One of my final meals in Seattle was at the home of my beloved bestie Steph and her beau Blade.  Steph is my favorite person and also my persona grata in the kitchen. We've done a lot of cooking together both in Seattle and abroad. She's a master chopper, grater, slicer, really pretty damn good with the knife. (Except for the time in the Caribbean when her knife slipped from her grip and consequently carved an "S" onto my shin. Marking her territory? But really, mostly, my top sous chef.)

So this was a first. Steph as hostess, queen bee, chef in chief. And everything was perfectly under control. No services of a sous chef needed. Before heading to work, she'd piled chicken breasts into a slow cooker with a magical mexican mixture of spices and sauces. She then went to the office and closed four deals before returning to the casa in time to shred the slow cooked chicken and serve stellar tacos to her hungry guests. That's just how she rolls. 

Steph dished up the mouthwatering meat with toasty corn tortillas, tangy crumbled Cotija cheese, warm black beans, fresh corn shaved off the cob, and a cool and crunchy homemade avocado and cucumber salsa. Damn straight. I'll say this. Outside of a taco truck in a parking lot in Northern California, these were the most memorable chicken tacos of my life. I looked in awe at Steph and thought, "I can't believe you've been holding out on me."

Ever since that night, I've been trying to recreate the slow cooker magic. I think I've concocted a pretty solid recipe and one so simple that any sous can do. So if the rhythm is right, move to the music, and you can slow cook all night. Or day. When you're at work.