Life has been… hectic. Chaotic. Crazy. Rushed. Busy. You name it. Owning your own business has it’s perks, don’t get me wrong, but oh man, when they say it’ll run you down, they weren’t wrong. For those of you who don’t know, my husband and I own a security products company (I’d rather not go into the technical details of what we do) with his aunt and uncle. Although being busy is a good problem to have, some days it just flat out makes me want to pull all of my hair out. It means being completely exhausted, no social life, 24/7 access to customers, and nonstop working, planning, marketing, and hustling.
Like I said, it definitely has it’s perks and I love what we do, but lately I’d love to take a breather! I’m spending at least one weekend a month in New Mexico with family and the other three 50% working and 50% working on the house. I started acupuncture almost 2 months ago and boy has that made a difference! I can actually fell my mind slowing down when I’m at my appointments. Even if you’re afraid of needles, I highly encourage it! I rarely ever feel the needle. When I say feel, it’s not even a prick or poke. It’s a sensation in the area it is in similar to your foot/hand/arm falling asleep. My acupuncturist is a pretty nice guy too so I know that helps. I went in with insane allergies & the beginnings of a migraine a few weeks back and left feeling 100% back to normal.
Anyway, the original point of my rambling was that life has been busy. Busy meaning that my crockpot is getting used and abused. This meal came from a morning where I was headed off to appointments and knew that there wouldn’t be time to make dinner that night. As much as I enjoy that we’ve moved back into the city and having food delivery so readily available, my bank account and my waistline don’t appreciate it! I plan on doing a lot of freezer meals soon and I will post those up here as I go.
Shredded Chicken Tacos Crock Pot Ingredients
- chicken breasts – This recipe calls for chicken breasts, but it can also be made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or a combination of both chicken breasts and thighs.
- roasted green chile – you can find these jarred or canned in your local grocery store usually near the canned enchilada sauce
- taco seasoning – store-bought or homemade both work well
- garlic – fresh garlic will give you excellent flavor in this
- liquid smoke – liquid smoke is sold in the store near the Worcestershire sauce and barbecue sauce. It gives it a nice smoky flavor similar to being grilled
- taco sauce – Use your favorite taco sauce for this. It gives it extra flavor!
- tortillas – I prefer a soft chicken taco so I opt for flour tortillas, but this filling is great on both corn tortillas and crispy shells as well.
- toppings – Go crazy with the toppings! You can top them with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, or any other taco toppings you love.
How to Make Shredded Chicken for Tacos (in the crock pot)
- Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot.
- Turn the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. You’ll want to cook it for 4 hours if the chicken is thawed, and 6 hours if the chicken is frozen.
- Once it has cooked, remove the lid and shred it with two forks. The meat should fall apart very easily.
- Serve in a warm tortilla or shell topped with your favorite taco toppings!
How to Shred Chicken
To shred crockpot taco chicken, you can use one of two methods:
- Two forks: Take two forks and pull in opposite directions. The chicken will begin to shred easily.
- Stand Mixer: Place the chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low until the chicken is shredded.
Best Toppings for Shredded Chicken Tacos
The great thing about tacos is that you can easily customize them with your favorite toppings. Here are some suggestions:
- lettuce
- tomatoes
- cilantro
- onions
- beans
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
- chile con queso
- shredded cheese
- pico de gallo
- corn salsa
- avocado slices
- avocado cilantro sauce
- taco sauce
- jalapenos
How to Serve Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos are served inside of tortillas or crispy shells. Top them with your favorite toppings.
Great sides for this include:
- Chili Lime Rice
- Beans
- Chips & Salsa
- Guacamole
How to Store Chicken for Chicken Tacos
Leftover crockpot taco chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Can you freeze leftover crockpot shredded chicken?
Leftover crockpot shredded chicken freezes really well. Place the chicken in a freezer-safe ziptop bag and lay it flat.
Press all of the air out of the bag and close the bag. Place it in the freezer and it will keep fresh for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken breast should be cooked on low for 4 hours if thawed and 6 hours if frozen.
You can put raw chicken breast in a slow cooker. Make sure it is cooked to 165°F internal temperature.
Chicken is best cooked on low in the crockpot for 4 hours. While it cane be cooked on high, it will result in a drier chicken.
You can put frozen chicken breast in the crockpot. Place them in an even layer and cook on low for 6 hours.
It takes 4 hours to cook chicken taco meat in the crock pot.
More Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Shredded Chicken Tacos (Crock Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 medium chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup roasted green chiles chopped
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/8 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/4 cup taco sauce
- Flour tortillas or crunchy shells
- Your favorite taco toppings lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, etc.
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love these tacos!
I gotta try this. Chicken tacos are the best kind, thanks a lot