Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos (Recipe + Video) | Valerie's Kitchen (2024)

This recipe for Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos creates incredibly tender, flavorful shredded chicken for easy tacos on a busy day. It’s super versatile and works perfectly for a variety of Mexican entrees.

More Mexican-inspired favorites include my Mexican Shredded Beef and Carnitas.

This recipe for slow cooker chicken tacos is one of the oldest, most beloved in my collection. As a busy working mom with a house full of hungry teenagers, I relied on it over and over again.

Our boys’ water polo games were frequently scheduled right at dinner time and I dreaded the idea of getting takeout for our big family a couple of times a week. If you have a child that is involved in sports or any extra-curriculars, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

When you’re walking in your door at 6:30 or 7:00 at night, you need a plan.

My slow cooker was my savior during those hectic times and still to this day. A good Crock-Pot recipe is as good as gold!

The Best Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

What sets this recipe apart from others is that it does not call for a jar of store-bought salsa. I’ve made it that way and I think it ends up with an overwhelming jarred salsa flavor that just isn’t great.

Instead, I use a can of diced tomatoes and diced green chiles which yields a fresher, more authentic flavor. Save the salsa to use as a topping for the tacos instead!

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken – You’ll need 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Although just 3 large pieces of chicken are pictured here, you will likely need 4 to 6 pieces of chicken to reach this weight.
• Taco seasoning – I always have a small jar of my Homemade Taco Seasoningin my pantry. I like to mix it up myself to control the amount of salt and tweak it just how I like it. You can substitute with store-bought taco seasoning and the result will still be wonderful.
• Onion – A little diced yellow or white onion.
• Diced tomatoes – I normally use a can of regular diced tomatoes with the juice but fire-roasted or the fire roasted garlic flavor work very well too.
• Diced green chiles – A small can with the juice.
• Cilantro – Optional be we love the flavor of cilantro mixed in to the cooked, shredded chicken.

How to Make Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
2. Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the chicken.
3. Next, top with the diced onion.
4. Then, pour the undrained diced tomatoes and diced green chiles with the juice over the top. Don’t stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until tender.

1. When the cooking time is up, test the chicken by piercing it with a fork to see if it’s tender enough to shred.
2. Then, use two forks to begin shredding the chicken into the cooking liquid.
3. Continue to shred the chicken, mixing it with the liquid, until it reaches the texture you’d like.
4. Add the cilantro, if you’re cilantro fans, and you are ready to serve!

Serving Suggestions

• Soft Tacos or Burritos – Toast flour or corn tortillas (or some of both) in a dry skillet and transfer them to a tortilla warmer. Load them up with chicken, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, hot sauce, and anything and everything else!
• Crispy Tacos – Cook the tortillas in vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute per side then transfer to paper towels to drain. Load up the crispy taco shells with toppings and devour!
• Burrito Bowls – Pile this Mexican-inspired shredded chicken on top of Restaurant Style Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice. Top it with black or pinto beans, Easy Corn Salsa and any other toppings you love.
• Enchiladas– This Crock-Pot Chicken Taco meat is the basis for my recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas.
• Nachos – Layer the chicken over tortilla chips with whole or refried beans and top with melted cheese and your favorite toppings – Blender Salsa and Corn Guacamole are both awesome choices. This is a great way to make use of leftovers for an easy lunch or dinner.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate – Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze – I like to store the chicken in freezer-safe plastic storage bags to save freezer space. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and freeze flat. Once frozen, bags can be stacked and kept frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw safely in the refrigerator before warming.

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This post was originally published November 3, 2012. Since then it has become one of the most popular recipes on the blog and in my own kitchen. The photos and text have been refreshed but the recipe remains unchanged.