There’s nothing basic about the flavor of these easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos! With hints of lime, honey, and cilantro, the chicken turns out simply amazing every time.

3 hard shell shredded chicken tacos on a white plate

I’ve always loved tacos of practically any kind, but it took me a while to find a shredded chicken taco worthy of repeating for taco night – or any night! This is certainly THE one! This juicy, flavorful chicken makes the best chicken tacos.

What’s To Love About This Recipe

This tasty shredded chicken is a fun meal option for a build-your-own taco bar or to serve when you’re entertaining. Because it is so easy to make, you can focus on all the other details of the meal!
With a large slow cooker, you can easily make a double or triple batch of chicken and have plenty to serve or lots of leftovers to save in the fridge or freezer.
Shredded chicken is so versatile! You can serve this delicious option in traditional taco shells, on bowls or salads, in wraps, or even to top off nachos.
This recipe is also a great choice to make ahead as you meal prep. You won’t get bored with the same meal since you can use the chicken in a variety of ways throughout the week.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken – I used 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe which made plenty of meat for several meals. Chicken breasts are the best option for achieving light, shredded meat.
Chicken broth – Cooking the chicken breasts in broth keeps them from drying out in the slow cooker and infuses flavor. Choose any type of chicken broth – regular, bone broth, or reduced sodium.
Limes – You will need the juice from 2 limes – freshly squeezed is always going to bring the most powerful bite!
Soy sauce – Adding a little soy sauce to the mix gives the chicken a more complex, salted taste.
Honey – Honey paired with lime and other seasonings creates a unique, rich element to typical shredded chicken.
Cilantro – Dried cilantro brings a hint of herbal flavor.
Garlic powder – A bit of garlic powder rounds out the seasoning blend for this recipe.

chicken breast, honey, garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, limes and chicken broth

How To Make Shredded Chicken For Tacos In The Slow Cooker

Once you have your ingredients out, you’re just a few steps away from your simmering main meal. Seriously!

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

raw chicken breast, broth and spices in white slow cooker

Shred the chicken with two forks in a large bowl and return it to the slow cooker. Or, to make it even easier, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and turn it on low to shred. (If the chicken does not shred easily, it has not cooked long enough.)

shredded chicken and broth in white slow cooker

Serve with toppings on taco shells, tortillas, or as desired.

tong full of shredded chicken held over slow cooker of chicken

What To Serve With Shredded Chicken Tacos

Is it really taco night without all the “fixins?” You have to have an array of toppings, and the good news is: just about anything will be delicious with slow cooker chicken tacos!

Besides the taco shells or soft tortillas, include some shredded cheese or cotija cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, diced red or green onion, and some fresh salsa. You can also add classic chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and even some sour cream! These tacos are very customizable to what you have on hand.

If you want to include some extra sides, try mixing up a bowl of Black Bean and Corn Salsa. Make some white or brown rice and add chips and guac to make it a fiesta!

shredded chicken in flour tortilla with shredded cheese and tomatoes

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover shredded chicken in the fridge (up to 3 days) or freeze (up to 3 months) in individual portions to easily reheat just what you need. Reheat in the microwave and reassemble tacos or use in rice bowls or other dishes.

You can also make this a freezer meal by simply adding all ingredients to a gallon-sized freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw before cooking, and add all ingredients to the slow cooker to cook as directed.