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.
You’re kids are funny. My kids are similar when they come in the door and something yummy is cooking in the slow cooker. This is similar to something I make, only I use green chilies instead of taco seasoning. So easy and good too! I will try it your way next time.
You’re blog is beautiful. I’m so happy you found me and now I can look through your blog at all of the possibilities!
Hi Kathleen! Thanks so much for stopping by … and for your sweet words!!
Well, now I want to try your version! 🙂
I love preparing really healthy foods for my family, and it’s even better when they are so super excited about it! And the fact that it comes together in five minutes … well that’s just icing on top! ~Gretchen
Ok. That’s it. I broke down and bought a crock pot in England. Not impossible to come by, but not as used as they are in the U.S. I plan to take your recipe and start a trend! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hi, Melinda! I seriously had no idea that slow cookers were such a hard item to find in England! So many of the busy moms I know pretty much live and die by timesaving crock-pot recipes – we’ve gotta spread the word to all those busy British mums! And, hey – if you’re looking for more crock-pot recipes to break in your new purchase – check out our Crock-Pot Crazy Pineapple Chili! More THK crock-pot recipes to come … 😀 ~Shelley
Okay is this frozen or thawed chicken breasts?
Hi, Whitley! Thanks for the question! You definitely don’t want to use frozen chicken – in this recipe or any other slow cooker recipe. If you’re like us, then you’ve probably seen plenty of recipes online that say it’s ok to start a crock-pot recipe with frozen meat, or even had friends tell you what a great shortcut it is. And it does work – you may have some slight variation in texture, but your meat will cook. That’s not the issue. The problem is that it isn’t safe, particularly for people with certain health risks or increased susceptibility to food-bourne illness. Sure – you may have heard of people doing this with no problem at all … but there’s no guarantee that you’ll be that lucky. It’s a gamble we’re not willing to take with our families, and we wouldn’t advise you to take that risk, either. Slow cookers don’t bring frozen meat up to a safe temperature (above 140°F) evenly or quickly enough. Your meat will spend too much time in the unsafe temperature range (between 40°-140°F), opening up the possibility that you and your family could get sick from eating it. So, please – properly thaw your chicken for this recipe, and begin with raw, thawed chicken breasts. Thanks again for the great question and for taking the time to ask! We’re so glad you stopped by! ~G&S
UPDATE: Whitley – thanks again for your great question! When we received your comment, we knew there must be lots of other people wondering the same thing, which prompted us to write the post Is It Safe to Use Frozen Meat in Your Crock-Pot? Check it out! And thanks again for taking the time to reach out! ~G&S
Wow, this dish is so simple, and I am sure it is so full of flavor!
SOOO much flavor!! And it’s just the simplest dish to throw together … we can’t help but move this right to the very top of our favorite meals to make! ~G&S
I seriously put this together in the crock pot in less time than it took for my windshield to defrost this morning…(Start car, start crockpot, get in car, go!!!) It was really delicious! Our kids loved it! I wasn’t sure that they were going to leave any for their Daddy who was going to be eating later! Thanks for a great, easy, healthy recipe! I love crockpot recipes, so I will make this one very frequently!
LOL!! That’s a fantastic (and pretty hilarious!) testimony to how fabulously fast this meal is to throw together! Hopefully there was some left when your husband got home! But it really is just soooo good – we really can’t blame the kiddos for wanting more! 🙂 Thanks so much for a really sweet comment! ~G&S