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.
Jale says
In instant pot do you just use the salsa and no Italian dressing? Thanks
Lauren Allen says
Right. I just use salsa 🙂
Lisa Moulthrop says
I’m making this now, cooking in crock pot for five hours. I just shredded it to cook another 30 mins but seems to have a lot of liquid in it, do you drain before you use for tacos? Sire smells wonderful ?
Liz says
I served this for a nine year old and twin seven year olds to rave reviews. The tweaks I made were to use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts and instead of all the individual spices I just dropped in a packet of taco seasoning I had on hand I also used a local organic Italian dressing instead of the one pictured I cooked in the slow cooker on low for five hours. To serve, I had soft and crispy taco shells, black beans, brown rice, grated cheese, diced avocados and salsa and let the kids make their own creations, deciding what to include or leave out. Total knock out. Thanks for making this mom look good 😉
Liz MacPhail says
And day two perks: the recipe is very “brothy” as others have commented but to serve as tacos I just let the juice drip and served chicken in bowl for taco fixings. But today I ate the leftover chicken with the broth and added brown rice and avocado for a variation of chicken tortilla soup!
Cindy Fries says
Loved it. So tasty. I would add more lime juice, because I love that flavor.
Traci Irving says
This is so yummy. Use it for all my Mexican dishes. Salsa no Italian dressing. I also use my mixer to shred the chicken. Much easier.
Danielle says
This is my go to chicken taco recipe! I’ve been making it this way for months and everybody LOVES it. I feel like the italian dressing is key because it just gives the chicken a tangy, wonderful flavor! Only thing I do differently is use half boneless skinless chicken thighs and half boneless skinless chicken breasts. Thanks for such a great recipe 🙂
Jon says
Hi, to double the recipe with 2 pounds of chicken would I just double all of the other ingredients as well? (Chicken broth, italian dressing, seasonings?) Thanks in advance!
Lauren Allen says
Yes, I would double all of the ingredients 🙂
Jen says
We made this with cheese and garlic Italian dressing (just what we had) and it was divine! I’ve made versions of this with salsa (store bought and homemade), but prefer the Italian dressing hands down! Pair this with Lauren’s heavenly cilantro lime rice, black beans, cheese, lettuce, guacamole, and homemadeJen salsa…I’ve died and gone to Mexican food heaven!!! Burrito bowl style, crunchy taco, flour tortilla, always a win! Thank you, Lauren! ❤
Lauren Allen says
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing Jen <3
Barbara Gallagher says
This chicken is delicious!! And so easy! I did accidentally put BOTH the salsa and the Italian dressing into the crock pot but it didn’t seem to hurt anything,. Just LOVE your recipes. Honestly, every one I have tried is a success and so delicious. Love feeding my family fresh ingredients and you make it easy!