Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
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These slow cooker chicken tacos have the juiciest, most flavorful chicken. I love that you can make the chicken and prep the fixings ahead of time. It’s perfect for parties and is super family friendly. Have you tried my sweet and spicy baked chicken recipe? It’s been very popular with many of you and is always a winner at dinner parties plus it’s caveman EASY. Great news!!
This is the slow cooker (even easier) version! We love easy. Especially lately with being in my third trimester and starting to feel TI-RED!
P.S. Y’all are going to love this Wusthof Giveaway! It’s the exact set that I have. I wanted the best of the best for you! Keep reading to enter.
For the Crock Pot Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken:
2 lbs (4-5 count) Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless, trimmed of fat
1 cup very warm water
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
Toppings/ Taco accessories:
Small flour tortillas
Lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, diced
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Guacamole
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Hot sauce such as Tabasco
How to Make the BEST Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos:
1. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients: 1 cup water, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp dry mustard, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp chili powder.
2. Add chicken to the slow cooker and pour marinade over the top. Turn a couple times to coat in sauce. Set slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours then keep warm until ready to serve.
3. The chicken will be incredibly tender and easy to shred. Pull chicken with two forks and let it sit in slow cooker juices until ready to serve.
How to Assemble Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos:
1. To assemble tacos: dice, grate and chop all of your fixings (see ingredients list above).
2. Warm up your tortillas by placing a 5 or 6 a time between two lightly damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds.
3. Add the chicken first, then load ’em up with the rest of the toppings. We love a drizzle of Tabasco hot sauce on top.
Come to Mama!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken:
- 2 lbs 4-5 count Chicken Breasts, trimmed of fat
- 1 cup very warm water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 4 Tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chili powder
Toppings/ Taco accessories:
- Small flour tortillas, About 10-12
- Lettuce, chopped
- Tomatoes, diced
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Guacamole, click for yummy recipe
- Cilantro
- Sour Cream
- Hot sauce such as Tabasco
Instructions
How to Make the BEST Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos:
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients: 1 cup water, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp dry mustard, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp chili powder.
- Add chicken to the slow cooker and pour marinade over the top. Turn a couple times to coat in sauce. Set slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours then keep warm until ready to serve.
- The chicken will be incredibly tender and easy to shred. Pull chicken with two forks and let it sit in slow cooker juices until ready to serve.
Assembly Tips & Instructions:
- To assemble tacos: dice, grate and chop all of your fixings (see ingredients list above).
- Warm up your tortillas by placing a 5 or 6 a time between two lightly damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken first, then load 'em up with the rest of the toppings. We love a drizzle of Tabasco hot sauce on top.
These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are super yummy! Enjoy! 🙂
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi, I’m making this for a party and wanted to know if I can double the recipe in a slow cooker.
Hi Elena, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
Love your recipes but this one was not my favorite. Too sweet for my liking
I dont see anything but positive comments here. I was referred to this recipe by a friend that isvan excellent cook. I’m of a culinary degree and as I first read, it is just BBQ chicken. I made it anyway and it’s good but not of taco filling I prefer. I added many seasonings of cumin, hot pepper, etc to make it of chicken tacos I prefer. I will try other recipes of yours however.
Thank you for your comments and feedback, Nicole. I hope you love the other recipes that you will try.
All I have on hand is boneless skinless chicken thighs. Will that work?
Hi Sheri, I imagine that will work too although we recommend breast as it has a lot more meat.
Which size of flour tortillas in inches do you consider “small”?
Hi Georgiana, we purchase the small taco tortillas. The burrito size ones are too big for this. These are the smaller of the options, and if I were to guess, I think they are about 4.5″.
What can I use in place of dry mustard since there is an allergy in my household?
Hi Deanna, I honestly haven’t tried other substitution for the dry mustard but feel free to experiment and look for something else that you might like.
Hi Deanna, I honestly haven’t tried other substitutions for the dry mustard but feel free to experiment and look for something else that you might like.
Hi! I can’t wait to make this week. What could I replace the worchestire with? My daughter is allergic to fish and products containing fish . Usually I leave it out of recipes but I miss that unami flavor
Hi Melissa, for every tablespoon of Worcestershire, you can dissolve 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar in 2 teaspoons of soy sauce plus 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice. You can also add a dash of hot sauce, too, and you’ll get a sweet-spicy-salty-umami blend.
Good food
Thank you!
Hi Natasha,
Once the chicken is cooked, can it be frozen afterwards?
Thankyou.
Hello Sophie, you’re referring to freezing just the meat correct? That should work just fine.
I didn’t have time to cook the chicken in a crock pot, so I cooked them in my Dutch oven instead. They were SO delicious. The chicken was tender, juicy, and had so much flavor! I would definitely make these again!!
I love it and that sounds great! So good to know that you were able to make this successfully too using your dutch oven. Thanks for sharing, Jill!
Would it be ok to use boneless/skinless/thin cut chicken breasts?
Hi Missy, I imagine that will be fine too.
I’m excited to find this website. I need to to thank you for ones time due
to this fantastic read!! I definitely liked every part of it and I have you saved to fav to see new stuff on your blog.
Thanks Rebecca. I am so glad to have you here too!
OMG Natasha ! Just made this recipe today and after 2 incredible taco’s filled with wonderful I had to let you how good they were . This one is definitely going to be made many more times I’m my house . An excellent recipe to say the least . I’ve made several of your recipes and they have all been outstanding . This one is the most recent yummy recipe I’ve made and can’t wait to try another. Keep em coming Natasha and I’ll keep making em . You have a big fan in Kansas .
Thank you so much for your compliments and great review, I absolutely love it!
AMAZING. I made the recipe exactly as is and made your spicy guacamole and oh my goodness so much deliciousness. My 5 year old approved too. I was gifted a slow cooker and thanks to you I can now use it! As a full time working mamma I need these type of recipes to make my life easier and still have homemade easy and yummy meals. Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Maria!
Natasha thank you so much for sharing your secrets kitchen tools with us! I am learning to cook with you I made again the go ahead breakfast sandwiches for Breakfast
We love them so delicious.
Everything is so good I love the fried rice with chicken.
Cant wait to explore more♥️
So grateful for you🙏🏼
Hello Reina. Thank you for sharing that with me. I’m glad that you’re learning a lot from my recipes.
kay I guess I’m kinda dumb, but I was wondering if you use concentrated lemon juice or lemonade that you drink. (in the picture above it looks like lemonade). Thanks! Can’t wait to try this recipe….looks and sounds so yummy!
Hi Tammy, that is a great question. That particular product is just pure lemon juice (not concentrate). It’s the same as squeezing fresh lemon juice.
Hi Natasha,
What can I substitute for the Ketchup?
Hi Sheila, I have always used ketchup so I can’t say for sure but maybe tomato sauce, although you would have to season to taste since ketchup has more salt and sugar in it and more flavor in general than tomato sauce.
For some odd reason, I didn’t have white vinegar on hand- only apple cider. (semi-bad Christopher)
But, from my sneak taste test after 6.5hrs of slow cooking, I think that the acv added a nice ‘sharpness’ and I’m very very pleased. The only addition to this yummy recipe- one large part sliced and part diced jalapeño pepper to the bottom for the chicken to ‘rest’ on while cooking.
My space smells incredible, but I need to get back to the kitchen to chop some toppings amd assemble. Mouth is watering! Thank you, as always, for sharing great eats!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing that with me.
Should the lid be left off for a portion of the cooking time? The reason I ask is because mine ended up being very liquidy.
Hi Mike, we kept the lid on. Did you make any changes to the recipe? I’d be more than happy to troubleshoot.
I used an instant pot for this and didn’t change anything in the recipe. I used the pressure cook setting for 50mins and allowed it to naturally release. The chicken came out super tender and delicious!! I will definitely use this recipe again.
Hi Anna! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Do you know if this recipe would work well in a pressure cooker ?
Hi Anna, I honestly haven’t tested that so I cannot advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Are the slow cooker chicken tacos low carb or can they be made to be that way?
Hi Amy, I haven’t experimented with making these tacos more healthy than they already are. We are also slowly working through all of our recipes to add nutrition info but it is a time-consuming process as they have to be added one at a time. Thank you for being patient! 🙂 If you make any changes, I’d love to know how you liked that
Hi I have a question if I am cooking 1 pound of chicken instead of 2, can I cook the chicken for less time? Let’s say 3 hours on high?
Hi Elina, the time will probably not change by much, You can try that but I would check the chicken temperature for doneness closer to the end.
I made this for dinner with my fiance and it was amazing!! Great recipe delicious flavors combined. WOW; I am very impressed and thank you so much for sharing this recipe with me, It’s definitely a favorite for me!
I’m am so so happy you enjoyed that, Shanice! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, we just ate your chicken taco recipe along with your guacamole recipe and everyone loved it. It was so easy and so yummy. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Greetings from Germany
Love Kristina
Hello Kristina, I’m glad to hear how much everyone enjoys the recipes. Thank YOU for sharing your excellent review!
The photo looks like the chicken is boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I am double checking to be sure. It makes a lot of difference in the cooking time! I am enjoying your wonderful recipes. Thank you!
Hi Kathie, I apologize I forgot to specify in the recipe. Yes, that is correct; boneless, skinless
Another HIT! Thank you so much! And for today is: Beef Stir-Fry Recipe with 3 Ingredient Sauce…
You’re welcome Valentin! I’m glad to hear the recipe was such a success. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
Can I replace dry mustard with the Boar’s Head Mustard?
Love your website.
Hi Lucy, I haven’t tried that specific substitution, but I think it would work and is worth an experiment 🙂 I hope you love the recipe!
Thank you
You’re welcome Lucy!
Hi! I’ve made the baked sweet and spicy chicken and it’s delicious!! Noticed all of the ingredients for the slow cooker version are doubled from the baked version, except for the Worcestershire..is this a typo or no? Love your website!!!
Xoxo,
Kelly
Hi Kelly, that is correct! We found it a little much to double it – too salty. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
I mean ground chili pepper.
Thanks for a great recipe!!!! Can i use chili pepper instead of chili powder?
I think it would work fine 🙂
Cook chicken in slow cooker for 4 hours on high and reduced to low when it was boiling. It was too dry and sweet, didn’t taste like taco meat.
Thank you for sharing that with us!
Simple and delicious! Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks Yana! 🙂
I tried your recipe for our taco buffet at my daughter’s graduation party. It was a real hit! Thank you!
Thank you for the great review Chandra and welcome to the site :).
Your photos make it look so delicious! I need to make these tacos soon. And with the slow cooker it looks like a very easy recipe to make.
Oh it really is so easy! I hope you love it 🙂
This recipe is fantastic, the chicken is tender and has great flavor!
However, it is not a taco recipe. If you are mouthed up for real tacos, this is not it. Next time I make it (and I will, it’s great!) I will serve on rolls with spicy coleslaw. It’s more of a pulled chicken or chicken sloppy joe recipe…..
These would taste great as sandwiches! Yum!
Mmmmmmmm!! I LOVE tacos!! 🙂
Love love love this recipe!
Thank you Agnes :).
So by the time I saw this recipe, its 2 hours away from dinner time so even though i’m all for slow cooker recipes I won’t have time for that. Is 350 degrees 45 min in the oven okay for the chicken?
Hi Sofiya, sorry I wasn’t able to respond in time for your dinner, but you can make this chicken in the oven. Follow the instructions here: https://natashaskitchen.com/2013/06/25/sweet-and-spicy-baked-chicken/
I wonder if I froze this after cooking, would it still be good?
You’re referring to freezing just the meat correct? That should work just fine.
the chicken came out a bit sour. good flavor though. i would cut on the vinegar.
Marina, thank you for the review :). Did you used all the same proportions in the recipe?
I’m teaching my 14 year old son how to cook, and since today we had a snow day in Toronto, we put it together at lunch and had it for dinner. My husband and younger son loved it and so did we. Delicious and perfect for a cold winter night.
Sana, thank you for taking the time to write a great review, I’m so glad that everyone loved it. All of the snow in our valley melted and it just been raining throughout the day. But winter is not over yet, so I’m sure we will get more snow before the spring.
Maybe this is a stupid question..but do you just use white vinegar?
Hi Danielle, yes, sorry I didn’t specify. I did use white vinegar. I updated the recipe to reflect that. Thanks for asking! 🙂
is there a slow cooker u would recommend?
thanks!
I have an oldie, medium-sized, “crock pot” brand one that I received as a wedding gift and it still works after 11 years! 😉 The one at Costco looks nice although I can’t remember what brand it was. Mine has a ceramic coated interior. They don’t really make mine anymore.
I would like to get these knifes too!
These knifes are the best! I have a few smaller ones from them, use them all the time!!
I love them more and more with every slice 🙂
Would love to have new knifes!
I would love to get my hands on these new set of knifes!!! I would love to win these knifes!!!
I would love to get the set. We’re a young couple who just got married and my knives are just terrible. Can’t afford good ones and when the knives are bad, the desire for cooking is just killed….
I was scanning the comments for an Instant Pot recipe. Thanks for posting yours. If I use 2 chicken breasts do you think the time would still be 50 minutes? Thanks.
Hi Dana, that should work. As always we recommend double checking the chicken is fully cooked through.
My son is getting married soon and it will be a great help if I should be picked a winner and I will give them to him and his new bride. Thanks.
Wow! You rock Natasha!!! So much love poring out from your blog!!! Especially during this wonderful time of the year!!! Love watching your videos!!! Will definitely be tiring this recipe 🙂
You are so sweet Janna, thank you :). Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Wonderful site!
Wish me luck!
Makes a good Christmas present for my better half
Very nice giveaway
Those knives just topped my wishlist this Christmas. Would love to win. All I have right now are 3 knives I bought at wallmart after we got married, until we get something nice. We have yet to get something nice, and they have been a pain.
Btw the tacos look great, love that they’re chicken.
Love your recipes !! Thank you!
This would be a great set for my new kitchen. Thank you.
This would be a great Christmas present!
It would make any cook a very happy cook 🙂
Santa please bring to me!!
Need knifes to cook !!!!
would love to win these!
love this recipes
Thank you Sofiya 🙂
Made these tonight. They were really good but they had more of a bbq flavor than a Mexican flavor to me. Almost like a Korean taco type of deal. Very different and very yummy
They are different than what you would expect from a Mexican taco. I’m so glad you enjoyed them! This chicken is also amazing over rice 🙂
I would
It would be great to win this
Thanks for all the yummy recipes
God bless you and family
Thank you so much Inna! God bless you also 🙂
This looks wonderful! I only have chicken thigh fillets on hand right now, you think that should work fine as well?
Yes! Those would work great! 🙂
I have a question about the giveaway.
Do I have to submit all entries to be in the drawing, or can I just enter, lets say 3 out of 8 and be in?
(I don’t have facebook, instagram, or twitter. So just wondering.)
Thank you!
Olga, you don’ t have to submit all of them to qualify :), as long as you select at least one. I hope you’ll win.
I worked for Wusthoff Hospital lol so i think its meant to be that I win! haha
I’ve heard of this set and cutco as being the #2 best knives ever!!!! Would love to own this set and build up on it.
Love this recipe, thank you so much for sharing it.plus I would so be happy to win these knife set because I never had a good set of knifes so I would love to try these.
Thank you Irene 🙂
Thanks for another great recipe, I think it would be one of our favorites, kids love tacos and chicken is the only meat they eat, so have to try them ASAP!!!
I love that tacos are so kid friendly and fun for them to assemble 🙂
We ate these tacos after church today and the whole family loved them! The chicken is really delicious- thank you!
Thank you for the great review Lisa and you are very welcome :).
Hi, just a quick question is it 2tbsp of worcestishier sauce or 1/4 cup because in the recepie listing its 2tbsp and in the directions its 1/4 cup! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Thanks for catching that Marianna :). It would have turned out just fine with 1/4 cup but the measurements in this recipe are 2 Tbsp. I updated the recipe to show the correct amount.
I think I’ll be planning a taco night soon. I would love to win the knives to give them to parents as a Christmas gift 🙂 they are fabulous quality.
Hi! Is there anyway to do some prep work to this? Like leave the chicken in the marinade overnight and then put it in the slowcooker in the morning?
I have the French knife and the bread knife. Hubby got them for me for Christmas a couple of years ago. The set would be neat also!
Also while I am here hubby loves Tacos! I think I could put spinach in a tortilla and he would eat it…
That first picture… wow! Makes you want to just grab a bite off the screen! and I just made beef for tacos yesterday and bought the tortillas today cuz I wanted to make tacos like the ones we had at the conference))
Thank you Marina :-). These were fun to photograph with so much color! Those were some good tacos at the conference, but I have to say this chicken tops theirs ;-).
Hi natasha! Great recipe! I will definitely be trying it out! For the knife set do I have to follow all 8 steps? I don’t have Facebook or pinterest :/
You can get up to 8 entries. You don’t have to do them all :-). I hope you love the tacos!
I would love to try this recipe ! Have a feeling it will be a family favorite !
I do hope it becomes a favorite for you! It’s so tasty and the kids love it too 🙂
These look sooo good-can’t wait to try them!
They sure are! I hope you love them too 🙂
Knives are the most important part of the Kitchen! Without good knives nothing runs well. I would love to have some of these wonderful knives!
come to mama
We understand each other 😉
Wow! My mouth is watering from just looking at the wonderful pictures! Definitely making these tomorrow!
Thank you for sharing your easy to follow recipes. I would love, LOVE this set for Christmas!
Hi Natasha, 8 steps did step by step. What else i nee to do? Thank you!
I would love to win this set. I really nee new knives at my kitchen 🙂
If you marked enter on all 8 steps, that’s all there is to it! You’ve entered 8 times 🙂
I need knifes, this will be perfect Christmas gift for me! I dont even have a big knife in my kitchen! Thats why I need this!