Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos (Printable)

Tender Mexican-spiced chicken that slow cooks to perfection, ideal for building delicious tacos with your favorite toppings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
05 - 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

→ Spices & Seasonings

06 - 1 tbsp chili powder
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Liquids

12 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
13 - Juice of 1 lime

→ To Serve

14 - 12 small corn or flour tortillas
15 - Optional toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Add diced onion, minced garlic, jalapeños if using, and pour diced tomatoes with juices over the chicken.
03 - Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper evenly over all ingredients.
04 - Pour chicken broth into the slow cooker.
05 - Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours until chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
06 - Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred using two forks, return to sauce, add lime juice, and stir to combine.
07 - Warm tortillas according to package instructions.
08 - Spoon shredded chicken onto warm tortillas, add favorite toppings, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender, shredding with just a gentle touch of a fork
  • Your entire kitchen will smell like a taco truck pulled up outside
  • Set it and forget it cooking gives you hours back in your day
02 -
  • The chicken needs to be fully submerged in liquid for even cooking, so push it down if needed
  • Lifting the lid too often adds 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time each time
03 -
  • Use a liner in your slow cooker for cleanup that takes seconds
  • Corn tortillas need to be warmed or they will crack and fall apart