Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

*Note: leaving the tomatoes undrained makes for a fairly juicy chicken mixture. If you don’t want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as liquidy, slightly drain the tomatoes before using them. Also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.

*Serves 4

1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat – with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortillas with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.

*Freezable Meal: I freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. I reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

** I didn't have any red pepper flakes so I just sprinkled some ground red pepper and cayenne on the chicken and it tasted great.