These Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos are the perfect weeknight meal. Tender, juicy chicken is slow-cooked to perfection and then shredded, making it ideal for tacos, salads, or bowls. With minimal effort, you get a flavorful, crowd-pleasing dish that everyone will love.
The beautifully seasoned, tender pulled chicken is perfect piled high in warm tortillas and topped with your favorite taco fixings.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Savory, slightly smoky, and customizable to your spice preference.
- Textures: Tender, juicy chicken that practically melts in your mouth.
- Total Time: Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes, with the majority of that time being hands-off.
- Difficulty: Easy, this recipe is incredibly simple, requiring just a few steps.
What You’ll Need
This recipe is all about convenience. You’ll need chicken breasts, a simple blend of seasonings, and your slow cooker to get started. Then, all that’s left is to shred the chicken and pile it into tacos with your favorite toppings.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the star of this recipe. They become incredibly tender when slow-cooked.
- Taco Seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning, or make your own blend with chili powder, cumin, and other spices. The seasoning adds tons of flavor with just one ingredient.
- Chicken Broth – Adds moisture to the chicken in the slow cooker and helps keep it tender.
- Onion – A yellow onion adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are essential for that classic taco flavor.
- Lime Juice – Brightens the flavors of the dish just before serving.
- Tortillas – Choose your favorite type of tortillas: corn or flour.
- Toppings – Get creative with your toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and avocado.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spice Level: Adjust the amount of taco seasoning to control the heat. For a spicier taco, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- Add veggies Add a sliced bell pepper or a chopped jalapeno to the slow cooker for extra flavor and texture.
- Add beans: Add a can of drained and rinsed black beans or pinto beans to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking for a heartier meal.
- Chicken thighs: You can swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a richer flavor.
- Sweetness level: Add a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar to the slow cooker for a hint of sweetness.
How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the taco seasoning, chicken broth, chopped onion, and minced garlic.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken. Discard any excess liquid from the slow cooker, or reserve some for added flavor or moisture in the final product.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the fresh lime juice.
- Serve the pulled chicken in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.
Pro Tip: For extra tender, juicy chicken, don’t overcook it. The chicken is ready when it easily shreds with a fork.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t lift the lid. Resist the urge to peek while the chicken is slow-cooking. Every time you lift the lid, it releases heat and can extend the cooking time.
- Shred while warm. The chicken is easiest to shred while it’s still warm.
- Adjust the seasoning. Taste the chicken after shredding and add more taco seasoning if needed to suit your taste.
- Rest, then shred. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the slow cooker to make it easier to handle.
- Add moisture. If the chicken seems dry after shredding, add a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid back into the chicken.
FAQs
- Can I make this recipe in a pressure cooker?
It is not recommended to alter the method, including cooking in a pressure cooker. - Can I use frozen chicken?
While I always recommend using fresh chicken for the best results, you can use frozen chicken. Add an extra hour or two to the cooking time. - What if I don’t have taco seasoning?
You can make your own taco seasoning mix by combining chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. - What should I do with leftovers?
Leftover pulled chicken is delicious in salads, on nachos, or even in a quesadilla.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Serve your pulled chicken tacos with a side of fluffy white rice or cilantro-lime rice.
- Beans: Refried beans or black beans are a classic taco side.
- Salad: A simple green salad with a cilantro-lime dressing makes a refreshing side.
- Guacamole: A dollop of homemade guacamole is always a welcome addition.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt provides a cooling contrast to the savory chicken.
- Salsa: A classic salsa brightens up the flavors.
- Cheese: Top with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The pulled chicken can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the slow cooker. You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to 3 months. Let it thaw completely before reheating.
Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos Recipe
- Total Time: 6-8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
These Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos are the perfect weeknight meal. Tender, juicy chicken is slow-cooked to perfection and then shredded, making it ideal for tacos, salads, or bowls. With minimal effort, you get a flavorful, crowd-pleasing dish that everyone will love.
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with chilies drained or 1 can Rotel, 10 ounces
1 ounce taco seasoning or 2 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
½ onion diced
Chicken Broth
Garlic
Lime Juice
Tortillas
Toppings
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.
In a small bowl, whisk together the taco seasoning, chicken broth, chopped onion, and minced garlic.
Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board.
Using two forks, shred the chicken. Discard any excess liquid from the slow cooker, or reserve some for added flavor or moisture in the final product.
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
Stir in the fresh lime juice.
Serve the pulled chicken in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
Don’t lift the lid. Resist the urge to peek while the chicken is slow-cooking. Every time you lift the lid, it releases heat and can extend the cooking time.
Shred while warm. The chicken is easiest to shred while it’s still warm.
Adjust the seasoning. Taste the chicken after shredding and add more taco seasoning if needed to suit your taste.
Rest, then shred. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the slow cooker to make it easier to handle.
Add moisture. If the chicken seems dry after shredding, add a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid back into the chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
