Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos recipe offers tender, flavorful shredded chicken cooked slowly with a blend of spices and salsa. Perfect for quick weeknight dinners, this versatile dish can be served as tacos, taco bowls, salads, or lettuce wraps with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breast or thighs
- 1 cup salsa, any kind
- ½ cup water
Spices
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more for extra spice)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Serving Options & Toppings
- Taco shells, rice or cauliflower rice, lettuce for taco salads, or lettuce leaves for wraps
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped onions
- Jalapeno slices
- Fresh cilantro
- Olives
- Avocado slices
- Hot sauce
- Fresh salsa
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Place the chicken, salsa, water, and all spices (ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, sea salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper) into the slow cooker bowl.
- Slow Cook: Cook on the high setting for 5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks until finely pulled apart.
- Combine and Continue Cooking: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to blend the flavors well.
- Serve: Spoon the shredded chicken into taco shells, taco bowls with rice or cauliflower rice, taco salads with lettuce, or lettuce leaves as wraps. Top with your favorite taco toppings such as diced tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, olives, avocado, hot sauce, fresh salsa, lime wedges, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Notes
- This recipe requires minimal prep and is great for busy weeknights.
- You can use chicken breast or thighs depending on your preference.
- The shredded chicken can also be cooked using an Instant Pot for a faster option.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to control the spiciness level.
- For a lower-carb option, serve with lettuce wraps or cauliflower rice.
- If you prefer less liquid, you can reduce the salsa or use the sauté function in the Instant Pot to thicken the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces shredded chicken
- Calories: 140 calories
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 76 mg
