Weeknight Dinner: Shredded Chicken Slow Cooker Tacos 

Assemble the simple ingredients for these easy Crockpot chicken tacos in the morning so they can cook on low all day. All you’ll need to do is shred some cheese and warm up the tortillas, making this a perfect weeknight dinner.  Serve these shredded chicken tacos in flour or corn tortillas alongside our favorite refried beans.

three shredded chicken tacos on a white plate

Easy Crockpot chicken tacos

These slow cooker tacos took me less than ten minutes to get cooking. It’s as simple as combining the ingredients (except for the tortillas and fresh cilantro) in the bowl of your slow cooker, setting the temperature, and walking away.

This recipe calls for boneless chicken breasts. If you (like me) tend to cook with whole chicken rather than more expensive boneless parts, you can cook the chicken first, strip the meat from the bones, and use pre-cooked chicken rather than starting with boneless breasts. That does make this a two-step meal, of course.

Using cooked chicken in these slow cooker tacos

To make these slow cooker tacos with chicken that’s already cooked (say, roasted chicken leftovers), use 2-3 cups cooked chicken in place of the chicken breasts. If you you opt to start with cooked chicken, you can halve the cooking time for this recipe.

hand holding a shredded chicken taco

Serving it up

You can fill your favorite tortillas with this tender chicken, or it can be served tostada style. Or roll it up into burritos. Serve these shredded chicken tacos with a side of Spanish rice or refried beans and top with this delicious homemade creme fraiche.

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slow cooker tacos with chicken in corn tortillas

★ Did you make these shredded chicken tacos? Don’t forget to give them a star rating below!★

three shredded chicken tacos on a white plate

Shredded Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

These easy slow cooker tacos will help you get dinner on the table fast.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, (preferably organic)
  • 15 ounces low-sodium black beans, drained
  • 14 ounces frozen corn, (preferably organic, straight from freezer)
  • 16 ounces mild salsa, (preferably organic or homemade)
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • Whole wheat or organic corn tortillas, (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients except the cilantro and tortillas to the slow cooker. (No need to cut the chicken.) Mix the ingredients well. ingredients for slow cooker chicken tacos
  2. Cook on low for approximately 8 hours, undisturbed. The meal is ready when the chicken is fork tender. Shred all of the chicken using two forks. Add the cilantro and mix well.

Serving Options

    Soft Chicken Tacos

    1. Place the chicken mixture in an organic corn or whole wheat tortilla. Top with grated cheese and sour cream. Roll the tortilla up to create a soft taco or burrito.

    Burrito Bowls

    1. Place the chicken mixture in a bowl over cooked rice. Top with grated cheese and sour cream. Serve your toddler the burrito bowl with a spoon.

    Chicken Tostadas

    1. Instead of tacos or burritos, another way to enjoy this chicken filling is on a tostada. I place organic corn tortillas flat on a cookie sheet and bake in a 325 oven for about half an hour or until crispy. If you'd like, you can fry them. (I don't buy the pre-made tostadas since I've yet to see any that are organic or non-GMO.) Spread chicken filling on the tostada and top with sour cream and avocado.

    Notes

    To make these slow cooker tacos with chicken that's already cooked use 2-3 cups cooked chicken in place of the chicken breasts and halve the cooking time for this recipe. 

    For extra spice, top your tacos with some finely chopped jalapeños.

    This recipe is used with permission from the What a Good Eater! cookbook by Amy Godiwalla and Alessandra Macaluso

    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 grams
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1582Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 362mgSodium: 7441mgCarbohydrates: 198gFiber: 50gSugar: 18gProtein: 167g

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    Originally published in December 2016, this post has been updated.

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    About the author: Kris Bordessa is an award-winning National Geographic author and a certified Master Food Preserver. Read more about Kris and how she got started with this site here. If you want to send Kris a quick message, you can get in touch here.

    3 comments… add one
    • Kathy s Oct 25, 2021 @ 14:23

      This is an awesome recipe!! The trick is to use a really good salsa. I used a fire roasted salsa and boy did it deliver on the taste. Will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks very much!

      • AttainableSustainable Oct 26, 2021 @ 9:59

        You’re welcome, so glad you love it!

    • Michelle Mar 24, 2018 @ 18:48

      Super tasty and easy to make.

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