A great weekend potluck or weeknight quick dinner, our slow cooker chicken tacos are always a hit. If you have a slow cooker, this recipe is going to be one of your favorite go-to easy meals. This recipe is shared from our sister site BestRecipeBox.com. If you’re needing an easy every recipe, check that website for non air fryer foods!

slow cooker chicken tacos on a plate

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken tacos 

We’re so obsessed with these chicken tacos because the flavor is fantastic and it’s so easy to make. Just add all the ingredients to a slow cooker or crock pot and wall away for a few hours. You’ll come back to an amazing pot of juicy and tender chicken with aromas filling the house. The combination of seasonings in our recipe is amazing and super flavorful. That’s why they make such great tacos. These won’t be bland nor boring tacos. We wanted to make sure the chicken was super delicious that everyone will love.

Video: Recipe for Chicken Tacos from the Slow Cooker

Chicken Quesadillas, Enchiladas, Salads and More Recipe Ideas

The versatility of our Mexican chicken recipe in the slow cooker is endless, beyond the chicken taco. If you have leftovers, you can use the chicken in a cheesy quesadilla, tostadas or enchiladas. If you to eat low carb, you can make a healthy chicken taco salad. The possibilities are endless for you to enjoy this Mexican chicken with your family. That’s why we warned you ahead is time: you just might be eating this a lot! 

slow cooker chicken tacos on a plate

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Feel free to adjust the spices as you prefer. Make it more or less spicy. Add oregano or change the cumin amount, etc.. You can also just replace the spices for 1 bag of taco seasoning if you prefer.
Chicken thigh or leg meat will be juicer than breast meat, but if you prefer, the breast meat still comes out quite nice. We'll usually prefer boneless, skinless but feel free to use whatever you have available.
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Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 2 pounds (907 g) chicken , preferrably boneless and skinless (*see head note)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce or salsa
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt , or more to taste
  • Fresh cracked black pepper , to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) chipotle powder , or to taste (optional, for spicy flavor)

For the Tacos

  • 12 soft or hard taco shells *see note below
  • lettuce, shredded cabbage, tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, or other favorite toppings 

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Instructions 

  • Place boneless skinless chicken into the slow cooker pot. We like to use chicken thighs for more flavor, but chicken breast is fine too.
    raw chicken in the slow cooker pot
  • Add all the marinade ingredients into the slow cooker (1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce or salsa, 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) chili powder, 1 teaspoon (5ml) cumin, 1 teaspoon (5ml) onion powder, 1 teaspoon (5ml) garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) salt, & black pepper to taste, plus optional 1/2 teaspoon (5ml) chipotle powder). Stir to completely coat the chicken with the spices & sauce.
    marinade mixed in with the chicken
  • Slow cook 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
    Cooking chicken in slow cooker
  • Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken from the slow cooker, cut into 1-2 inch pieces or shredded.
    cutting the cooked taco chicken
  • Place chicken back into the slow cooker so it can soak up in the sauces. Taste the chicken and add more salt if needed.
    chicken soaking in the marinade sauce
  • Build your tacos and serve or have everything in bowls for everyone to make their own tacos. See note below about taco shell options.
    finished chicken tacos

Notes

For soft tortillas, we love to char them a little over a burner, or at least to warm them in the microwave. After warming, cover them in a kitchen towel, paper towels, or foil to help keep them softened and not dry out. 
For hard shells, warming them in the oven or air fryer a bit before serving makes them extra tasty. 

If your air fryer is preheated or if you are cooking multiple batches, you may need to reduce timing by a few minutes (unless preheating is called for in the recipe).

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 615mg, Potassium: 404mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 736IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Calories: 293

What part of this recipe can be air fried?

Using the air fryer for the tortilla or taco shells is great. You can easily and quickly warm and crisp the taco shells to a nice crispy texture without alot of fuss. And best of all, it’s clean so no messy things to have to clean or wipe down the air fryer basket.

Toppings for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

  • shredded lettuce or cabbage slaw
  • salsas, pico de gallo
  • slices of avocado or guacamole
  • sour cream or your favorite cheeses
  • hot sauces, slices of chiles or jalapenos
plate of finished slow cooker chicken tacos

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