Description
Tender Crockpot Chicken Tacos made with lean chicken breasts, salsa, lime juice, broth, and a homemade taco spice blend. This easy slow cooker dinner creates juicy shredded chicken for tortillas, rice bowls, salads, or lettuce wraps.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup red or green salsa
- Juice of 2 limes, optional
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 12 small corn or flour tortillas, for serving
- Optional toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, shredded cheese, or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. If needed, slice very thick pieces horizontally so the chicken cooks evenly.
- Combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and season them evenly with the spice mixture.
- Pour the salsa over the chicken. Add the optional lime juice, and pour the chicken broth around the edges.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and shred it with two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the seasoned cooking juices.
- Cover and let the chicken rest in the juices for 10 minutes.
- Warm the tortillas, fill them with shredded chicken, and serve with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
- For the juiciest chicken breasts, cook the recipe on low and begin checking for doneness after 4 hours.
- Use mild, medium, or hot salsa to control the heat level.
- Do not place frozen chicken directly in the slow cooker. Thaw it safely in the refrigerator first.
- Swap tortillas for lettuce wraps, or serve the chicken over brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
- Store leftovers with some cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze meal-sized portions for up to 3 months.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs may replace the chicken breasts.
- Use a stand mixer or hand mixer in a separate bowl for fast shredding. Do not use beaters directly inside a ceramic slow cooker insert.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces cooked chicken
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 466
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0.02
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 33
- Cholesterol: 97