Shredded chicken with fire-roasted tomatoes and green chilies in a slow cooker

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Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

This slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken is tender, juicy, and full of flavor from taco seasoning, green chilies, fire-roasted tomatoes, and lime. It’s an easy crockpot chicken recipe for tacos, burrito bowls, salads, and meal prep.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time5 10

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Servings:

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Davinah

Equipment

Crockpot

Ingredients

3 lbs Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
1 ½ cups Chicken Broth I use 1 ½ cup of water mixed with 1 ½ tsp of bouillon paste
14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes fire roasted for a smokier flavor, diced or crushed work well. This is 1 can or about 1½ cups.
6 tbsp Chicken Taco Seasoning click for my recipe, or your favorite store bought taco seasoning
4 oz diced green chilies mild or hot
2 limes juiced
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Season the Chicken: In a large bowl, add the chicken and taco seasoning. Toss well until the chicken is evenly coated with the spices.
Transfer to Slow Cooker: Add the seasoned chicken to the slow cooker.
Pour in the chicken broth, lime juice, tomatoes and green chilies into the cooking pot.
Give the mixture a quick stir.
Cover and cook the meat: I set the slow cooker to LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 hours & 30 minutes to 3 hours. Until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
Shred the meat: Remove the chicken and shred using two forks or two meat claws
Return & simmer: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Mix well. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Cook the meat in its juices for 10-15 minutes.
Finish: Mix and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

Use chicken thighs if you can: They stay more tender than chicken breasts and shred more easily after slow cooking.
Do not drain the green chilies or the roasted tomatoes: The liquid adds more flavor to the chicken as it cooks.
Cook until it shreds easily: If the chicken is hard to pull apart, it needs more time.
Let the shredded chicken sit in the juices: This helps it stay moist and absorb more flavor before serving.
Taste before serving: Depending on your broth and seasoning, you may want a little more salt or lime juice at the end.
For smoky heat: Stir in a little chipotle in adobo (2-3 peppers with 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce added to the cooking pot before you start cooking).
For crisp edges: Spread some of the shredded chicken in a hot skillet for a few minutes before serving.

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