Description
Slow-cooker Mexican chicken tacos elevate weeknight dinners with minimal effort. Zesty spices and tender meat create irresistible flavor combinations for quick family meals you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 packet (28 g) taco seasoning
- 1 cup (240 ml) salsa
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth or water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) paprika
- 1 tsp (5 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) onion powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) oregano
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
- ¼ tsp (1.25 g) black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- Shredded cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped lettuce
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preparation: Layer chicken breasts evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Seasoning: Coat chicken thoroughly with taco seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder for maximum flavor infusion.
- Liquid Base: Pour salsa and chicken broth over the seasoned meat, ensuring complete coverage and moisture retention.
- Slow Cooking: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until chicken becomes exceptionally tender and easily separates.
- Shredding and Finishing: Use two forks to break down the chicken directly in the cooking liquid, then drizzle with lime juice and mix to incorporate all seasonings.
- Final Touches: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serving: Warm tortillas or taco shells and fill with the succulent chicken, then garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onions, sliced avocado, or additional salsa to elevate the dish.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Placement: Arrange chicken breasts in a single, flat layer to ensure even cooking and consistent heat distribution throughout the slow cooker.
- Liquid Balance Technique: Add just enough salsa and broth to cover the chicken, preventing dryness while maintaining optimal moisture for tender, flavorful meat.
- Shredding Pro Tip: Wait until chicken is completely fall-apart tender before shredding, using two forks to pull meat apart gently and allow maximum seasoning absorption.
- Dietary Flexibility Options: Swap chicken breasts with thighs for richer flavor, use low-sodium seasonings for heart-conscious diets, or replace traditional tortillas with lettuce wraps for low-carb alternatives.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (on low) or 3 hours (on high)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg