Mexican Chicken & Black Bean Filling

I was shocked to realize that I had not yet copied this recipe over here from my personal blog, A Simple Walk. This is one of  my very favorite recipes. I make it monthly and have a few bags in the freezer at all times.

I love it because it is so versatile, so frugal, so easy, and so just plain good.

Chicken & Black Bean Taco Filling

  • 2 T. Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb. chicken (boneless or not, whatever you have on hand)
  • 1 t. cumin
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/4 t. pepper
  • 1/2 lb. fully cooked black beans
  • 1 bag frozen corn
  • 1 large jars salsa (or 2 regular sized jars)
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 2 t. cumin
  • 1 t. chili powder
  • 1 t. salt

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with 1 t. cumin, 1/2 t. salt & 1/4 t. pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, flip, cover skillet and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked.
2. Remove chicken from skillet. Shred meat and return to pan. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

*This should make enough for 3 meals, depending on how much you use. It freezes perfectly in a freezer bag and thaws overnight in the refrigerator.

This is great as a taco filling, but there are so many other ways to use it too.

Here are a few of our favorites:
Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

Quesadillas

Mexican Lasagna

And…

  • Served over rice with shredded cheese on top
  • Mexican pizza topping
  • Mexican French bread pizzas (So good!!)
  • With scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos
  • Taco salad
  • Thinned with 1 can tomato sauce and 1 1/2 c. chicken stock, plus some extra spices and tortilla strips for a chicken tortilla soup

Oh yeah, we are definitely Hooked On this stuff!

This post is linked to:

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30 thoughts on “Mexican Chicken & Black Bean Filling”

  6. Oh yes!~ I love this kind of recipe too. Make a bunch and feed your family for days. Well maybe not days in a row, but …….

    I am adding this to my Recipes to Try list and will be making it soon. Last night I grabbed a couple of pre-cooked chicken breasts from the freezer and added some salsa to it and have enough chicken taco filling for another meal. I like these easy recipes.

    Thanks. Oh I wanted to mention, your mini taco bowls look so fun and delicious! As does all the other suggestions for this recipes use.

    Have a great weekend.

    Shari

    My Food on Fridays Post

  7. I got this off your blog months ago and it is by far the best “go-to” meal dinner solution in my freezer cooking rotation. I make it every month and portion out into quart size freezer bags. I cook up a whole chicken in my crockpot and use it to make the filling. In the winter I used it to make mexican lasagna with lasagna noodles, enchilada sauce,and ricotta cheese (YUM) I use it for quesadillas and tacos also. I should try your taco soup idea. Oh and those little nacho bites look fun too! It is a definate keeper!

  8. I make something similar but freeze it as burritos. Try this with Fire Roasted Frozen Corn from Trader Joes! lovely.

  13. We made this tonight. We spread it on pita bread, topped with cheese, baked in the oven until warm and melty. YUMO!! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try it other ways!!!

  14. Umm! This is a family favorite for us too, but I like to cook it in the crockpot. I just throw 1 lb chicken breasts (raw), 1 jar salsa, 1 can corn (or frozen corn), and 1-2 cans black beans along with 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin into the crockpot and cook for 8-10 hours. After it is cooked use two forks to shred the chicken. Our favorite way to eat it is over rice topped with either sour cream or guacamole with cheese. It also makes a very good baked potato topping. And for another variation I sometimes put 4 cups of chicken broth in the crockpot with the other ingredients and make a soup. I just thought I would share those variations as well as the instructions for the crockpot.

  15. I made this yesterday in a crockpot. Used a 1-lb bag of cooked/shredded chicken I had in the freezer and a can of diced tomatoes/green chilis (no salsa in the pantry). Added some extra cumin, garlic, cilantro and onion to make fake salsa.
    Nice in a bowl topped with shredded cheese and smashed tortilla chips. (Like an exploded taco?)
    Now I have a 1-qt bag of leftover for the freezer. Another meal base. Thanks for the inspi!

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  28. I plan on making this to have on hand before the arrival of our second baby. How long will this stay in the freezer?

  29. I have going to make this for Father’s Day . We’re having a pool party-going to place the main Taco filling along with tortilla/large chips/rice so everyone can make what they want. How about that?

    ~glassy~

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