Description
This Crock Pot Mexican Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded chicken simmered in a delightful blend of spices, diced tomatoes, and green chilies. Perfectly cooked in a slow cooker, it makes for an easy, hands-off meal ideal for tacos, burritos, salads, or rice bowls.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Base
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup mild salsa (or medium if you prefer spicy)
Seasonings and Add-ins
- 3–4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 (4 oz.) can mild diced green chilies
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained (or regular diced tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional for more heat)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Rub the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil and place them at the bottom of your slow cooker to form the base of your dish.
- Add seasonings and liquids: Pour in salsa, brown sugar, diced green chilies, drained diced tomatoes, and all the spices including chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, pepper, chipotle chili powder (if using), and liquid smoke. Mix gently to combine all ingredients around the chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Set your slow cooker to high for 2 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. Cook until the chicken is tender enough to shred easily with forks.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks or a pair of tongs. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well to combine with the cooking juices.
- Final cooking and seasoning adjustments: Let the shredded chicken cook on low for an additional 20 minutes to absorb more flavor. Drain any excess liquid if necessary, taste, and add hot sauce according to personal preference for heat.
Notes
- Draining excess liquid after shredding is important to prevent watery texture in the final dish.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle chili powder and hot sauce to control the spiciness according to your taste buds.
- This recipe is versatile and can be used in tacos, salads, burritos, or as a protein addition to rice bowls.
- Using fire-roasted diced tomatoes adds a subtle smoky depth but regular diced tomatoes work well too.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 4.5 oz shredded chicken)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
