This Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos recipe is healthy and an easy solution to weeknight night dinner. You can also make this recipe in the Instant Pot!
We love how adaptable the flavored chicken is to serve in anything from tacos, burritos, tostadas, enchiladas, and more. Try it in chicken chimichangas, taco salad, or any of your favorite burritos, tostadas, or enchiladas.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos:
- Place your chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Mix the remaining ingredients together–chicken broth, Italian dressing, lime juice and spices–and pour over the chicken.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Shred the chicken and cook for an additional 30 minutes to allow it to absorb some of the sauce and juices.
- Serve shredded chicken in corn or flour tortilla and add your favorite toppings, like shredded lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion.
Can chicken tacos be healthy?
These slow cooker chicken tacos are a healthy recipe that your whole family will enjoy. Chicken is a lean meat that provides protein and I love to add lettuce or spinach along with tomatoes, avocado and cheese. You can serve them with a whole wheat tortilla for some added fiber.
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos:
This recipe can be easily adapted to make shredded chicken for tacos, in the instant pot!
If using the instant pot I like to use 1 cup of salsa instead of chicken broth and Italian dressing because I think the flavor holds up better under pressure. BUT, either will work!
Season the chicken with the spices and place the breasts in the bottom of the instant pot. Cover with salsa (or broth and Italian dressing) and lime juice. Cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 8 minutes. Quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Shred chicken, and serve in tortillas, with desired toppings.
Consider trying these slow cooker recipes:
- Sweet Pork Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Classic Homemade Chili
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth * or salsa
- 1/3 cup Italian Salad dressing * or salsa
- 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
Instructions
For the Slow Cooker:
- Place chicken breasts in your slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour them over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 hours or LOW for about 5 hours.
- Shred the chicken. Cook for 30 more minutes.
- Serve chicken with tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tostadas, burritos, taco salads etc.
For the Instant Pot:
- I like to use 1 cup of salsa instead of chicken broth and Italian dressing for the instant pot because I think the flavor holds up better under pressure. But either way will work!
- Season the chicken with spices and place in the bottom of the instant pot. Cover with lime juice and salsa (or broth and Italian dressing). Cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 8 minutes. Quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid.
- Shred chicken, and serve in tortillas, with desired toppings.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe July 2015. Updated April 2020 with a video.
Nancy says
This recipe is wonderful! I was able to start the chicken early in the afternoon and after shredding chicken and returning to slow cooker (with a rinsed can of black beans to add fiber) I prepped the toppings for a taco bar. I’ll definitely make this again. The chicken was moist, fell apart easily as I shredded it and had plenty of flavor. Tomorrow we’ll have the rest of the chicken over salad. Thank you, Lauren, for sharing this recipe and your meal planning function is fantastic!!
Teresa says
I made this today and it was delicious! This will be my standard Chicken Taco recipe.
Linda says
I have made this four times and just love it! We use 6 chicken thighs and like that that the meat is more moist than using chicken breasts. Cooking time on low temp. is reduced to 4 1/2 hours. I so appreciate that most of the recipes on this site use ingredients that one would normally stock.