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Home » Slow Cooker » Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

December 13, 2019 By Sara 38 Comments

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

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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!

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A plate of slow cooker chicken tacos topped with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.

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.

Chicken breasts coated in taco seasoning.

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.

Chicken breasts topped with taco seasoning and salsa.

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.

Shredded Mexican chicken in a crock pot.

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

A hand picking up a slow cooker chicken taco.

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

  • Mexican Pizza
  • Mexican Fruit Salad
  • Pork Carnitas
  • Mexican Pinto Beans and Rice
  • Pico de Gallo
A plate of slow cooker chicken tacos topped with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.
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5 from 16 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

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.
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken tacos, crock pot chicken tacos, slow cooker chicken tacos
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 401kcal
Author Sara Welch

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 271mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was originally published on October 22, 2017 and was updated on December 13, 2019 with new content.

Filed Under: Dinner, Slow Cooker Tagged With: Chicken, Tacos

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Comments

  1. JJ says

    February 19, 2021 at 4:06 pm

    By any chance, do you think black beans might work in this (in the slow cooker)?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 19, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      Like canned beans or dry beans?

      Reply
  2. Stacy says

    October 8, 2020 at 9:54 am

    Which salsa do you use?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      October 8, 2020 at 8:25 pm

      I typically use Pace!

      Reply
  3. Karen says

    July 14, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    My daughter and I loved this recipe. Very easy to make.

    Reply
  4. Christine says

    June 7, 2020 at 8:45 am

    5 stars
    I love this recipe. It’s so easy and flavorful. You can top your tacos with whatever you like, but doing it this way is so delicious! I love pico and guacamole and it’s so fuss free. Leftover meat is easy to use in other things like on salads or in burritos.

    Reply
  5. Ashley says

    June 4, 2020 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is delicious! The chicken really tastes like what is inside your enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant… but better! We love taco night and this recipe will definitely be used again by me! 😍

    Reply
  6. Karen says

    May 15, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    OMG!!! this is sooo delicious. I just finished making and eating my first taco. This recipe is very simple to follow..Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. ❤❤❤

    Reply
  7. Pilar Williams says

    May 4, 2020 at 7:53 am

    5 stars
    These were a hit in my house last night. We have been looking for a way to make chicken flavorful and this did it. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  8. Debbie Ferman says

    April 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    5 stars
    I loved how much chicken this made. Tasted good and enough for 2 meals.

    Reply
    • Andrea says

      April 17, 2020 at 3:23 pm

      How many people did this feed for you?

      Reply
  9. Irina says

    December 17, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    What an easy and delicious tacos recipe! Made last night! It was so GOOD! Next time I am going to double the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Emily Liao says

    December 17, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    These chicken tacos look great and full of flavor! Can’t wait to try in the new year 🙂

    Reply
  11. Kelly Anthony says

    December 17, 2019 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    You had me at 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time. This will make the perfect weeknight meal when we are in a time crunch.

    Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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