious fajita filling sitting there waiting for you.
Aside from being fast and easy, these fajitas are great because they are CHEAP. Since we have a long slow cooking time, we can use super inexpensive beef chuck, which can be tough and chewy if you treat it like regular old steak, but is PERFECT when you give it the benefit of extra cooking time. Cooked slow, it is tender, rich, and so flavorful.
You can buy a small chuck roast, chuck steak, or a package cut up for stew meat. Go with whatever is cheapest! As written, this is a recipe for two, but you can double or triple the ingredients with no changes to the cooking method or time if you are serving a family or want leftovers.
After the meat and veggies spend the day in the slow cooker (if you don’t like soft slow cooker veggies, see my note at the end of the recipe), throw some flour tortillas in the oven for a minute or two to warm up, and then go crazy assembling the fajitas of your dreams.
Looking for more cheap, easy recipes, try these Easy Homemade Carnitas , Carnitas Tacos , Slow Cooker Beef Ribs , and Easy Chicken Fajitas .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/2 pound beef chuck or stew meat
- ▢ 1 bell pepper sliced
- ▢ 1/2 large onion sliced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice about 1/2 lime
- ▢ Flour tortillas soft taco size
- ▢ Your favorite fajita toppings
Instructions
- Place meat into your slow cooker. Drop bell pepper and onion slices over the top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pour mixture over the meat and vegetables.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 9 hours. Meat is done when it is easily shreddable.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board and shred with two forks before returning it to the liquid and vegetables.
- Serve over warm tortillas with your favorite fajita toppings (I like sour cream and a bit of salsa). Enjoy!
Notes
Adapted From Brown Eyed Baker
Slow cooker BBQ chicken sandwiches for two with a sweet and tangy homemade tomato BBQ sauce and crunchy coleslaw topping. So easy. So good.
We’re getting a bit of a late start this month with our monthly theme, but better late than never, right? I debated a bit with myself over the August theme and eventually settled on… slow cooker recipes!
I know, slow cooker recipes are usually a fall and winter thing, but it’s hot. I don’t want to run the oven. I don’t want to play in the kitchen.
I want to throw some ingredients together in a magical cooking contraption and forget about them as I drink frosty drinks and read the most indulgent summer literature available *. And I’m guessing maybe you do too.
And if not, well hey, these recipes will still be here in December.
We’re starting with Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches for Two, and I like this one so much. Meaty slow cooker recipes tend to be really hit or miss for me, but the one place the slow cooker never fails is cooking meat that’s used in fillings like sandwiches or tacos, etc.
The long slow cooking time gives you meat that is moist and tender, full of flavor and perfect for shredding and serving up between some carbs.
You definitely get that with these Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. They are a perfect quick and tasty meal for two (or more, doubling instructions are in the recipe notes), and so easy to make.
You just throw together a sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce that serves double duty as a marinade while your chicken cooks and as a topping when you assemble your sandwiches. It’s a killer sauce, bright, vinegary, sweet and sharp. These are definitely not boring sandwiches!
You pour it over your chicken and let it cook. When the meat is shreddable, use two forks to pull it apart, toss it back in your slow cooker to soak up all the flavor of the juice and then serve it over some lightly toasted rolls. Add some more of that homemade BBQ sauce, a crunchy small batch of coleslaw over the top, and enjoy.
More Easy BBQ Recipes
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Slow Cooker Tri-tip Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Ribs
Hey, in case you don’t make a ton of coleslaw, I’ve embedded a video below with instructions for shredding cabbage. It’s very helpful!
Ingredients
In the Slow Cooker
- ▢ 1 small (about 8 oz) boneless skinless chicken breast
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1/2 cup diced onion
BBQ Sauce
- ▢ 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25 g) brown sugar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- ▢ 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Coleslaw
- ▢ 1 cup shredded cabbage see video below
- ▢ 1/4 cup grated carrot
- ▢ 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ▢ 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
- ▢ 2 sandwich rolls or hamburger buns
Instructions
BBQ Chicken
- Place your chicken breast in the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce ingredients. Reserve 1/2 cup to use later for topping. Cover reserved sauce and place in the refrigerator. Pour the rest of the sauce over the chicken and add diced onions and olive oil. Cover and cook for 2-3 hours on high or for 6-8 hours on low. Once the chicken can be easily shredded with two forks, it’s done!
- Shred chicken breast and return the meat to the slow cooker to soak up the juices while you finish the BBQ sauce and make your coleslaw.
BBQ Sauce and Coleslaw
- In a small pot, heat the reserved BBQ sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it just begins to bubble and the grains of brown sugar have melted into the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine coleslaw ingredients and toss until well mixed.
Assemble
- If desired, lightly toast your sandwich rolls in the oven. Top with BBQ chicken, warmed BBQ sauce, and coleslaw.
- Enjoy!
Notes
BBQ Sauce Adapted From Epicurious
Cupcake-shaped dog popsicles made with chicken broth and a pureed tuna frosting. Simple to make and your dog is going to LOVE them!
I had two birthdays in my family last week, my sister, Caroline’s and my dog, Ella’s. Since I like to use real-life events as blog fodder, like when I made Victoria Sponge Cupcakes for my youngest sister’s birthday, or my mom’s favorite Copycat Carmela’s Chicken for hers, I was going to recreate Caroline’s favorite champagne cupcakes from one of our local bakeries and post it to the blog.
But when I asked her what she liked so much about those CHAMPAGNE cupcakes, she told me that she liked that they didn’t taste like champagne, which…????? Isn’t that just a vanilla cupcake ?
That’s clearly a mystery and a project for another day, so instead I made some birthday cupcake shaped dog popsicles for Ella!
I love the idea of dog birthday cupcakes, because what better way to celebrate another year with your best friend? But I’ve never actually made any before because most cupcake-sized treats are way too much treat for a dog Ella’s size.
So I thought about ways to get bulk without lots of calories and too-rich things that might cause upset tummies and thought cupcake dog popsicles with a chicken broth base would be the perfect way to go. It’s easy. It’s healthy. And it’s not going to spoil dinner.
We start with a can of chicken broth frozen into cupcake shapes in a cupcake pan. Then the chicken broth gets topped off with a pureed tuna and cauliflower frosting.
I know, it sounds totally disgusting (it is!), but it’s simple to make, you can kind of pipe it, and dogs go crazy for it. Ella’s been taste testing these things for the last couple weeks and the frosting is definitely her favorite part.
I actually had to end the photo shoot for these early, because my model was literally starting to drool while staring at the cupcakes, and that is so not cute!
But they are definitely dog-tested and approved, so if you want a drool-worthy treat that’s also going to help your best friend cool down on a hot day, give these a try!
Some notes before we begin:
- You can use any type of broth you like, but use low-sodium if you can.
- Cauliflower makes some dogs gassy. There’s not much of it here, but heads up if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach.
- You can also replace the cauliflower with potatoes for a smoother “frosting,” but potatoes must be peeled, as potato sprouts are toxic to dogs.
- Always supervise your dog when feeding them frozen treats, and consult your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about the ingredients.
More Dog Treat Recipes
- High-Value Dog Treats
- 2-ingredient Pupsicles (3 ways)
- Watermelon and Yogurt Frozen Dog Treats (Pupsicles)
- Easy Horse and Dog Gingerbread Treats
Birthday Cupcake Dog Popsicles with Tuna Frosting
Ingredients
- Foil Cupcake Liners
- 2 cups ( 1 14.5-ounce can) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups ( 8 oz) chopped cauliflower
- 1 5-ounce can tuna in water do not drain
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Line your cupcake pan with 6 foil cupcake liners. Fill liners most of the way full, and freeze solid, at least 2 hours.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add chopped cauliflower, and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse cooked cauliflower with cold water until it is no longer hot to the touch (it can be warm). Transfer cauliflower to your food processor. Add canned tuna, liquid and all, and process until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer mixture to to a piping bag and pipe onto your frozen cupcakes. Sprinkle with optional sprinkles, and if you are going to use a birthday candle, make the hole for it, but do not freeze the candle with the cupcakes (you won’t be able to get it out once frozen).
- Immediately return cupcakes to the freezer and freeze for at least 45 minutes before giving to your dog and two hours before transferring to a freezer bag for storage.
- Always supervise your dog when feeding them frozen treats.
Notes
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound beef chuck or stew meat
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 large onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice about 1/2 lime
- Flour tortillas soft taco size
- Your favorite fajita toppings
Instructions
- Place meat into your slow cooker. Drop bell pepper and onion slices over the top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pour mixture over the meat and vegetables.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 9 hours. Meat is done when it is easily shreddable.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board and shred with two forks before returning it to the liquid and vegetables.
- Serve over warm tortillas with your favorite fajita toppings (I like sour cream and a bit of salsa). Enjoy!
