Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: These chipotle chicken tacos are so tender, smoky, and a little spicy. But best of all, they couldn’t be any easier thanks to the slow cooker! Just 10 minutes of prep, and the crockpot does the rest of the work for you.
How long it takes: 2 hours, 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker
Servings: 8
Sweet + Smoky Taco Fix
Every so often I hit a taco rut. Ground beef, same toppings, repeat. These chipotle chicken tacos are my solution. They’re smoky, slightly sweet, layered with spice, and ridiculously easy because the slow cooker does the work.
Warm corn tortillas stuffed with sweet smoky shredded chicken, salty cotija cheese, crisp shredded cabbage, and a squeeze of lime juice are an exciting change from the ordinary. You’ll feel like you’re at your favorite taqueria! (Be sure to check out more of my taco recipes.)
What makes this recipe special:
- Spicy, but balanced. I don’t like spicy dishes where the heat dominates and you can’t really taste anything else. That’s why I developed these chipotle chicken tacos to have layers of flavor, with smokiness, lots of spices, and honey for sweetness.
- Practically dump-and-go. Just add everything to your slow cooker and turn it on! You’ll need to shred the chicken and assemble the tacos, but other than that, this is a dump-and-go recipe.
- Great for meal prep. Make a big batch of the shredded chipotle chicken on the weekend and enjoy it for tacos, nachos, and burritos during the hectic work week. (I love crockpot salsa chicken and crockpot chicken tacos for the same reason!)
How to Make Chipotle Chicken Tacos
Prepare. Coat the inside of your slow cooker insert with nonstick spray, then add the chicken.
Make the sauce. Whisk the tomato paste, chopped chipotles, honey, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and salt in a small bowl. The mixture will be quite thick.
Season the chicken. Spread the chipotle mixture over both sides of the chicken, making sure they’re evenly coated.
Cook. Cover your slow cooker and cook for 2 ½ hours on High or 5 hours on Low, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of each thigh reaches at least 165°F. (I usually check the temperature of each thigh because it can vary. It’s okay if the temperature is more than 165°F, because chicken thighs don’t dry out as quickly as chicken breasts.)
Shred the meat. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred it, then return it to the slow cooker.
Finish and serve. Cook for 10 minutes more to let the chicken soak up the sauce, then assemble your tacos.
Recipe Variations
- Adjust the heat. As written, the chipotle chicken filling for these tacos is mildly spicy, but you can make it hotter or milder by adjusting the amount of chipotle pepper.
- Use chicken breasts. I chose chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re rich, juicy, and are forgiving in the slow cooker, but if you prefer chicken breasts, you can use those instead. Just note that they can get rubbery when overcooked, so monitor their temperature closely near the end of the cooking time.
- Try other toppings. Use your favorite shredded cheese instead of crumbly cotija, add fresh onions instead of pickled red onions, or try other pickled vegetables, add guacamole or black bean corn salsa—so many options!
More Ways to Use Chipotle Chicken
- Burritos. Tuck the chicken into large flour tortillas along with rice, beans, cheese, and your favorite fillings.
- Quesadillas. Use the shredded chicken as the protein for sheet pan quesadillas.
- Nachos. Make BBQ chicken nachos with chipotle chicken instead!
- Bowls. Add your leftovers to a bowl with rice or quinoa.
- Salads. Swap the shredded chipotle chicken for the usual ground beef in a taco salad.
What to Serve With Chicken Tacos
- Corn. Corn ribs are super fun, and you can even season them like elotes! This Mexican street corn dip and homemade baked tortilla chips would be a great side dish, too! (Baked tortilla chips are super easy to make and a great way to use up extra corn tortillas.)
- Rice. If you love your tacos with rice, try my cilantro lime rice or this easy Mexican rice recipe.
- Beans. Instant Pot pinto beans and Instant Pot refried beans are both fantastic pairings with tacos!
Refrigerate: Store the leftover chipotle chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Chipotle chicken taco meat freezes beautifully. I often make a double batch so I have extra to freeze. Transfer the leftovers to a zip-top freezer bag, press out the excess air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat or in microwave; add a splash of water or chicken broth if needed to keep it saucy.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Chipotle Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (see note)
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped (see note)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it!)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For serving:
- 16 small corn tortillas (see note)
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 cups shredded cabbage (or bagged coleslaw mix)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Optional toppings:
- lime wedges, diced avocado, pickled red onions (see note)
Instructions
- Lightly spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick spray, if desired, for easy cleanup. Add the chicken to the slow cooker.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, chopped chipotles, honey, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Spread the mixture over the chicken, turning until each piece is coated in the sauce.1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste, 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cover and cook for 2 ½ hours on High, or 5 hours on Low, until the chicken is very tender, and the internal temperature is at least 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker, stir, and let it sit 10 minutes so the sauce can soak into the shredded chicken.
- Spoon the honey chipotle chicken into warmed or charred corn tortillas (see note). Top with cabbage, cilantro, and any optional garnishes.16 small corn tortillas, 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese, 2 cups shredded cabbage, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, diced avocado, pickled red onions
Notes
- Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or a combination of both. There is enough sauce for up to 2½ pounds of chicken.
- Spiciness: This is moderately spicy due to the chipotle chiles. Feel free to adjust the amount, using less or more, depending on your preference.
- Tortillas: Feel free to stuff the toppings into any type of tortilla. I usually serve them in charred corn tortillas. We also love crispy tortilla shells. Soft flour tortillas work fine, too, if that’s what you prefer. You can skip the tortilla if you want, and serve the shredded chicken on a salad or in a bowl.
- To char corn tortillas: Lay the corn tortillas, one at a time, directly on a gas burner over medium low heat. When lightly charred (about 2 minutes), use tongs to flip the tortilla over and char the other side (about 1 minute).
- Try other toppings. Use your favorite shredded cheese, lettuce instead of cabbage, fresh chopped onions instead of pickled red onions, guacamole, sour cream, black bean corn salsa, chipotle salsa, whatever you like!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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