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Healthy Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe

4.8 from 133 reviews
  • Author: Jessica
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4-6 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes to 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings (about 4 oz portions)
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Low Fat

Description

These Healthy Crockpot Chicken Tacos are a flavorful and easy meal perfect for busy weeknights. Tender chicken breasts are slow-cooked with a blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, and onion powders, then simmered in salsa and lime juice for a zesty, moist filling. This recipe is versatile, allowing you to serve the shredded chicken in tortillas, lettuce wraps, or over your choice of rice, making it a wholesome, crowd-pleasing dish with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasonings

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

Liquids and Additional Flavor

  • 1 cup salsa (red or green, red preferred)
  • Juice of 2 limes (optional)
  • 1/2 cup low or no salt chicken broth or water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot insert, ensuring they are evenly spaced for even cooking.
  2. Add Seasonings: Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder evenly over the chicken breasts to coat completely.
  3. Add Salsa and Lime Juice: Pour the salsa on top of the seasoned chicken, spreading it to cover all pieces. If using, drizzle lime juice over the salsa for a fresh citrus flavor.
  4. Add Liquid: Pour the chicken broth or water into the crockpot to keep the chicken moist during slow cooking.
  5. Cook the Chicken: Cover the crockpot with its lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours for the best tender texture, or on high for 3-4 hours if you’re short on time. Slow cooking on low is recommended for juicier chicken.
  6. Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot. Use two forks to shred the meat on a cutting board or use a stand mixer for faster shredding. Avoid using a hand mixer directly in the crockpot to prevent damaging the enamel coating.
  7. Return Chicken to Juices: Place the shredded chicken back into the crockpot to absorb the cooking juices and keep it flavorful and moist.
  8. Serve: Serve the shredded chicken with your favorite taco toppings like diced onions, cilantro, avocado, cheese, or sour cream. Use tortillas, lettuce wraps, or rice as the base.

Notes

  • For a low-carb option, swap tortillas for lettuce wraps or serve over cauliflower rice.
  • This recipe is versatile and can be adapted to make shredded beef tacos with chuck roast or pulled pork tacos using pork shoulder or pork roast.
  • Use mild, medium, or spicy salsa depending on your heat preference.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 oz cooked chicken with salsa
  • Calories: 210
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 350 mg
  • Fat: 3.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.7 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 1.5 g
  • Protein: 36 g
  • Cholesterol: 85 mg

Find it online: https://jessicasrecipes.com/healthy-crockpot-chicken-tacos-recipe/