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.
Frozen chicken or thawed?
Hi, Ben! As we discuss in more detail in our article Is It Safe to Use Frozen Meat in Your Crock-Pot?, we definitely don’t recommend using frozen chicken. Enjoy! ~Shelley
Is it better to cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4
Hi, Sarah! Either works – but I give both options so people can easily pivot based on when they want/are able to start their slow cookers. Enjoy! ~Shelley
I prepared this recipe today and didn’t realize I used a 24-ounce jar of salsa until now! It has already been cooking, what should I do?
Hi, Tricia! First off – don’t panic! I’ve never made this taco recipe with 24 ounces of salsa (instead of 16), but I’m pretty sure that the only real difference you’ll notice is that you tacos will be more … well … salsa-y. You can simply scoop out some of the salsa and discard it if you’d like (before mixing it with the shredded chicken) – although, you may actually find that you are completely fine with the extra salsa being mixed in. One possible problem with discarding some of the salsa, though, is that you’ll likely be discarding a bit of the taco seasoning along with it. I doubt you’ll notice a problem, but you could always add a pinch more taco seasoning and mix it into the shredded taco chicken before serving, if you feel that’s needed. But again – I think you’ll probably be just fine without having to tweak much at all. Let me know how it goes! ~Shelley
Oh my goodness! This was so absolutely delicious. One of the easiest things I’ve ever made in my crockpot. We had friends over for a taco bar and people raved. My house smelled so good while it was cooking. The chicken was so easy to shred and I see why everyone likes this recipe so much. Thankful to have found it and we will be using this recipe again and again.
Oh, Katy – I’m so very happy you and your guests enjoyed it! It really is just the easiest recipe, isn’t it?!? And yes … oh my goodness … the delicious taco-y smells coming from the crock-pot (sooooo hard to wait til dinnertime haha)! I totally agree that it’s awesome as a taco bar – we love to do that on big family beach vacations – super easy to make (yay – more time at the beach!), and everybody’s happy as can be! 😀 Thanks for the lovely feedback – you made my evening! ~Shelley
Easy to put together in the morning. The kids liked it, so that was a success. This made a LOT of food for a family of four, which is okay — I am freezing the leftovers and will use to make a Southwest Chicken Soup later this winter. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m thrilled you loved these Chicken Tacos, and I love the idea of freezing the leftovers to make soup. Yum! And, since your family enjoyed the tacos so much, you might also like to try our Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls. Similar base idea, with additional yummy add-ins and lots of different toppings options, to basically make your own Chipotle-style burrito bowl bar … super easily! Anyway – thanks for the lovely feedback – I truly appreciate that you took the time! Have a terrific day! ~Shelley
How would make the chicken southwest soup?
I’m not sure how NELady planned to make hers, but we do create a Chicken Tortilla Soup that essentially starts with this chicken taco recipe at its base. In our soup recipe, we start from the beginning, instead of simply utilizing leftover chicken taco meat, but I think you could easily adapt it in a smaller amount to use up leftovers. Take a peek at the recipe HERE and see if it helps you out – you’re basically adding chicken broth and water to make it soupy, plus black beans, corn, Ro-Tel, tomato paste and a little extra seasoning (salt and cumin) … plus we add quinoa instead of rice, but that’s optional. I’ll be interested what NELady says, but that’s what I would suggest, based on our recipe. Hope that helps! ~Shelley