Slow Cooker Taco Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Allergy-Free)

Name: Slow Cooker Taco Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Allergy-Free)
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 2 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 2 lbs); 8 oz Mild Taco Sauce (or spicy); 1 Cup Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (no-salt added); 1/2 Cup Chopped Green Chilies; 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion; 2 Tsp Dried Oregano; 1 Tsp Chili Powder; 1/2 Tsp Cumin

Published: Apr 15, 2019 · Modified: May 2, 2019 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

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The best Slow Cooker Taco Chicken recipe perfect for tacos, burritos, even quesadillas! This healthy Mexican shredded chicken is so easy to throw in the Crock-Pot, it's gluten-free, paleo, and allergy-free! Grab your favorite taco sauce and relax as your weeknight dinner cooks itself to perfection!

What's easier and more delicious than slow cooker chicken? The most requested weeknight dinner in the household and one that doesn't need much planning! Get out that vintage Crock-Pot, chicken breasts, taco sauce, and few extra Mexican ingredients, and let dinner cook itself! (While you drool over the smell of the chicken simmering away in the slow cooker!) The best part? You can shred the taco chicken and use it in meals throughout the week, making it an optimal meal prep option!

How to make taco chicken in the slow cooker

You only need a few ingredients, technically you only need chicken and taco sauce, but to make this chicken meal worthy and ready for tacos straight from the crock, I suggest adding a few "extras" to the mix!

Chicken Breasts
Mild or Spicy Taco Sauce (I use this sauce)
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
Green Chilies
Chopped Onion
Oregano
Chili Powder
Cumin

That's it! Just dump all your ingredients in the slow cooker, set it to low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. You can't mess this up! It's totally hands off! When you come home from work it will be done for you or it will just be cooking itself while you work from home, never having to think about blocking out an hour for dinner prep!

How to make shredded chicken for tacos

Once you've cooked the taco chicken in the slow cooker or Crock-Pot, you have a few easy options for shredding it. #1 You can take two forks and shred the cooked chicken right in the slow cooker with all the excess sauce. #2 You can remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them on a separate plate or in a bowl, allowing you to add excess sauce as needed or desired. #3 Add the chicken breasts to a stand mixer and let the mixer shred it for you! You can also do with a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer. #4 You can also shred the cooked meat in a food processor using the slicer blade, and lightly pulsing the processor as you guide the meat through.

What can you use shredded taco chicken for?

The obvious one, TACOS! You can also use the shredded chicken for a delicious burrito filling, tostadas, quesadillas, nachos, burrito/Mexican bowls, just straight up, served over salad greens or a grain! Endless possibilities and can work for whatever craving you've got! You can also add some corn and black beans to the slow cooker and have an entire Mexican chicken meal ready for you without having to add anything after the cooking process!

Can you freeze slow cooker taco chicken?

Sure you can! Here you have two options. #1 All all the ingredients to a large Ziplock bag and freeze, flat, in the freezer to use at a later date (3 months max for optimal results). When you're ready to make it, thaw the entire bag in the fridge overnight and in the morning, dump the entire bag contents in the slow cooker and cook as usual. #2 You can freeze the cooked and shredded chicken, once completely cooled in the fridge, by dividing it up into individual portions in freezer bags, laying flat to completely freeze, and then thawing them out in the fridge overnight for meals as needed (2-3 months max for optimal results).

Is taco chicken healthy?

This recipe is! Not only is it a healthy weeknight meal, but this shredded taco chicken is gluten-free, paleo, top allergen-free, whole 30 approved, low-carb, and has no excess oils, sugars, or sadness! Super kid-friendly, super diet friendly, just a great all-around meal protein!

Can you use chicken thighs instead?

If you only have chicken thighs and really want shredded slow cooker taco chicken, sure! You'll be adding to the fat content, just there is no reason why you can't swap chicken breasts for the same amount in weight as chicken thighs.

What are the best gluten-free tortillas to use for tacos?

If you are aiming to make shredded chicken tacos with this taco chicken, a great soft tortilla to use is Mission brand gluten-free flour tortillas. For a grain-free and paleo soft tortilla option, Siete cassava four tortillas are great! If you want a soft tortilla large enough for a burrito, BFree Foods has you back!