Chipotle Chicken Tacos
These chipotle chicken tacos are tender, smoky, sweet, and a little spicy. 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.
Servings: 8
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
Video
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
Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 801mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 3mg
QR Code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
*If you're viewing this on your phone, press and hold the QR code to open in your browser.