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Home » Main Dish » Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

Published: Sep 28, 2020 · Modified: Feb 9, 2022 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

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A bowl filled with shredded chicken and bits of tomatoes.

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken is perfect for tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos.  Made with chicken, canned tomatoes and chilies, this chicken is packed full of flavor.

Set this in your crockpot in the morning and have delicious chicken ready for dinner.

A blue and white bowl filled with shredded chicken and bits of tomatoes.
Table of Contents
Easy shredded chicken
Use your favorite cut of chicken
Step by step directions
Tips for making shredded chicken
To freeze
How to use shredded chicken
Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
Tips for making shredded chicken

Easy shredded chicken

This shredded chicken is perfect for dinner and for meal prepping. You can make a batch of this chicken and use for dinner and then freeze the leftovers and use for another meal.

This shredded chicken is perfect in baked chicken taquitos and green chili enchiladas.

Using your slow cooker or crockpot makes this dish so easy! Another easy recipe using your crockpot is this crockpot bbq chicken.

A pile of shredded chicken in a white bowl.

Use your favorite cut of chicken

My recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Using boneless and skinless makes this dish so easy to make.

Step by step directions

A crock pot with chicken, chopped tomatoes and green chilies.
  • Place chicken along with tomatoes, chiles and seasoning in a crockpot or slow cooker.
  • Cooker on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours
  • Chicken is done when it shreds easily with two forks
Chicken breasts on a plate being shredded with a fork and a pair of tongs.

Tips for making shredded chicken

  • Use diced, chopped or stewed tomatoes
  • Add liquid from canned tomatoes
  • Drain canned chilies
  • Use any variety of chilies and select the heat you prefer
  • Recipe can be doubled, but cook time will increase
  • Cooking time may vary depending on your crock pot and the amount you are cooking
  • Shred chicken with two forks or a fork and a pair of tongs

To freeze

To freeze the shredded chicken, allow chicken to cool. Place in a freezer safe container along with a bit of the cooking liquid and freeze for up to two months.

Chicken enchiladas topped with chopped tomatoes and cheese.

How to use shredded chicken

There are so many great ways to use this Mexican shredded chicken. A few ideas include:

  • Make chicken enchiladas
  • Add to a salad
  • Fill a burrito and make chicken burritos
  • Add to a burrito bowl
  • Add a bit to a quesadilla
  • Make chicken tortilla soup
  • Use as a filling for tacos
A blue and white patterned bowl filled with shredded chicken.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious chicken recipes.

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  • Meatballs topped with sesame seeds and green onions in a white bowl.
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  • Three chicken wings with sauce on a plate.
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A blue and white bowl filled with shredded chicken and bits of tomatoes.

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

Kathy
Flavorful shredded chicken perfect for adding to salads, tacos or burritos.
5 from 18 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 5 mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 cups
Calories 108 kcal

Equipment

  • Crockpot
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs (boneless and skinless)
  • 1 quart canned diced tomatoes (or 1 can (28 ounces) )
  • 1 can roasted chilies (7 ounce, drain liquid)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Place chicken in crockpot
    2-3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs
  • Add tomatoes, chilies and seasonings
    1 quart canned diced tomatoes, 1 can roasted chilies, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Cook on high 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours
  • Remove chicken and let cool just enough to handle
  • Shred chicken with two forks
  • Add chicken back into crockpot and heat through.

Notes

Tips for making shredded chicken

  • Use diced, chopped or stewed tomatoes
  • Add liquid from canned tomatoes
  • Drain canned chilies
  • Use any variety of chilies and select the heat you prefer
  • Recipe can be doubled, but cook time will increase
  • Cooking time may vary depending on your crock pot and the amount you are cooking
  • Shred chicken with two forks or a fork and a pair of tongs

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 17gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 481mgPotassium: 434mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 164IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Mexican shredded chicken, shredded chicken
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

This recipe was originally published in February 2016. The recipe, images and content have been updated.

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Comments

  1. Aly F says

    March 06, 2022 at 8:43 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and excellent!
    I used a whole chicken, cut into fryer parts and skinned. Also used one 14 oz can stewed tomatoes, one fire roasted tomatoes, and 1/2 tsp ancho Chile powder on top of Chile powder. skimmed off excess water before shredding. Seriously delish!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 07, 2022 at 6:34 am

      Using a whole chicken is really economical too! Glad you enjoyed!!! 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

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