Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
There’s no salsa or canned tomatoes required to make the juiciest, most flavorful Crock Pot Mexican Chicken! All you need is chicken breasts, lime juice, a blend of spices and some fresh aromatics — that’s it! The hands on prep takes 10 minutes (if that!) and after a few hours in the Crockpot you’ll have succulent Mexican shredded chicken that can be added to tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more.
★★★★★
Darrin says –
“After trying a few different crock pot chicken recipes, this one is the one I’ll go back to again and again. The flavors in this are perfect! Chicken came out very tender and juicy!”
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This Is My Go-To Recipe When I Need Pulled Chicken for Tacos or Burritos
Shredded Mexican chicken is so easy to cook in a Crock Pot, and it’s a great basic recipe to have on hand in your freezer for using in burritos, quesadillas, soft tacos, soups, and more.
Since the chicken is assemble and cooked directly in the Crock Pot, there’s minimal cleanup afterwards and the hands-on prep couldn’t be simpler! Just 10 minutes of measuring out a few spices, juicing a lime or two, and chopping some cilantro. Easy!
Here’s why you’ll love this Mexican shredded chicken, too:
✔ Hands Off Recipe: The chicken and seasonings take 10 minutes to prep, then it’s as easy as turning on your Crock Pot and walking away!
✔ No Salsa: So many Mexican chicken recipes call for store-bought salsa, but I don’t always have that on hand! This easy Crock Pot recipe is made primarily with chicken and spices, so it’s easy to whip up using what you’ve got.
✔ Incredibly Versatile: The boldly flavored shredded chicken can be used in burrito bowls, tacos, enchiladas, or any dish that you think would pair well with the shredded chicken.
Enjoy!
-Katie
The Key Ingredients
I purposely made this Mexican-style chicken recipe without salsa because the flavor and texture can vary wildly from brand to brand, and I don’t always have jarred salsa in the fridge.
Check your pantry before heading to the grocery store; I bet you have most of these spices on hand already!
- Spices — The chicken is infused with bold Mexican flavor using a combination of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and coriander.
- Chicken — Use roughly 2.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts (usually 4 large breasts).
- Chicken Broth — Can be swapped with water or vegetable broth if you’re out of chicken broth.
- Lime Juice — I have a few tricks for juicing limes that help me get the most juice out of them.
- Cilantro — Chop the cilantro and then pack it into the measuring cup.
- Onion — Use whatever variety you have on hand.
- Jalapeño — Remove the seeds if you don’t want spicy shredded chicken.
Katie’s Tip: This recipe can also be made with chicken thighs. Opt for boneless skinless thighs for easy shredding and increase the cook time slightly since dark meat needs a little longer than white meat.
How to Make Shredded Mexican Chicken in a Crockpot
- Season the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the Crock Pot before sprinkling the spice blend all over.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Pour the broth into the Crock Pot, then squeeze the lime juice over the chicken. Arrange the cilantro, onion, and jalapeño over top of the chicken.
- Cook on low for 3 to 5 hours. You’re looking for the chicken to be super tender and cooked through.
- Shred the chicken. There are lots of ways to shred chicken, so do whatever is easiest for you.
- Strain the juices at the bottom of the Crock Pot. Save all of the liquid, but discard the cooked jalapeño, cilantro, and onion. Then return the chicken to the Crock Pot and toss to coat in its juices.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Ways to Use It
You can add this flavorful shredded chicken to any Mexican or Tex-Mex recipe that calls for cooked chicken! (If the original recipe calls for ground chicken or chopped chicken, you shouldn’t have any issues using this as a substitute.)
- Enchiladas. Try these Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Chile Gravy or Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas.
- Tacos. This Mexican chicken would work well in Chicken Tacos with Corn and Tomato Salsa, Shredded Chicken Tacos, or even Taco Salad.
- Nachos. I always make Sheet Pan Nachos because the prep and cleanup is SO easy.
- Lettuce wraps. These Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a particular favorite.
- Soups and chilis. Add it to this Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili or Chicken Tortilla Soup (just add it very last to prevent the chicken from overcooking).
- Taquitos. These Baked Chicken Taquitos are shatteringly crispy!
- Quesadillas. Fill a flour or corn tortilla with your choice of cheese, veggies, and of course this chicken for a fast yet filling lunch or dinner.
More Mexican-Inspired Chicken Recipes
There are so many easy and delicious Mexican recipes that call for chicken. Some favorites include:
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Shredded Crock Pot Mexican Chicken Recipe
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken is the perfect shredded chicken recipe for your next Mexican recipe. Packed with flavor and super tender thanks to hours in the crock pot, this recipe is sure to please!
Ingredients
Mexican Seasoning
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Shredded Chicken
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 2.5 pounds)
- 1/3 cup Chicken Broth (or water)
- 2 Limes
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, packed
- 1 large Onion, cut into wedges
- 1 Jalapeño, sliced (leave the seeds in for more spice)
Optional Garnishes
- Sliced Green Onion
- Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Make the spice blend. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, coriander, salt and black pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Assemble. Place the chicken inside the insert of your Crock Pot. Sprinkle the top of the chicken breasts with half of the seasoning. Then, flip the chicken and sprinkle the other side with the remaining seasoning mixture. Add the chicken broth or water to the Crock Pot. Squeeze the juice from the limes over the top of the seasoned chicken.Add the cilantro leaves, onion wedges, and jalapeño slices to the Crock Pot, arranging them in and around the seasoned chicken breasts.
- Slow Cook. Cook on low for 3-5 hours, or until cooked through (different crock-pots cook at varying heats) and tender.
- Shred the chicken. Remove chicken breasts from the crock pot, shred, and place in a bowl. Set aside. (Here's how to shred chicken.) Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Add all of the juices back to the shredded chicken. Stir to distribute them all over the meat.
- Garnish and serve. We love this chicken topped with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions.
Notes
To make this recipe in an Instant Pot: Follow the instructions in my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe.
Doubling this recipe: This recipe is easily doubled, or even tripled, if you have a larger Crock Pot. The cook time should remain the same, but if the chicken isn’t fall-apart tender after 5 hours just give it a little more time.
To store or freeze: The shredded chicken will last up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Make sure to cover the chicken with its juices so it doesn’t dry out! If freezing, I recommend portioning the chicken into smaller servings so you can thaw the exact amount you need later on (1- to 2-cup portions are what works best for my family).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 512mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 19g
SusieBee at eatlittleeatbig says
Great recipe; would work fantastic in these quesadillas:
http://eatlittleeatbig.blogspot.com/2010/11/chicken-or-leftover-turkey-corn-with.html
Lisa says
Wow, this recipe looks amazing! I am going to try it this week and I’m sure it will be a hit! Thanks for all the great recipes on your site!
Alli says
Katie, this was FABULOUS. I was apprehensive at first at how tender the boneless, skinless chicken would come out, but it literally fell apart and the flavor was as good as any shredded chicken this side of the Texas border! 😉
MeatHub Inc. says
This shredded chicken looks outstanding! Time to run to the grocery store! 🙂
BusyMom says
Oh no, I’m making this and don’t see when exactly I’m supposed to add the jalapeno. I may be totally overlooking this, but I don’t see it in the directions. Should I just add it to the crockpot b/c I’ve already sauteed the onion/garlic mixture…
Katie says
Sorry, yes just add it in. I will edit the recipe. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
TobyD says
This sounds divine! I am copying it to my folder – can’t wait to try it.
Amy Kelly says
So, I made this chicken tonight for some enchiladas and it was quite possibly the most delicious chicken I’ve ever had! I shredded the chicken pretty fine and then mixed it back in with the juices and let it cook together and absorb the sauce. I don’t think I’ll ever prepare chicken in any other way for tacos and the like. Thank you so much for sharing this absolutely amazing recipe!
srithasan says
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken is a Spicy & Tasty Chicken Recipe.
Niki says
I have been searching for a recipe like this. It would be great to have on hand to toss into other recipes. I’m thinking enchiladas!
Thanks for sharing! Stop by and visit sometime soon over at Free 2 Be Frugal.
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
Love it! I make something similar so I’ll have to try yours now 🙂
Shanna ~ My Favorite Everything says
looks yummy, easy and versatile! looking forward to trying it!
Thanks!!
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
Sounds delicious! I love crockpot recipes, and it’s starting to be that time of year again 🙂
Nisha says
This looks like my kind of recipe!! YUM. Do you ever make in bulk and freeze the chicken?
make my day says
These types of recipes are absolute magic for busy mums like me! it means it can be ready by the time we get back from work AND it’s versatile! thanks Katie 🙂
Liberty says
YUMMY! and easy. Perfect for church pot lucks…
*Blessings*
LIB
http://bit.ly/bWqrIu
Kerstin says
I love how easy this is and all the spices you added – I really need to get a crockpot!
p.s. I’m typing on the new laptop now – yay!! Thanks again 🙂
Katie says
Yeah! So glad you got it. And wasn’t the upgrade a nice surprise? Hope you love it!