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Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Crockpot shredded chicken tacos with slow-cooked, tender chicken and a flavorful salsa-lime sauce. Shred the chicken, warm tortillas, and pile on fresh toppings for easy weeknight tacos.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 can (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup salsa
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
Tortillas and toppings
  • 1 Warm flour or corn tortillas Use as needed for serving.
  • 1 shredded lettuce
  • 1 diced tomatoes
  • 1 shredded cheese
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place chicken breasts in a crockpot, spreading them into an even layer. Cover the crockpot and keep it closed to maintain steady heat.
  2. In a small bowl, combine taco seasoning, chicken broth, salsa, and lime juice until evenly mixed. Pour the mixture over the chicken so the breasts are coated.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours. Cook until the chicken is fully tender and easily shreds when pressed.
Shred and combine
  1. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Shred while it’s still hot for the juiciest texture.
  2. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir to combine with the cooking liquid. Let it rest 5 minutes so the juices reabsorb into the meat.
Warm and assemble tacos
  1. Warm tortillas until pliable and heated through, about 30–60 seconds per side. Keep them warm so they don’t tear when filled.
  2. Fill each warm tortilla with shredded chicken. Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro as desired and serve immediately.

Notes

For extra juicy chicken, avoid over-shredding into paste; keep strands medium-thin so the sauce clings well. Store leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet or microwave with a splash of cooking liquid. Freezing is yes—freeze chicken (with some liquid) up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat shredded cheese if desired.