3-Ingredient Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
~ With just 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, these EASY and delicious Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos are an absolute lifesaver on busy nights! Enjoy them very simply, just rolled in tortillas … or create a festive taco bar featuring your family’s favorite toppings! (Originally published on January 8, 2014. Text and photos refreshed, but recipe remains the same.) ~
This Recipe: • Includes Make-Ahead Steps •
We all have that one recipe.
The one that doesn’t even require a peek at the recipe card. The one that’s your standby and always saves the day when you have no idea what’s for dinner. You know what I mean.
At our house, these Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos (aka Crock Pot Chicken Tacos OR Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos OR just “Oh Yum”!) really are “that one” recipe.
The one that never ever fails to be awesome.
The one that we are always excited to eat.
Wanna get really excited, too? Then check out our video tutorial on how ridiculously easy this recipe is! (While your tummy rumbles and begs you to make this ASAP, and you maybe drool just a little bit on your screen.)
Video Tutorial
It’s Just Always That Good!
True story: When my little ones dash into the house after school, if their first whiff of home is the incredible aromas of these chicken tacos … well, they do that silly fist-pump move where they make a fist and say “YEAH!!!” while pumping an arm up and down.
Uh-huh … that really happens … because it’s sooo goooood.
I was sure everyone on the earth had the recipe for my go-to. It was super popular on Pinterest 8 or 9 years ago, and I tell pretty much everybody I talk to about it. So, I just assumed everyone must make this constantly.
I guess not!
When I first mentioned this recipe to Shelley, she looked at me like I was loony. She’d never heard of it!
(When this happens, I joke that she lives under a rock. She knows so much about so many things, and has tried pretty much every food known to man, so if I come up with something new to her, I do my own little dance. Well, it’s more of me just clicking my heels. Alright fine. I usually just high-five. Myself.)
Ok anyhow …
If Shelley didn’t know anything about this, we realized there must surely be others out there whose lives have a similar gaping hole. But no more … today we’re gonna fix that!
So this recipe. This is the one that I make all. the. time.
The Very Best Part of All
Absolute best part?
It goes in the crock pot. Yes, friends. We’re talking a 5-minute prep, and then you just let your slow cooker work its magic.
You’ll just need another 5 minutes to finish the crock pot chicken tacos before you sit down to eat. Serious.
I went back and scoured my Pinterest boards, my pins, my notes – and I can’t figure out who to credit for this awesome recipe. In my research, I saw a reference that Weight Watchers had a recipe like this years ago, so we decided that must have been the genesis of the whole idea. But a Google search and a search of the Weight Watchers site didn’t yield a similar recipe we could link to for this. Ah, well … we’re gonna give them the credit, anyway!
Tested and Re-tested … And It Just Never Fails
In typical THK fashion, we both needed to test this recipe before we shared it with you all. You know we test … and test … and test again.
At first, Shelley was a little skeptical that something so incredibly simple could taste so good. But, she called me before her family was even done eating.
They were loving it. Loving it.
I’m so excited her family gave the thumbs-up (possibly with fist pumps, too) – because now I get to share this recipe with you!
Ok. Get your pens and paper, because you’ll want to take very good notes here.
Ready?
How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Tacos (Easiest Ever Instructions!)
1. Put the chicken in your slow cooker.
2. Cover with taco seasoning.
3. Cover with a jar of salsa.
4. Walk away … and come on back when it’s dinnertime.
5. Shred your chicken and serve. (And be prepared for the fist pumps.)
Did you get all that? Should I run through it again?
Yep. It’s that simple!
Pssst … You’ll Also Love: Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls AND Crock Pot Southwestern Corn Chowder!
How to Serve Your Tacos
The options here are pretty much endless … and entirely up to you!
• You can simply roll the chicken taco meat in a tortilla and call it a day. You don’t really need anything else.
• But, you can definitely get all fancy-schmancy, and add whatever additional toppings you like – maybe reduced fat cheese and sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes … there’s no wrong answer here. And, it’s wonderful that everyone at the table can make their own tacos, exactly how they like them. Happy kiddos, happy parents – happy everyone!
• This is a terrific option for family parties and taco bars, too. Set out a slow cooker full of delicious chicken taco meat, and let your guests have a blast creating their own masterpieces (while you relax, stress-free, and enjoy the party)!
• Or ditch the tortillas, and serve your shredded chicken piled on a taco salad. Maybe some whole grain tortilla chips tucked around the side. Fabulous!
• And speaking of tortilla chips, you could even use your chicken to top baked nachos for a great game day appetizer – kind of like we do with our Buffalo Chicken Nachos.
Plus, as if this just couldn’t get any better, the taco chicken meat reheats really well, too. So, it’s perfect for meal prepping and make-ahead meals for busy weeks.
No doubt, I totally think this’ll become your “go-to” recipe.
Shelley’s made it multiple times since that first (fist-pumpin’) night. And I just know it’ll soon be your fave, too!
Looking for More Crockpot Chicken Recipes That’ll Make Your Life EASY?
- Top 10 Easy, Healthy Crock-Pot Chicken Recipes
- Top 10 Healthy Crock-Pot Chicken Soups and Chilis
- Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder
Oh! And be sure to read up on the question that’s so commonly asked about slow cooking:
3-Ingredient Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
These Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos are so ridiculously easy – just 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep! Enjoy the shredded chicken very simply, just rolled in a tortilla ... or create an entire taco bar of festive toppings!
• Includes Make-Ahead Steps •
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet low-sodium taco seasoning (see note)
- 1 (16-ounce) jar of your favorite salsa
- Ideas for serving: tortillas or taco shells and your choice of optional toppings, such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, black beans, corn, chopped avocados or guacamole, reduced-fat sour cream, and hot sauce
Instructions
- Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
- Pour salsa on top.
- Cook on low (for 6-8 hours) or high (for 4 hours).
- Just before serving, use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Stir to evenly distribute salsa throughout chicken.
- Serve immediately with optional toppings as desired.
Notes
Taco seasoning: We recommend avoiding taco seasoning mixes that contain MSG. Also, there are differences in the amounts of sodium (and other ingredients) in various brands, so it's a good idea to read the nutrition information for the brands offered at your store.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cup shredded chickenAmount Per Serving: Calories: 137Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 58mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 22g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
How much taco seasoning do you use? A whole packet? Or do you make your own?
Hi, Lauren! 🙂 We use an entire 1.25-ounce packet (that’s a standard size for most packets you’ll find at the store). But of course you could make your own if you wanted! I checked on one of our packets, and 1.25 ounces will work out to be about 4 tablespoons of seasoning. Hope that helps! 🙂 ~Amy
About how many tacos does this make?
Hi, Beth! That for sure depends on what size tortilla or taco shell you’re using, how much meat you like in each taco, and whether you want to load up on those tasty additional toppings! But generally, you can expect this to make about 10 tacos — which easily feeds our family of four, with some left over. I hope that’s helpful! 😀
~Amy
I never comment but I just had to let you know how much I appreciate you for this – it’s perfect and my whole picky family LOVED it. You have literally changed my life because now I get to eat tacos every week. What’s greater than the gift of tacos?
Oh my goodness, Cerissa, you totally made my day! Thanks bunches for taking the time to leave a comment – it truly does mean a lot to me! I’m so thrilled that you’ve got a new go-to recipe that YOU love making, and that the rest of your family looks forward to, as well! And you’re so right – the gift of tacos really is a pretty terrific gift, for sure! 😉 I hope you’ll find some more of our recipes work well for your family, too – let me know if I can help make any suggestions. And if, by chance, some of those picky eaters around your table are kiddos, maybe our 5-part series on “Parenting Picky Eaters” might help you out, too (the first article in the series is here: https://twohealthykitchens.com/25-tips-for-picky-eaters-part-1-getting-started/. Have a terrific week – and thanks again! ~Shelley
My last comment never even got posted, forget the question in it replied to. I made it that way anyway, with extra taco seasoning and tomato sauce instead of salsa. OMG. That is some fantastic chicken. I turned mine into nachos with a creamy queso sauce. Tastes like something that should have cost double what I actually spent, both in terms of time standing in the kitchen and in terms of money.
I didn’t make it for a group, just for myself, let the chicken cook while I was at school (the life of a busy college student, lol) in 2 days I have eaten over half of it, and the leftovers are just as good. DEFINITELY something I will be making again.
Hi April! First off, I really apologize that your first comment didn’t get published – I’ve been combing back through and haven’t been able to find it yet – maybe I need to do a deep-dive into my spam folder??? Please accept my apologies. And thank you so much, nonetheless, for popping back to let me know how wonderfully this worked out for you! That really means a lot to me. And I really appreciate your (delicious!) idea for turning this into nachos – I think ideas like that are so helpful to inspire other readers (and me, too, for that matter!). Also loved your analysis that this was worth double what you spent in money – AND your valuable TIME! Seriously – that’s one of the most wonderful reviews you could have given for this recipe – thank you so much! Have a terrific rest-of-the-week, and I hope you get a nice break from your classes with the holidays coming up! ~Shelley
It is ok, the question was not super important, and the recipe is wonderful, I had the entire batch gone by myself in 5 days, and will most likely be making it again before years end. It even gave me the idea to cook chicken in the crockpot just covered with water when making other chicken dishes.
I got most of December off between fall term and winter term, will make a nice break.
I JUST got the crockpot last June, and only in the last couple of months have I really started using it a lot, the more I use it the more I like it.
Oh, I know just what you mean about the more you use your slow cooker, the more you LOVE it, April – I hear ya! If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can peek at all our slow cooker recipes HERE. I especially was thinking you might like the Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls. They kind of have these tacos that you love as their base, and then add in lots of other yummy goodies, too. And they’re super-adaptable, which I can tell is just the sort of recipe you really like! Have a wonderful break – so great that you get a nice, long time away to recharge! Enjoy – and happy holidays! ~Shelley
Such a simple recipe! I just finished shredding and my chicken breasts were falling apart with a spoon!! I doubled the recipe for my husbands potluck tomorrow and I found myself still needing a few sprinkles of a 3rd taco seasoning packet. Now I’m typing out my review while stealing a few pieces ? Hopefully it tastes just as good reheated in the crockpot tomorrow morning! Thank you!
Hi Ashely! Thanks bunches for taking a moment to leave such lovely feedback! I’m thrilled! And wow … lucky hubby to show up with this at the potluck! It’s always reheated really nicely for me, so I hope it worked out terrific warmed up the next day for you guys, too. Thanks again – I really appreciate your sweet note! ~Shelley