Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Yes! You can make Mexican Shredded Chicken in the slow cooker. It is so easy and perfect for any Chicken Recipe with Southwest Flavor from tacos to burritos and enchiladas.

This shredded chicken is so versatile that you will want to make extra for taco salads or to smother in BBQ sauce for a delicious sandwich.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most popular Mexican food recipes share many of the same delicious ingredients? They just "mix and match" them a little differently.

If you have a few authentic salsa recipes, a couple of meat or vegetable fillings and really amazing tortillas, you can make any number of your favorite Mexican dishes. Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker is one of those recipes.

If you don't think Mexican food can be healthy, think again. This jalapeño and lime flavored pulled chicken recipe calls for no extra fat or carbs, just citrus, spices and a little chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer them slowly in the crock pot for tender, delicious and healthy meal.

How to Serve Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken is one of my favorite fillings in Southwest/Mexican Recipes so, I like to make extra. That way, I serve can it on a taco salad or mix it into a chicken salad stuffed avocado later in the week.

Add this shredded chicken recipe to these BBQ Chicken Nachos for an easy weeknight meal. Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas and Crispy Chicken Tacos are perfect recipes for this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.

Don't forget pasta! This chicken is fabulous in Chicken Pasta Salad recipes.

This is the slow cooker I use, it is medium sized and moderately priced. (Amazon Affiliate link) Slow Cooker.

Breaking News! Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker? Yes! This Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe is a game changer for me.

It only takes a few ingredients-

It only takes a few ingredients that you probably have on hand to make this Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker recipe.

Chicken Breasts- I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but, bone in chicken is great, too. just remove the skin so that the flavors can seep into the chicken as it cooks.

Tip: You don't have to thaw the chicken before putting it in the slow cooker but, I try to thaw it if I have time. Using frozen chicken requires a longer cooking time PLUS I feel that the extra water dilutes the seasonings. Increase the seasonings and allow for more cook time if you are using frozen chicken.

Chicken Stock- I use chicken stock if I have it on hand. Vegetable stock is also a very delicious choice. If you are out of stock, use bouillon cubes or granules. Be sure to dissolve the bouillon in the recommended amount of water before adding it to the chicken.

Garlic- two medium cloves of fresh minced garlic is all that is needed. You can use 1 teaspoon of minced garlic from a jar or tube to save time, just remember that the jar of garlic is very strong, you may want to use less.

Lime Juice- the juice of one medium to large lime adds freshness. Don't forget the lime zest, it adds more lime flavor without adding more acidity. Tip: Zest the lime BEFORE you cut it and squeeze it.

Jalapeños- to reduce some of the heat, remove the seeds and the veins from inside the chile. Jalapeños are a pretty mild chile, if you would like more heat, use Serrano chiles.

Seasonings- You may already have these spices in your cabinet, be sure to check before you shop for ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.

Recipes for Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker

If you love Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker, you will love these recipes:

BBQ Chicken Burritos- substitute this pulled chicken for the grilled chicken in this Southwest Burrito recipe.

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Burritos- I love these burritos! Use this jalapeño lime flavored pulled chicken instead of rotisserie chicken.

Chicken Green Chile Chicken Casserole- Donna's retro-style dinner recipe will help you get dinner on the table in a hurry.

Healthy Southwest Chicken Spring Rolls- this healthy Southwest spin on Thai Fresh Spring Rolls is perfect for this Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker