Start with cooked chicken or the 2-ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken recipe below to assemble an incredibly easy meal!
Cauliflower Rice Protein Bowl with Salsa Chicken
These chicken cauliflower rice bowls have got to be one of my all-time favorites, so I think it’s about time I let you in. It’s my go-to way to meal-prep, re-use leftovers, and eat a variety of foods all at once, burrito-style. It’s just about combining salsa and chicken in the slow cooker.
The result? Tender slow-cooker chicken topped with guacamole, cheese, olives (and anything else I can think of) over a bed of cauliflower rice. BOOM! My mouth is watering already.
Ingredients
You can use chicken breasts or thighs, plus salsa to infuse the meat with flavor. Cauliflower rice can be homemade or store-bought. Extra flavor comes from the toppings. My favorites are cilantro, cheddar cheese, guacamole, black olives, and sour cream.
How to Make Salsa Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowls
You’ll see in the video recipe how easy these bowls are to make. First, check out the steps:
- Cook the chicken.
Combine the chicken and salsa in your slow cooker, then cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Once cooked, shred the chicken using two forks. - Heat the cauliflower rice.
Heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave; both take 4-5 minutes. - Add cilantro & assemble.
Once the cauliflower rice is heated through, add cilantro and stir to combine. Place cauliflower rice as the base and top it with shredded salsa chicken and the toppings.
How to Keep Cauliflower Rice from Getting Soggy
To keep the cauliflower rice from getting soggy, you’ll need to extract as much water as possible. You can place it in a strainer, press with the back of a spoon, and try to drain any excess water. My favorite method is placing the cauliflower rice in a clean kitchen towel, closing it tight, and ringing it out over the kitchen sink.
More Cauliflower Rice Bowl Topping Ideas
Other go-to toppings for this meal are roasted peppers and onions, chopped broccoli, or cherry tomatoes. And don’t forget the salsas! Add fresh cucumber salsa, this tasty chunky avocado salsa, or kick up crunchiness with this corn and black bean salsa.
Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowls
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1 ½ cups salsa
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 head cauliflower, riced (about 6 cups)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, divided
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces guacamole, optional
- 4 ounces sliced black olives, optional
- Sour cream, optional
Instructions
Cook the chicken:
- Place chicken and salsa in the bowl of your slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or 6 hours on low. Before serving, shred the chicken between two forks.
Heat the cauliflower rice:
- Stovetop: heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and add the oil to warm it up. Add the riced cauliflower and sauté for about 5 minutes until the cauliflower rice is heated through and tender.
- Microwave: place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover with plastic wrap to trap the heat in. Heat it for about 4 minutes, stopping to stir once or twice to ensure even heating. If you're using frozen riced cauliflower, you can steam it in a bag and follow the package directions.
- Once the cauliflower rice is hot, add the cilantro, and stir to combine.
Build your bowl:
- Add a base of cauliflower rice and top it with shredded salsa chicken, cheese, guacamole, black olives, sour cream, and additional cilantro.
Notes
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Juliet says
These bowls are so delicious that made my kids eat cauliflower rice and ENJOY IT! That’s a win!!
Venice says
Healthy, simple, and my hubby didn’t even notice the difference
This recipe is awesome and super delish