Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

Crock-pot Chicken Tacos is the perfect easy dinner idea for busy families and weeknight dinners. But, then again, when is savory, tender Mexican shredded chicken made with wholesome, real ingredients not a good idea?

Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos come together easily with less than 10 minutes of prep and feature Mexican shredded chicken enhanced by fresh ingredients and a simple blend of spices. Cooked low and slow, this chicken picks up on every ounce of yummy the slow cooker has to offer, and always turns out succulent, moist, and bounding with flavor.

The sauce that coats the shredded chicken is tomato-based, a touch tangy, a little smoky, and absolutely everything you would expect from a full-flavored Mexican dinner. It closely resembles Ranchero sauce, and you'll find this chicken will work in way more than just tacos.

Use this recipe for filling enchilada casseroles, burritos, tostadas, nachos, flautas, quesadillas, and more!

CROCK-POT CHICKEN TACO INGREDIENTS

When it comes to these Crock-pot chicken tacos, the slow-cooker does all of the work for you, after a quick dice of white onion and jalapeños, all the sauce ingredients go into the slow cooker, followed by the chicken breasts. The main ingredients for Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos are as follows:

• Corn or Flour Tortillas
• Chicken Breasts
• Crushed Tomatoes
• Diced Onion
• Diced Jalapeños

The seasoning for Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos is a blend of Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. If you're short on time, sub in taco seasoning, store-bought or homemade would work fine.

TACO TOPPING OPTIONS

What's taco night without the toppings? After your chicken is shredded and ready to roll in a tortilla, choose from any of the following toppings to top off your masterpiece:

• Shredded Lettuce
• Grated Cheddar or Monterrey Jack
• Pico de Gallo
• Sliced Jalapeños (Pickled or Fresh)
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole or Sliced Avocados
• Fresh Cilantro
• Salsa
• Taco Sauce

HOW TO MAKE CROCK-POT CHICKEN TACO

1. Add sauce ingredients to crock-pot and stir.
2. Pat chicken breasts dry and add to crock-pot.
3. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
4. Shred and cook 30 minutes more.

Check out our similar shredded chicken taco recipe! It's also prepared in the crock-pot and saves so much time.

PREP

The only prep required for these Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos is to dice an onion and a few jalapeños. If you're bummed about dicing a few veggies, keep in mind fresh ingredients go a long way when it comes to flavor and this Mexican shredded chicken is crazy flavorful. You won't get anything like it from a jar.

SAUCE

Once your onions and jalapeños are ready, you'll add them, along with crushed tomatoes and spices to the slow cooker and give it all a good stir.

CHICKEN (+ COOK TIME)

Next, add the chicken, turn the crock pot on low and set the timer for 3 hours.

If you need to extend the cook time for convenience-sake, you can add an hour or two to the cook time. The chicken will be fully cooked after three hours, but because it is braising on such a low heat setting, it won't hurt the chicken to cook it longer.

SHRED

Once the time is up, you'll shred the chicken. The easiest way to shred chicken is to place it on a work surface or cutting board and have two forks handy. Use one fork to hold the chicken breast in place and the other to shred. If the idea of shredding chicken sounds daunting, switch gears and try these quick and easy Chicken Tacos served fajita-style with sliced chicken, peppers, and onion instead!

BACK TO THE CROCK-POT FOR MORE FLAVOR

After you've shredded the chicken, place it back into the slow cooker. Before, only the outside of the chicken was exposed to all that flavorful sauce, but now, all of the chicken gets a turn. Let it cook for an additional 30 minutes, uncovered and it's officially taco time.

5 MORE MEXICAN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas feature a perfect, foolproof enchilada gravy, the simple key to the most flavorful beef enchilada filling, plus, fun ideas for what to serve alongside your enchiladas!
• Easy Skillet Chicken Fajitas is a one-pan, quick-fix dinner made with chicken thighs, onions, and bell peppers.
• Baked Chicken with Ranchero Sauce is a healthy baked chicken recipe with Ranchero sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. Perfect for weeknight dinners and healthy eating!
• Verde Chicken Enchiladas is a gluten-free dinner recipe featuring shredded chicken, Monterrey Jack cheese, corn tortillas, and a homemade green sauce made with sour cream.
• King Ranch Casserole is a famous Texas-born, stacked enchilada casserole featuring shredded chicken, corn tortillas, hearty vegetables, cheese, and a creamy Tex-Mex sauce.