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Slow cooker salsa chicken tacos filled with juicy shredded chicken, cabbage, avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime in warm corn tortillas.

Best Easy Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Tacos

Tender shredded chicken slow-cooked with chunky salsa, lime, and taco seasonings, then piled into warm tortillas with crunchy cabbage, avocado, cilantro, and your favorite toppings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Salsa Chicken
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups chunky tomato salsa
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice divided
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • For the Tacos
  • 12 small corn or flour tortillas
  • 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 1 large ripe avocado sliced or diced
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges for serving
  • Optional Toppings
  • Crumbled cotija or shredded Monterey Jack
  • Diced red onion
  • Jalapeño slices
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Pico de gallo
  • Extra salsa

Method
 

  1. Spread ½ cup salsa over the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Arrange chicken breasts over the salsa.
  3. Combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  4. Season the chicken evenly.
  5. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons lime juice.
  6. Spoon remaining 1½ cups salsa over the chicken.
  7. Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 4–5 hours, until chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) and shreds easily.
  8. Transfer chicken to a clean cutting board or shallow bowl.
  9. Shred into irregular bite-size pieces using two forks.
  10. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the salsa juices.
  11. Cover and cook on LOW another 10–15 minutes.
  12. Stir in remaining lime juice and adjust salt to taste.
  13. Warm tortillas.
  14. Add shredded cabbage and salsa chicken to each tortilla.
  15. Top with avocado, cilantro, and desired optional toppings.
  16. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Notes

Use thawed chicken for predictable slow-cooker cooking.
A thick, chunky salsa works better than a very watery salsa.
No additional broth or water is necessary.
Chicken breasts can dry out if cooked excessively, so begin checking near the lower end of the cooking window.
The filling can be refrigerated for 3–4 days or frozen for approximately 3 months.
Keep tortillas and fresh toppings separate during storage.