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Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos

Slow cooker shredded chicken tacos with tender, shred-ready chicken simmered in salsa and spices. Warm tortillas are filled and topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lime for easy taco night.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and cooking sauce
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs Use breasts for leaner shredding or thighs for extra richness.
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 jalapeño, diced Remove seeds for less heat.
  • 1 small onion, diced
Toppings and serving
  • 1 shredded lettuce
  • 1 diced tomato
  • 1 shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 salsa For serving alongside tacos.
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 cilantro
Tortillas
  • 16 small corn or flour tortillas

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Build the taco filling
  1. Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Add salsa, chicken broth, taco seasoning, cumin, diced jalapeño, and diced onion, then stir gently to combine so everything is coated.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until the chicken is very tender. Keep the lid on during cooking for best results.
Shred and mix into the sauce
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker, mixing it into the sauce until evenly distributed. Continue to stir so the sauce coats the shredded chicken.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm the tortillas until pliable. Fill each tortilla with shredded chicken and your desired toppings, then garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra salsa on the side. Add lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream to each taco as desired.

Notes

Pro tip: choose thighs if you want extra-moist, deeply shreddable chicken; breasts will work but may be slightly leaner. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of salsa. Freezing is yes—freeze chicken filling for up to 3 months, then thaw and warm tortillas fresh. For a lower-sodium option, use a reduced-sodium taco seasoning and broth and still season to taste with extra cumin and lime.