Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

Take your midweek meals to the next level with this easy Mexican shredded chicken, made in your slow cooker with only 3 ingredients! Fall-apart tender and loaded with flavour, use this for your favourite Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, salads, nachos, soups, burgers and more!

For a SUPER easy hands-off dinner idea with endless serving options, look no further than this vibrant and colourful Mexican pulled chicken!

Succulent chicken breast is cooked low and slow in flavourful Mexican spices and salsa, to make it mouth-wateringly tender and incredibly tasty. And it takes mere minutes to prepare! Just toss everything together in a slow cooker pot, set and forgett - it’s that simple!

Slow cooked dinners like this Tuscan chicken  or slow cooker roast beef are perfect for days when you are short on time and need something easy and delicious. They are also perfect to pull out when the weather is cold and you need something comforting and cosy.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

Mexican shredded chicken is the perfect thing to make in bulk to enjoy throughout the week in your favourite Mexican-inspired dinners. It can be eaten on its own, or added to wraps, soups, beans and rice or anything you desire!

• It is so easy to make – only 3 simple ingredients are needed! Just stir to coat the chicken breasts with the salsa and taco seasoning in the slow cooker pot. Let them cook slowly, then shred the chicken, and stir it through the delicious, flavour-packed sauce. That's it!
• So tender and full of flavour – slow cooking the chicken makes it moist, succulent and unbelievably tender! It will literally fall of the fork. And, the sauce is so out-of-this-world good too!
• So versatile – you can use this Mexican shredded chicken as a base for so many dishes, limited only to your imagination.
• Freezer-friendly – keep some batches aside to reheat in a snap on busy weeknights.

What You Need

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this pulled chicken! Seriously! All you need is 3 simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes hands-on time.

Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.

• Chicken breast – slow cooking the chicken makes it so tender that it will fall apart on your fork, making it perfect for shredding. Regular, skinless chicken breasts are recommended, but this recipe will also work with chicken thighs, if that's what you have on hand.
• Taco seasoning – in Australia, I recommend a sachet of Mission or Old El Paso taco seasoning, but any store-bought taco seasoning will work. I recommend using regular taco seasoning rather than salt reduced (unless salt reduced is necessary for dietary requirements), for best results. If you are using salt reduced, check the seasoning at the end of cooking and adjust if necessary.
• Tomato salsa - use medium or mild salsa to keep the heat low, or add hot salsa for a little extra kick. Any brand of tomato salsa from the supermarket will work. You can also add taco sauce instead, if preferred.

Equipment Required

For this recipe, you don't need a bench-full of equipment.

• Slow-cooker - all that is needed is a slow cooker/crockpot or pressure cooker with a slow cooker function. I use a Russell Hobbs 6L searing slow cooker. This recipe is suitable for all slow cookers, but check your model for variations in cooking times.
• Forks or hand-held beaters (on low speed) - to shred the chicken.

Step by Step Instructions

The chicken breast cooks until it is fall-off-your-fork tender, before being shredded and added back into the thick and rich sauce to soak in all of the delicious Mexican flavours.

Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.

Step 1 - Add The Ingredients To The Slow Cooker

Stir the chicken breasts, salsa and taco seasoning together in your slow cooker pot. Stir until flavourings are combined and chicken breasts coated.

Note: You do not need to add any additional liquids to the pot.

Step 2 - Slow Cook

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5 hours.

Step 3 - Shred The Chicken

You can use either two forks to shred the chicken, or use a set of handheld beaters on low speed, until the chicken falls apart. This can be done in the slow cooker (see Notes).

Stir the shredded chicken meat through the deliciously rich Mexican sauce until everything is thoroughly coated, and then cook for a further 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious chicken is loaded with rich and vibrant flavours, all soaked in an addictive and flavourful sauce. It tastes AMAZING on its own, but it can also be used to level up so many dishes!

• Serve it in tacos, burritos or salad wraps.
• Use it to top your favourite salads.
• Add it to your favourite soups.
• As a burrito bowl with beans and rice.
• Use it to top cheesy nachos with salsa and guacamole.
• Add it to baked potatoes with some shredded cheese and sour cream.
• Use it to make pulled chicken burgers and top with your favourite salads.

Expert Tips

• Add a little salt - if you have used salt reduced taco seasoning and are not following a low-sodium diet, test the flavour towards the end and season to taste.
• The type of salsa you choose will determine the heat level of the sauce. Use a mild or medium salsa for a mild dish or add hot salsa if you like it hot. You can also add some chilli powder, if desired. Use mild salsa if serving this chicken dish to kids.
• Do not add any extra liquid - as the salsa provides enough liquid to cook the chicken without the addition of any other liquids. Adding more liquid will make the sauce a little watery.
• Shred the chicken with two forks, or alternatively shred it using hand-held beaters on low speed, directly in the slow cooker pot. Hold the beaters over the chicken and gently press over the top. Make sure they are on low speed, or the sauce will splatter.
• Variation - add 1-2 tablespoons of chipotle sauce to the mixture before cooking, for even more flavour!

FAQs

Related Recipes

Need some more easy and comforting slow cooker meals that the whole family will love? Give these recipes a try!

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