These slow cooker chicken tacos are filled with zesty pulled chicken, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. The chicken only requires 4 ingredients and can be in the crock pot with just 5 minutes of prep time.
My family always enjoys taco night, whether it’s shrimp tacos, pork tacos, or these super easy crock pot chicken tacos. The chicken filling can be used in a variety of Mexican dishes including burritos, nachos, enchiladas and more!
Taco night is always a big hit at our house! I mix it up with crispy tacos, soft tacos, seafood tacos, you name it I’ve probably made it. These slow cooker chicken tacos are one of our very favorite taco recipes, and they couldn’t be any simpler to make.
How do you make slow cooker chicken tacos?
This recipe starts with boneless chicken breasts, which are sprinkled with taco seasoning, then covered in salsa. The chicken goes into the crock pot to cook until tender. The final step is to shred your chicken and stir in a little chopped cilantro. From there, you can pile your chicken into warm tortillas and add your favorite taco toppings.
Tips for crock pot chicken tacos
- If you’re using a taco seasoning that doesn’t contain salt, you’ll want to add a little salt to your chicken.
- I like to use a salsa that’s not super chunky, only because my picky eaters don’t like to see the chunks of onion and pepper that are sometimes in a thicker salsa.
- While I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, thighs will also work just fine.
- Corn or flour tortillas both taste great with the chicken filling, it’s just a matter of personal preference. I like to toast my tortillas over a flame on my gas stove top to get charred edges.
Slow cooker chicken taco variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, sometimes I add other ingredients to the mix to change things up a bit.
- No chicken on hand? Use cooked ground beef, beef stew meat or a pork roast instead.
- Try salsa verde instead of the traditional red salsa for a different flavor.
- Like spicy food? Add 1-2 minced canned chipotle peppers to the mix.
- You can add veggies into the crock pot along with the chicken such as onions or diced bell peppers.
What can you add to tacos?
While I typically add guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo to my tacos, there are so many different toppings you can add to amp up the flavor.
- Shredded cheese
- Lettuce
- Sliced olives
- Pickled jalapenos
- Roasted corn
- Red onion
- Shredded cabbage
What I love best about this recipe is that it’s just so easy to make! If you have chicken, taco seasoning and a jar of salsa, you can whip up the most tender and flavorful taco filling in no time at all. These crock pot chicken tacos are on my regular dinner menu rotation, and they’re always a hit.
More mexican favorites
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 16 ounce jar salsa
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1 cup pico de gallo homemade or store bought
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken. Pour the jar of salsa on top.
- Cover the slow cooker. Cook at HIGH heat for 3-4 hours or LOW heat for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir in the cilantro.
- Divide the chicken between the tortillas and top with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. Serve immediately.
Theresa says
I was just wondering if you can make the chicken tacos using ground chicken
Sara says
You can do that, but you’d need to pre-brown and crumble the ground chicken before you put it in the crock pot so that it doesn’t stick together.
Toria says
Is the serving size 1 taco? I.e. one taco is 401 calories?
Sara says
The serving size is 2 tacos! So 200 calories per taco.
Debbie says
These look amazing! Making them for Halloween!
Catherine says
Your pictures are so beautiful and colorful! These tacos look fantastic…so perfect any day of the week!
Noel Lizotte says
This is everything I love! Chicken! Tacos! Slow Cooker! Talk about a win! I’m sharing this one on FB!
Carmen says
These slow cooker chicken tacos are perfect for my life! I am so tired by the time evening rolls around, that cooking is one of the last things I want to think about. So, my slow cooker is like a Godsend!! 🙂
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I wonder who named taco Tuesday. We would love to eat taco on any given day and maybe even twice or thrice a week. What a lovely way to serve a dinner.
Veena Azmanov says
This sounds perfect for busy nights. We love chicken tacos and this would definitely be one of then. Saving for later so I can try it soon. Looks so good.
Helene says
Your tacos would be the hit in my house especially if I just make them as a surprise for my husband. He goes crazy for Tacos, of course. 🙂 I would like to try the slow cooker version, I bet the flavors are more intense.
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
Wow this is a very easy recipe. This reminds me of something that my sister n law has made before, only she did it in the skillet with chicken she had just cooked. I like the slow cooker way!
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
I haven’t had a chicken taco in ages, I can almost taste these. I love that you saved work by using the slow cooker.
Srivalli Jetti says
Chicken Tacos are my kids favorite one!..Will surely try this recipe..thanks for sharing!
Adriana Lopez Martin says
You are talking my love language: tacos! We love them mot only for Tuesday but are great for repurposing leftovers during the week.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Slow cookers are like magic in the kitchen. Tacos are a fun family meal…any night of the week. Chicken is an economical protein to work with….so this is a winner dinner for sure.
Jerry says
Should it be cook on low for 6 to 8 hours and high for 3 to 4?
Sara says
Yes, just fixed it!
jen says
This looks like a super easy recipe – prefect for weekday dinners. You have me craving chicken tacos! I’m looking forward to giving this recipe a try!
Melba says
I like all of your recipes and look forward to seeing more of them.
Sara says
Thanks so much Melba!