Shredded chicken tacos made in a slow cooker are a delicious and easy dinner recipe. Any leftover shredded chicken can be used to create even more delicious recipes!
The holiday season is a beautiful and magical time of year. I really love spending time with my friends and loved ones. I love all of the baking and decorating. I love the Christmas music and movie classics. I love watching my friends and family open their gifts. I love it all! Well, almost all of it. If you are like me, the time leading up to Christmas (or Hannukah) can be absolute chaos. No matter how much I accomplish, the “list” seems to keep getting longer and longer. It’s a seasonal anomaly.
I rely heavily on my slow cooker this time of year. My Crock-pot is totally my BFF, right now. This week, we are going to slow down with your slow cooker. I’ll share 3 tasty recipes that are a snap to put together so that you can eat real food without spending hours on preparation. As an added bonus, all of the recipes are easily doubled or tripled without much more effort. That could come in handy should a gang of hungry carolers happen to show up on your doorstep.
First recipe up: shredded chicken tacos!
You’ll need a slow cooker, and:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. packaged taco seasoning
1 1/2 -2 C. of your favorite salsa
Tortillas or taco shells
Your favorite taco condiments
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Put the chicken breasts inside. These were monster-huge, so I only needed 3 of them to make 2 1/2 pounds. Huge. You might need one or two more, depending on size. Sprinkle on the taco seasoning. Start with 2 teaspoons. You can always add more at the end if you want a bit more spice.
Now grab your favorite salsa. I went for a “fresh” store bought variety. You can make homemade salsa if you have the inclination, but good tomatoes are in short supply in the winter up here in the north country.
Pour the salsa over top, and pop the lid on top of the crock. Cook on the low setting for 4-6 hours until done. That’s it! Walk away and forgettahboutit!
Come back after 6 hours. Everything should look nice, juicy, and golden.
Pierce the center of a chicken breast with two forks. Pull the forks outward in opposite directions to shred the chicken. Continue with each piece of chicken until it is all shredded.
Give it a quick stir to incorporate the salsa and all those lovely juices. Take a quick bite to test the seasonings. Add more taco seasoning, if necessary.
We like to wrap the shredded chicken in warm tortillas and eat it taco style, with our favorite condiments. I am partial to homemade guacamole, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cheese on my shredded chicken tacos.
Check out this post to learn what you can make with the leftovers after you’re tired of eating shredded chicken tacos.
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 6
Chicken breast, salsa, and seasonings are cooked in a slow cooker, then topped with your favorite taco toppings to make an easy and delicious dinner.
5 minPrep Time
6 hrCook Time
6 hr, 5 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbs. packaged taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 -2 C. of your favorite salsa
- Your favorite taco condiments
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the crock with cooking spray.
- Place chicken into the crock, and sprinkle with taco seasoning
- Pour salsa over top of the chicken.
- Cover crock, and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
- Shred chicken by piercing a breast with two forks near each other, then pulling forks outward away from each other. Repeat with each chicken breast until all chicken is shredded.
- Stir shredded chicken into salsa and juices, to combine.
- Serve chicken in warm tortillas or taco shells with your favorite taco condiments.
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