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This slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken uses only three ingredients is super easy to throw together, and is perfect in all your Mexican dishes, from tacos to burritos to salads. Inspired by our favorite Mexican restaurant, this chicken is made easily in the Crockpot or Instant Pot, naturally Whole30 and paleo.
I’ve been making this 3 ingredients slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken for almost a decade now, and there’s a reason why.
No, there’s like many reasons why.
Why This Recipe Is So Good
- It’s inspired by our the shredded chicken from our favorite Mexican restaurant. Talk about restaurant-quality!
- It’s crazy easy to make. Stir together with a few ingredients, let it cook in the Crockpot or slow cooker, then shred the chicken, and you’re done!
- I have a great hack for making the chicken super easy to shred.
- The chicken is tender and moist and full of flavor.
- This slow cooker Mexican chicken is really versatile and is delicious in tacos, burritos, chimichangas, on salads, or on burrito bowls.
- This recipe is quite economical, too!
- Hello – three ingredients!
I shared an Instant Pot version of this slow cooker Mexican chicken in my cookbook, The Paleo Instant Pot, and I really think you should grab a copy! It’s all about smarter not harder: delicious and healthy food made easily and quickly in the Instant Pot. No brainer, eh?
How to Make It
Oh, oh, oh, it’s so easy. Are you ready?
Combine the chicken breasts, salsa, and taco seasoning in the slow cooker. Add a few good pinches of salt if your taco seasoning does not include it. Cook covered on High for 3 hours or Low for 5 hours.
Shred your chicken. I like to do this by simply using my hand mixer and beating (Really!) the chicken on low speed until shredded. Or you can use two forks to shred the chicken by hand.
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it around in all the juices. Cook uncovered on High for 30 minutes or Low for 60 minutes. Serve!
Variations & Tips
- Make your own taco seasoning. It’s really easy, and you can control the additives and sodium content. Ideal if you’re on a Whole30 and cannot eat many of the anti-caking agents or sugars found in commercial taco seasoning blends.
- Shred the chicken oh so easily but using your hand mixer. Make sure you beat the chicken on low speed, otherwise you’ll end up with salsa splattered on your walls!
- Use a slow cooker liner for super easy cleanup.
What To Make With It
- In tacos with cheese (Queso fresco is great, and we like shredded cheese, too, for a gringo taco), avocado salsa, or chipotle aioli.
- As a burrito bowl. Simply replace the carnitas with chicken in this recipe.
- In a burrito with rice, beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
- In chilaquiles.
- Over nachos. Try this vegan queso if you’re dairy-free.
Instant Pot Directions
Prefer to use the Instant Pot or an electric pressure cooker? No stress. Follow these directions:
- Combine chicken breasts, taco seasoning, and salsa in Instant Pot. Do not add water. Secure lid with valve in Sealing position and cook on Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes. Quick Release.
- Remove chicken breasts from the pot. Shred with two forks then return to pot. Stir on Sauté mode a few minutes until sauce is absorbed.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- The Best Shredded Chicken
- Top 30 Shredded Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Tacos in Lettuce Wraps (Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb, Keto)
- Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Best Sheet Pan Fajitas with Steak
- Steak Taco Bowls (Street Taco Style)
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup
- Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts a little less than 2 pounds
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- salt if desired
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and stir. Do not add water. Add a few pinches of salt if your taco seasoning does not contain it.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken, either with two forks or with a hand mixer. See Note for more detail.
- Return chicken to slow cooker, if you shredded it on a cutting board or plate. Stir and cook uncovered for 30 minutes on High or 60 minutes on Low.
- Serve in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, salads, or burrito bowls.
Storage Notes
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
- To easily shred chicken, beat with a hand mixer on low speed. Alternately, transfer cooked chicken breasts to a stand mixer and beat on low or medium speed with the paddle attachment.
- If you’re on a Whole30, make sure both your salsa and your taco seasoning are compliant.
- To make this recipe in the Instant Pot, combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot and stir. Do not add water. Seal and cook High Pressure for 20 minutes. Quick Release, shred the chicken breasts, then return chicken to Instant Pot. Cook on Sauté mode for a few minutes until liquid is absorbed.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Can you freeze leftovers?
Sure! Let them cool completely, then transfer the chicken to a sealable food-safe freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container. I try to include as much of the remaining liquid as possible to keep the chicken juicy. Defrost overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to reheat and eat!
I don’t have enough salsa to use so I thought about subbing in some Rotel and adding the liquid from the can with the seasoning. Have you tried doing the same?
I haven’t, no, but that should work fine! If that doesn’t give you enough liquid you can supplement with a little chicken broth or water, too.
this has been a favorite in my house for a few years now! So easy to make and it tastes so good!! This will be in our family for a long time.
It’s such a great one to keep in rotation! Thank you for sharing, Natalie! 🙂💛
I don’t understand what went wrong. My entire crockpot went dry and I even added 2 cups of water because I didn’t think the salsa was enough liquid. In her pictures it definitely looks like more than 1 cup of salsa.
I’m so sorry, Bailey! We only use 1 cup of salsa when we make this chicken, though chicken adds a little juice as it cooks as well. What size Crockpot did you use? If yours was much larger than the 6-quart we used, it would definitely look like less liquid, and likely wouldn’t be enough liquid to cover the chicken like it needs to.
I need to make for party, about 8 servings. How many pounds of chicken and how long do I need to cook the chicken in instapot or crockpot?
Hi, Shelia! Since this recipe yields approximately 4 servings, you could just double the recipe. That would be 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- a little less than 4 pounds. The cook time should remain the same- just check periodically flip/stir the chicken to make sure it is cooking evenly!
Had all the ingredients handy so
made this recipe Very tasty super easy to make I use frozen chicken like Tysons I defrost overnite and saturate in milk the next day to tenderize It does work I added shredded cheese then rolled up
In a tortilla Very good will make it again
That sounds yummy! Thanks for your review, so glad you enjoyed!
This recipe was so good! I have a little crockpot and did about 1.5lb of chicken breast, which meant I did a little less salsa and seasoning. It turned out perfect! I also ended up scooping some liquid out but ended up regretting it because once I shredded the chicken, it could’ve used that liquid.
5/5, would make this recipe again!!
So glad you enjoyed, Katrina! Thanks so much for the review!
One of my favorite go-to recipes,quick and easy!
So happy to hear that, Natalee! Thanks so much for the review!
This was delicious. My favorite takeaway is to use a hand mixer to shred. Took a fraction of the time and provided consistent texture. Thank you!
That’s so great! Thanks so much for the review! So glad you enjoyed!
Made this and used for chicken tacos in the 30 calorie wellness tortillas. Was perfect for keeping it low cal. It was moist and had a great flavor. I drained most of the juice off before shredding chicken because it didn’t say to or not. I definitely will make this sooo easy and tasty dish again and try in enchiladas too.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Charlotte! With the liquid, we don’t drain it – most of it cooks down in the 30-60 minutes with the lid off, after shredding the chicken. That just keeps the chicken from overcooking or drying out after shredding. Sorry for any confusion!
Made this for my family vacation and it was a big hit! I am making it again for dinner tonight!
So happy to hear that! It really is delicious! ♥