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These crockpot chicken tacos are what I make when I don’t have it in me to think about dinner. Chicken breasts go in with my homemade taco seasoning, onion, a can of tomatoes with green chiles, and six hours later, it shred with two forks. My family likes these on flour tortillas with shredded cheese and sour cream.
I’ve been making crockpot shredded chicken tacos for years, and they’ve earned their spot as the recipe I fall back on when the day gets away from me. Between work, two small kids, and all the places they need to be, there are plenty of days I don’t think about dinner until it’s already dinner. This one asks for about 10 minutes in the morning, and then the slow cooker leaves me alone until we’re ready to eat.
The seasoning is the one part I don’t shortcut. Instead of a store-bought packet, I use my homemade taco seasoning, which is just seven things I already have in the cabinet and skips the fillers and added sugar. The chicken cooks down in it with onion and a can of tomatoes with green chiles until it shreds with two forks.
I serve it with my mom’s Mexican rice recipe when I’ve got the time, and with warm flour tortillas when I don’t.
Ingredients You’ll Need
All the exact amounts are in the recipe card below, but here’s what matters when you’re shopping.
- Chicken breasts: I use boneless, skinless breasts because they shred clean and stay lighter. Boneless thighs work just as well and come out richer and a little juicier, so use those if that’s what you like.
- Dry seasonings: This is where the flavor comes from. You’ll need garlic powder, ancho chili powder, chili powder, onion powder, kosher salt, ground cumin, and Mexican oregano. If you can’t find ancho chili powder, just double the regular chili powder. Mexican oregano is easy to find at Mexican grocery stores or online, and bigger grocery stores are carrying it more and more these days. Regular oregano works if it’s what you’ve got.
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles: One 14.5-ounce can. Rotel is the one most stores carry. It brings the liquid, a little acidity, and mild heat all at once, so you don’t need to add any broth or water. A lot of crockpot chicken taco recipes use salsa here instead. I’ve made it that way and it’s good, but every salsa tastes different, and since I’m already adding seven seasonings, I’d rather the tomatoes stay neutral so the chicken comes out the same every time.
- White onion: A quarter of a medium onion, diced. It softens completely over six hours, so you won’t find crunchy pieces of it in the finished chicken.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken Tacos
This is about as hands-off as a recipe gets. Four steps, one bowl of prep, and the crockpot does the rest.
- Season the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker and sprinkle all seven seasonings right over the top. No need to rub them in.
- Add the onion and tomatoes. Scatter the diced onion over the chicken, then pour the whole can of tomatoes with green chiles on top, liquid and all.
- Cook it low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. It’s ready when the chicken pulls apart with almost no effort.
- Shred and stir. Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker with two forks, then stir it into all the juices so it soaks everything back up.
Isabel’s Tip
Once you shred the chicken, let it sit in the juices for about 10 minutes before serving. It keeps drinking up the liquid, and it comes out noticeably juicier than if you serve it right away.
Serving Suggestions
The chicken is good for a lot more than tacos, and I usually make a full batch specifically so I have leftovers to work with.
- Tacos, on warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas with cotija, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- In a burrito bowl over cilantro lime rice with black beans, lettuce, and sour cream.
- On a tostada with a layer of refried beans underneath so nothing slides off.
- In a gordita with your favorite salsa.
- On sopes with plenty of beans and cheese.
- In quesadillas or nachos, which is where most of my leftovers actually end up.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: Leftover chicken from the crock pot keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Store it in its juices instead of draining it, or it’ll dry out.
- Freezing: It also freezes well for up to 3 months. First, press the air out of the container, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Warm in a skillet with a spoonful of the juices.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The can of tomatoes with green chiles brings enough liquid on its own, and the chicken releases more as it cooks. Adding extra will water down the seasoning.
Yes, you can, and it works. Use your favorite salsa if you prefer.
I’d thaw them first. A slow cooker heats up slowly, so frozen chicken spends too long in the temperature range where bacteria grow, which is why the USDA recommends against it. If you forgot to defrost, seal the breasts in a bag and put them in a bowl of cold water. Separated breasts thaw in about 30 minutes.
Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ medium white onion, diced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
For serving
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Chopped cilantro
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Guacamole
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts into the slow cooker and season with the garlic powder, ancho chili powder, chili powder, onion powder, salt, cumin, and oregano.
- Add the diced onion and can of diced tomatoes on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the chicken with two forks in the slow cooker and stir together with all the juices.
- Serve in warmed corn or flour tortillas tacos, burritos, or nachos.
Notes
- Storing and reheating: Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Store the chicken in its juices instead of draining it, or it’ll dry out. It freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a spoonful of the juices.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs work in place of breasts and come out a little richer and juicier.
- Ancho chili powder: If you don’t have any, double the amount of regular chili powder.
- Mexican oregano: If you don’t have any, use regular oregano.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes
If you like these slow cooker chicken tacos, these are the other chicken recipes I let the crockpot handle.
This post was originally published in September 2023 and has been updated with more helpful tips to help you make the best possible recipe on the first try.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
Delicious! I made with Chicken thighs instead of breasts. Husband loved it! I will be making this again.
Absolutely LOVE this chicken! So tender with a little kick to it. I will for sure make many more times. Thanks!
This was delicious! Doing the homemade taco seasoning was key. Also used the Hatch Ro⭐️Tel. Yum!
My favorite chicken taco recipe, Thank you. Can I freeze leftovers?
Oh no my gosh! This is the best taco chicken I’ve ever made! I’ve shared this recipe with so many people and they all love it. Couldn’t be easier and the flavor is amazing! You have to try it.
I tried this recipe. It was delicious! After removing the meat from the chicken thighs, I cooked the bones and made a broth with it. I also used chiles that I had roasted and frozen.
Great idea to use the bones for making broth! I do that often, too. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Made this last night and we all loved it, cooking during the afternoon so it was ready between football games. Very nice change from beef tacos. I couldn’t find cojita cheese in local store so used feta, paired great with this. Also no mexican oregano so used marjoram leaves or ancho chili powder so used 2 t chili powder and 1 t chipotle chili powder. I am ordering both online so I have on hand and I think I’ll be able to find cojita in the larger store (I live in a rural, northern area).