These slow cooker chicken tacos are an easy, hands-off recipe that is perfect for a weeknight taco night. Serve them with your favorite toppings for a delicious meal the whole family loves.

White platter filled with slow cooker chicken tacos topped with sliced avocado, salsa, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped cilantro with lime wedges on the side on a white background.

If you’re looking for an easy win for Taco Tuesday, this crockpot chicken taco recipe is for you! With less than 10 minutes of prep time, you can turn humble chicken breasts into flavorful and tender shredded chicken. It’s the ultimate “set it and forget it” meal.

Plus, leftover chicken taco meat keeps incredibly well in the fridge and freezer, so you can use it in burritos, quesadillas, salads, and bowls for easy meals for days to come. Not only is it a healthy dinner idea, but a great meal prep idea.

Overhead image of a plate of three crockpot shredded chicken tacos with feta, cilantro, salsa, and lime wedges on the side with a striped blue and white tea towel on a white background.

Why You’ll Love Them

Easy to Make – This recipe can be prepped in just a few minutes, making it a no-fuss dinner idea for busy weeknights.
High in Protein – These slow cooker chicken tacos contain over 29 grams of protein per serving.
Versatile – The slow-cooker shredded chicken mixture works equally well in taco salads, quesadillas, or burritos.

Plate of raw chicken breasts, lime, small bowl of spices, small bowl of tomato paste, jug of chicken broth, and a plate of corn tortillas on a white background.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Chicken Breasts – To make the tacos and add some protein. The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Spices – A mixture of chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to season the chicken. If preferred, you can use a store-bought taco seasoning. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Broth – To cook the chicken. The recipe calls for chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth or water if needed.
Tomato Paste – To thicken the shredded chicken mixture and add some flavor. The recipe calls for tomato paste, but tomato sauce will also work. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Lime Juice – To add a hint of flavor to the chicken, although optional.
Tortillas – To make the tacos. I used corn tortillas, but flour tortillas or hard taco shells will also work.
Toppings – I opted to add avocado, tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta, and cilantro to my chicken tacos, but you can add any toppings you like. See the serving suggestions section below for more topping ideas.

Grid of 4 images of a slow cooker with raw chicken breasts; a slow cooker with raw chicken breasts covered in spices; a slow cooker of raw chicken breasts covered in spices, tomato paste, and chicken broth; and a slow cooker with cooked chicken breasts cooked in taco seasoning.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make them Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free chicken broth and serve the tacos in corn tortillas.

To Make them Dairy-Free: Do not add any cheese, sour cream, or other dairy toppings to the tacos.

A close of of slow cooked shredded chicken taco meat.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

For a low-carb, high-protein meal idea, serve the shredded chicken over lettuce with taco toppings of your choice to create a taco salad. You can also top the salad with some black beans or pinto beans to increase the fiber content and make it a little more filling.

Serving Suggestions

These crockpot shredded chicken tacos are a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. They can be enjoyed on their own with toppings of your choice or adapted to suit your calorie or macro needs. For example:

To make them low-carb, use low-carb tortillas or serve the shredded chicken over lettuce and veggies with toppings of choice as a taco salad.
To make them higher in fiber, use corn tortillas and/or add some black beans.
To make them higher in fat, serve the tacos with sliced avocado, sour cream, and/or shredded cheese on top.
To make them extra spicy, add a teaspoon or two of cayenne pepper to the seasoning mixture.
To add extra flavor, here are some suggested toppings:
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Avocado
- Sour Cream
- Hot Sauce
- Shredded cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Cilantro
- Queso fresco

Plate of crock pot chicken tacos on parchment paper with a tea towel on the side.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Once cooled, transfer the chicken to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled chicken to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Once thawed, add the shredded taco chicken to a bowl or plate and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warm.

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