You Like Cafe Rio? So Do I!

So the other day Andy and I went to dinner at some friends house...I was pleasantly surprised when our hosts Christy and Steve Horne served us their rendition of the famous Cafe Rio shredded chicken salad, dressing and all! It was sure good, you should all give it a try!



Cafe Rio Chicken

1 Small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbs. Chili Powder
1 Tbs. Cumin
3 Cloves garlic- minced
5 Lbs Chicken Breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook additional one hour.


Cafe Rio Rice

4 tea Chicken Bouillon
4 tea garlic- minced
1/2 Bunch Cilantro
1 can green chilies- or equivalent fresh
3/4 tea Salt
1 Tbs Butter
1/2 Onion

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Measure water and rice (if cooking normal white rice use approx 2 cups rice to 4 cups water). Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, lower heat and simmer until rice is cooked (follow directions on rice package).

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 Buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 Tomatillos (tomato like veg with a husk around them)
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Clove Garlic- minced
Juice of 1 lime
1 Jalapeno (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy, you can substitute a couple drops of green Tabasco for the jalepeno)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.


Serve over a warm flour tortilla (you can even melt a little grated cheese on the tortilla for a extra treat), also serve with black or pinto beans, tomatoes, crispy tortilla strips and avocado or guacamole!

Enjoy! Love you all!