Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
With just five ingredients and five minutes of prep, these shredded chicken tacos are a crockpot meal you’ll reach for again and again! Make a big batch—Mexican shredded chicken freezes well and is delicious in tacos, bowls, enchiladas, and salads.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups salsa
- 1/2 medium onion diced, can use red, yellow, or white
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 4-6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- tortillas, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc. for serving
Instructions
- Add salsa, onion, and taco seasoning to the bowl of your slow cooker. Stir to combine.1 and 1/2 cups salsa, 1/2 medium onion, 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- Nestle chicken into the pot and spoon a bit of the salsa mixture on top of each piece.4-6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easy to pull apart into bite-sized pieces. Shred in the slow cooker, on a cutting board, or in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Return chicken to the slow cooker, add lime juice, and stir well. Serve right away or leave on the low or keep warm setting; it will be good for at least one hour. Enjoy in tacos, burrito bowls, wraps, or as desired.1 teaspoon lime juice
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Notes
- Taco Seasoning Sub: If you don't have taco seasoning on hand, season this chicken instead with 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1+1/2 teaspoons each paprika and cumin, 1/2 teaspoon each dried minced onion and kosher salt, and a pinch each garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Just mix these into the salsa.
- Salsa: This recipe works well with just about any kind of salsa you like, including homemade pico de gallo or blender salsa. The salsa really influences the finished flavor, so use your favorite: mild, medium, or hot with discretion!
- Instant Pot Option: Try this faster Instant Pot salsa chicken instead.
- Serving Tip: If a lot of juice is left in the bottom of the Crockpot, use tongs or a slotted spoon to serve. This is a simple way to make sure you get the juicy chicken but not so much extra liquid that your tacos' texture is off.
- OK to start with frozen chicken? Although placing frozen chicken in the Crockpot is a gray area, I don't recommend it. From a food safety perspective, it will spend more time in the "danger zone," where unsafe bacteria can grow. From a practical perspective, it makes it more difficult to estimate the correct cooking time. Thaw the chicken first for best results.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container; it will keep for at least 3-4 days. Reheat as much as you need at a time in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
- Freezing: Mexican shredded chicken freezes very well. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, or defrost quickly in the microwave on 50% power, stirring frequently.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 115 kcal, Carbohydrates: 3 g, Protein: 20 g, Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 58 mg, Sodium: 420 mg, Potassium: 446 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 261 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 16 mg, Iron: 1 mg