These Pulled chicken tacos, inspired by traditional chicken tinga tacos, will bring the authentic taste of Mexican food straight to your dinner table! Made in your slow cooker, this recipe for Mexican shredded chicken has all the flavour of Chicken Taco Seasoning without effort.
Served in a warm tortilla, these tacos make for an appetizing, easy-to-prepare meal that promises to bring the whole family to the table.
If you're looking for something different, you can try making these tacos with my slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken for the perfect Tex-Mex dinner. And make these incredible toppings: pico de gallo, roasted corn, and mango salsa.
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⭐️ Why You'll Love My Chicken Tacos
- Effortless Preparation: With the slow cooker doing most of the work, this recipe is simple and straightforward, perfect for both novice cooks and accomplished home chefs.
- Versatility: This recipe offers endless possibilities for customization. Whether you prefer spicy chicken tacos, tangy pineapple chicken tacos, or a vegetarian twist, there's a version of these tacos for everyone.
- Flavourful: These tacos pack a punch with a rich combination of spices and a flavourful, tender chicken filling, offering an authentic taste of Mexican cuisine at home.
- Healthy and Hearty: Not only are these tacos delicious, but they also make for a balanced meal. Using chicken instead of beef keeps them lean. You can fill them with plenty of fresh toppings and serve them alongside a salad for a nutritious, filling dinner.
🧾 Ingredients for chicken tacos
- Chicken
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- For the chicken taco sauce
- salsa *use spicy or mild depending on your preference.
- chicken broth
- Aromatics and spices
- onion
- fresh garlic cloves
- chilli powder *use more for spicy chicken tacos or less for mild tacos.
- ground cumin *gives a rich smoky flavour.
- oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the tacos
- Soft flour tortillas *or use corn tortillas
- Toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream, and coriander.
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Spicy chicken tacos: Add some hot sauce or diced jalapeños to your chicken taco seasoning.
- Pineapple Chicken Tacos: Add some drained diced pineapple to your salsa.
Substitutions
- You can make chicken mince tacos by swapping the chicken breasts with ground chicken.
- To make Baked Chicken Tacos, simply stuff the tortillas with the slow cooker mix, top with cheese, and bake until golden and crispy.
👩🏻🍳 The best pulled chicken tacos in 4 simple steps
Preparing the chicken
- Place your chicken into your slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, mix the salsa, chicken broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, and the spices for your chicken taco seasoning. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
💡 Top tip
For the most tender and flavourful chicken, don’t rush the cooking process. Low and slow is the key.
Slow-cooking the chicken
- Set your slow cooker on low and cook for 6-7 hours, or until the Mexican pulled chicken is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
- Once it's cooked, shred the chicken using two forks. Mix the pulled chicken tinga with the juices in the slow cooker.
Serving shredded chicken tacos
- Warm up your corn tortillas, then fill each one with the Shredded Chicken Tacos Slow Cooker mixture and your chosen toppings.
💡 Top tip
When warming up your tortillas, sprinkle a little water on them before heating to prevent them from drying out and cracking.
🍯 Storage
Fridge:
- Cooling: Allow the pulled chicken mixture to cool completely before storing.
- Storing: Transfer the pulled chicken into an airtight container or zip-top bag.
- Duration: The pulled chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezer:
- Cooling: Like with refrigerating, ensure the pulled chicken mixture is completely cooled before storing.
- Freezing: Place the cooled pulled chicken into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. *I like freezer-safe bags because they can lay flat and take up less space.
- Duration: Frozen pulled chicken can last for up to 3 months. *For the best quality, use the frozen chicken within the first month.
Reheating:
- Thawing: If frozen, let the pulled chicken thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating on the stove: Transfer the chicken to a skillet or saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot all the way through.
- Microwaving: If you prefer, you can also reheat the chicken in the microwave. Place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and heat on medium power, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Adding Liquid: If needed, add a splash of chicken broth or water to the chicken while reheating to keep it moist.
❓FAQ
Yes, you can. Once you've cooked and shredded the chicken, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! This recipe is quite versatile. You can replace the chicken with pork or beef, adjusting the cooking time as necessary. *Because those meats also have a stronger and richer flavour you will want to adjust the spices and seasoning.
Substitute the chicken with a plant-based protein like tofu or tempeh, or even jackfruit (which is often available at Aldi), which has a similar texture when shredded. Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, and you've got a vegetarian-friendly version of these incredible tacos.
Related
More ways to serve BBQ pulled chicken:
Pairing
Salads to serve with pulled chicken tacos:
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The Best Pulled Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram (2 ⅕ lb) 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 250 ml (1 cups) 1 cup salsa
- 250 ml (1 cups) 1 cup chicken broth, *use a stock cube dissolved in 250ml boiling water.
- 1 (1) onion, chopped
- 4 cloves (3 cloves) garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) chili powder *see notes
- 2 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour tortillas, for serving
- Assorted toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream, and coriander.
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Mix the sauce: In a separate bowl, combine the salsa, chicken broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
Slow cook the chicken:
- Set the slow cooker on low and cook for about 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining juices.
Prepare the tacos:
- Warm up the corn tortillas, then fill each one with the pulled chicken. Add your preferred toppings, serve, and enjoy these delightful pulled chicken tacos!
Notes
- Cooking time: Depending on your slow cooker, cooking times may vary slightly. Be sure to check the chicken periodically to prevent overcooking, which can lead to dryness.
- Adjusting spice levels: The spice level in this recipe is moderate. If you prefer milder or spicier food, feel free to adjust the quantities of chili powder and cumin according to your taste.
- Chicken alternatives: You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts for a juicier, richer flavor.
- Toppings: Feel free to get creative with your taco toppings. Sliced radishes, pickled onions, fresh jalapeños, and a squeeze of lime can add even more flavor and texture.
- Storage: The leftover pulled chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: If you're reheating the chicken from refrigerated or frozen, add a little broth or water to keep it moist.
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