Crock Pot Chicken Tacos are an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner recipe made in the slow cooker. Use the shredded chicken in a variety of ways!
We’ve got a code red here, people! Or is it a code blue? I can never remember which one requires immediate attention be paid to the situation at hand…probably both, now that I think about it.
Forget it – we’ve got a code crock pot!
I need to inform you of one of the easiest, most delicious crock pot recipes I have ever come across, so you can go get the ingredients to devour Crock Pot Chicken Tacos ASAP!
Chicken breasts are seasoned and spiced with just 2 ingredients – taco seasoning and jarred salsa – then cooked low and slow in a crock pot until they’re fall apart tender.
The juicy shredded chicken is stuffed inside crunchy taco shells with shredded cheese then popped into a piping hot oven to warm, melt, and create an irresistibly cheesy NACHO-ESQUE taco. SO GOOD.
Served alongside fluffy Mexican-Style Rice, this will be one of the easiest meals you’ve made in ages!
Get your crock pots out, and appetites ready – it’s taco time!
How to Make This Recipe
Start the Crock Pot Chicken Tacos by making the crock pot chicken, which could not be any easier. First slice 4 large chicken breasts, about 2lbs chicken total, in half.
Lay the chicken halves into the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot in one layer, then sprinkle on 1 packet taco seasoning and pour in 1-16oz jar salsa.
Place a lid on top, then cook the chicken on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours, or until it shreds easily with two forks.
Shred the chicken then add some or all of the cooking liquid back in. That’s it! Juicy, tender, and unbelievably delicious – you would never know this only has 3 ingredients in it!
I like to serve the Crock Pot Chicken Tacos withe Mexican-Style Rice.
Saute 1/4 cup minced onion in 1 teaspoon olive oil until tender, then add in 1 cup salsa, 1 cup jasmine rice, and 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then place a lid on top and simmer until the rice is tender, about 12-15 minutes.
When the rice has a few minutes left, place some of the shredded chicken into corn taco shells, top with shredded cheese, then bake at 425 degrees for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts. This step does double duty of warming the shell AND melting the cheese!
Add the toppings of your choice (chopped tomatoes, green onions, and truck loads of salsa for me,) then chow down!
I could hardly control myself around this chicken – it is so flavorful, so tender, and so juicy. Plus, hello, it’s surrounded by melted cheese. How bad could that be?
The Mexican-Style Rice definitely gives the tacos a run for their money, though. Creamy, fluffy, and so tasty. Enjoy!
More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes
- Beef Enchiladas
- Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce
- Crock Pot Ranchero Chicken
- Fish Tacos with Avocado Sweet Corn Slaw
- Large Batch Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Crock Pot Shredded Beef Enchiladas
- Cheese Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, ~2lbs, sliced in half
- 1 recipe homemade taco seasoning, or 1 packet store-bought taco seasoning
- 16 oz jar salsa
- Corn taco shells
- Taco toppings: shredded cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce, green onions, cheese, black olives, etc
For the Mexican-Style Rice:
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup long grain white rice, Lundberg recommended
- 2 cups chicken broth
Directions
For the Chicken Tacos:
- Lay chicken breasts in a single layer in bottom of a 6 quart crock pot. Sprinkle on taco seasoning then pour in salsa. Lift chicken breast halves to get salsa underneath then cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours, or until chicken breasts shred easily with 2 forks. Shred then mix with some of the cooking liquid.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add shredded chicken into the bottom of taco shells then top with shredded cheese. Bake on a foil-lined baking dish for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Top with desired toppings.
For the Mexican Rice:
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, 5 minutes. Add salsa, rice, and broth then bring to a skimmer. Place a lid on top then turn the heat down to low and simmer until rice is tender, 12-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Yet another reason why I need to invest in a crockpot!
I would probably have a you with Morimoto-like experience if I ever met you, but alas, I have Farrell’s at that time & a wedding dress to fit into!
Yes I would too.. I recognized Morimoto on the CHEW the other day, celebrating their book release. He made a Sushi cake. All I could think of was IGE :)
Think this would work with pork? My hubs is allergic to chicken.
Oh for sure! Maybe some pork butt or shoulder. Might take an hour or two more because it has more fat to break down.
I LOVE making shredded chicken in the Crockpot! I usually cook mine with beer, tomatoes & peppers, and taco seasoning. Soo good. I love the melted cheese on those tacos!
We call this recipe simply, ‘Salsa Chicken’ in our house — definitely a staple! I always do a homemade taco seasoning and we go with the Trader Joe’s Salsa Authentica b/c it’s so darn cheep and it has a nice spice to it! Tacos one night, burrito bowls the next! :)
Wish I would have seen this before I went to the grocery store. I’ll pick up some salsa tomorrow, thank you!
Well a big thank you for dinner this weekend! My these look outstanding!
And congrats on the news segment! You’re such a natural. ;)
those look deee-licious. wish i was closer to des moines to join in on the panera fun :)
I didn’t realize you were also a Kristin P! No wonder I like your recipes so much! I certainly hope my screen name didn’t come across as something bizarre and stalker-like :-)
hahaha, no definitely not! :)
You are so stinkin’ cute in your cooking segments–love that recipe, too! :)
I just made these chicken tacos for a taco bar for my sister-in-law’s baby shower (didn’t bake them though)! YUMMY! I have some leftover meat that I froze and now I’m going to have to try to bake them with the cheese and make the rice! Such an easy recipe! Can’t wait to try the rice!
These look so delicious and easy!
Yummy!