Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos (Printable)

Tender Mexican-spiced chicken slow-cooked to perfection, ready to pile into tacos with all your favorite fresh garnishes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Seasonings & Sauces

02 - 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
03 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1 cup salsa (mild or spicy as desired)
07 - ¼ cup chicken broth or water
08 - Juice of 1 lime

→ To Serve

09 - 12 corn or flour taco shells
10 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
12 - ½ cup sour cream
13 - 1 cup diced tomatoes
14 - ½ cup diced red onion
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
17 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts or thighs in bottom of slow cooker
02 - Sprinkle taco seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper evenly over chicken
03 - Pour salsa and chicken broth over chicken, squeeze lime juice on top
04 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours until tender and easily shreds
05 - Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred thoroughly using two forks
06 - Return shredded chicken to slow cooker and stir well to coat in sauce
07 - Warm taco shells according to package instructions
08 - Fill shells with shredded chicken, add lettuce, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onion, avocado, cilantro and lime as desired. Serve immediately

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender, shredding with just a glance from your fork
  • Your kitchen does all the work while you go about your day
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next morning in breakfast tacos
02 -
  • The chicken needs to rest in the sauce for at least 10 minutes after shredding to really soak up all that flavor
  • Corn tortillas crack when theyre cold, so warm them properly before filling
  • This recipe doubles beautifully in a larger slow cooker without needing to adjust the cooking time
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker with a parchment paper liner for cleanup that takes literally ten seconds
  • Warm your tortillas directly over a gas flame for those lovely charred spots, or in a dry skillet if you have electric