Crockpot Mexican Chicken {Crockpot Chicken Tacos}

Close up shot of the best crockpot chicken tacos recipe with tortilla chips on the side

4.67 from 3 votes

Crockpot Mexican Chicken {Crockpot Chicken Tacos}

A super easy and delicious Crock Pot Mexican chicken recipe that works well for tacos, casseroles, salads, soup, burritos, enchiladas, rice bowls, and more!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword crockpot chicken tacos, crockpot mexican chicken, crockpot shredded chicken tacos, instant pot chicken, Mexican Chicken

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 5

Servings servings

Calories 315kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, not drained
1 cup diced onion (I use frozen diced onion as a shortcut)
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning (or increase to 2 packets of seasoning for more flavorful, zestier chicken)
Optional, for serving: tortillas or taco shells, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, chopped onion, fresh cilantro

Instructions

For the Slow Cooker:

Place ½ of the tomatoes, half of the chilies, and half of the onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place chicken on top.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Add remaining tomatoes, chilies, and onion on top of chicken.
Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and cook for a few more minutes, until warmed through.

For the Instant Pot:

Place ½ of the tomatoes, half of the chilies, and half of the onion in the bottom of an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Place chicken on top.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Add remaining tomatoes, chilies, and onion on top of chicken.
Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.
Select “Poultry” or “Manual” setting. Set the time to 8 minutes for fresh chicken breasts, or 13 minutes for frozen chicken breasts. (These times are for typical 6-8 ounce chicken breasts. If yours are larger, add a couple of minutes.)
When done, let the pressure naturally release for at least 5 minutes. After that, you can turn the valve to "vent" for quick release if you're in a hurry, or continue natural release.
Remove chicken to a cutting board; shred with two forks.
Return chicken to pot, stir, and serve.

Notes

To feed a larger family (or to have even more leftovers), double all of the ingredients to cook 4 lbs. of chicken. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Add even more flavor to the shredded chicken by adding a second packet of taco seasoning or by seasoning the meat with additional chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Use an electric stand mixer to shred the cooked chicken if you don't want to do so by hand with forks.
Use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat boneless chicken thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
You do not need to add any extra liquid to the Crock Pot. The juices from the tomatoes and chilies will go into the pot, and the condensation from the slow cooker will accumulate as well. There should be more than enough liquid by the end, and you don't want to water-down the sauce.
Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most -- sometimes they're done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.

Nutrition