Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos are easy to make with just SIX simple ingredients: chicken, garlic, salsa, taco seasoning, black beans, and corn. And this flavorful recipe for shredded chicken tacos is both delicious and effortless, since the slow cooker does all of the work!

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos with text overlay.

I know y'all love crockpot recipes. So even though winter is behind us, don't think you can't still pull out your trusty ol' slow cooker! But instead of hearty, comforting soups and stews, the warmer months see me utilizing my slow cooker for sandwich toppings, taco fillings, pizza toppings, and more. So that's in line with what I have for you today....Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos!

I actually hesitated to post this recipe because it's one of those that I feel is so easy and brainless that everybody must already know about it and make it regularly. But my rational side argued that there are probably many of you out there who haven't, in fact, tossed this particular combination of ingredients into the slow cooker before. And if that's the case, you are truly missing out. So these easy-breezy Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos are for especially for you!

Ingredients

You only need SIX basic ingredients to throw together these easy, flavorful, crockpot chicken tacos:

Chicken. I typically use chicken breasts because I always have them on hand and they're quick to shred. But you may certainly substitute your favorite cuts of chicken instead.
Taco Seasoning. Check the ingredients on the packet to make sure your taco seasoning has straightforward ingredients. Or, better yet, quickly whip up a batch of Homemade Taco Seasoning yourself so that YOU can control the ingredients!
Garlic. Minced. As much as I love fresh garlic, I've always felt like it's acceptable to use (jarred and refrigerated) minced garlic in water when it comes to slow cooker recipes...because after the lengthy cooking time, I don't think you can tell a difference anyway. 😉
Black beans. Canned; rinsed and drained. You can use pinto beans instead of black, if you like.
Corn. Frozen. Drained canned corn would work as well if that's all you have.
Salsa. The type of salsa you use in this recipe will dictate the final taste, texture, and heat of your crockpot chicken tacos. So mild, medium, or hot...chunky or pureed...it's up to you! I make a batch of Easy Homemade Salsa every week, so that's typically what I use. But if you don't have any salsa on hand, you could even use tomato sauce with a few generous dashes of hot sauce instead.

For a plain shredded chicken taco filling, you could actually opt to leave out the black beans and/or corn when making this recipe. However, I like the contrast of flavor and texture that these two ingredients add, plus the fact that they stretch how far the recipe goes.

Close-up of Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos made with salsa and taco seasoning.

How to Make Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)

This is one of those truly effortless dump-and-go crockpot meals.

Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle with taco seasoning.

Chicken breasts topped with taco seasoning in crockpot to make shredded tacos.

Add minced garlic, black beans, and corn over the top.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos ingredients in slow cooker.

Adding black beans and corn to slow cooker.

Pour salsa evenly over everything.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Adding salsa to slow cooker for crock pot shredded chicken tacos.

Remove the cooked chicken from the crockpot to a plate or a cutting board.

Slice the chicken into big chunks and pull apart/shred using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.

Shredded chicken for tacos on cutting board.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos mixture ready in slow cooker.

Stir all of the ingredients to combine, then cover the crockpot again and allow everything to reheat for a few minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos mixture in crockpot.

Serve on flour tortillas with plenty of garnishes for amazing shredded chicken tacos!

Aerial view of chicken tacos with ingredients on table.

Toppings

Whatever you do, be sure you have plenty of your favorite toppings on hand when you make this recipe. These Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos are good as-is...but they are downright spectacular when loaded up!

Here are some of my favorites:

Avocado chunks or slices.
Sour cream.
Salsa.
Pico de gallo.
Shredded cheese.
Diced tomatoes.
Fresh cilantro.

Mmm-mmmm-MMMMM!

Ways to Enjoy Crockpot Chicken Tacos

If you're not in a shredded chicken tacos kind of mood, don't let that deter you from trying this recipe. I have determined that the chicken/black bean/corn mixture is also delicious in the following applications:

Quesadillas.
Nachos.
Enchiladas.
Chalupas or tostadas.
Flautas or taquitos.
Burritos or burrito bowls (over rice or quinoa).

Seriously, any Tex-Mex-type recipe is adaptable to using this filling. And it would probably be good in even more ways than the ones I've listed above.

Let me know if anyone is feeling up to trying it on a pizza... 😉

Slow cooker chicken tacos filling in white bowl.

Yield

The last thing I'd like to mention is that this Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe makes a lot. And it's easy to double if you want even more!

So it's great if you have a large family or if you enjoy the convenience of leftovers (which, incidentally, can be used in one of the other aforementioned options if you don't feel like tacos again). The leftovers also freeze well for a ready-to-go dinner down the road.

And this quick and easy recipe is even great for serving at a party or get-together! Set up a little taco bar with a slow cooker full of shredded chicken taco filling, a stack of warm flour tortillas, and bowls of every taco topping you can think of. Do I envision a game-watching party of some sort in the near future???

Close-up of Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos with cheese, tomatoes, and avocado.

So don't banish that slow cooker to the back of the cabinet just because warm weather has officially arrived...make Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos instead! After all, comfort food season might be on pause, but taco season is just beginning. 🙂

If you prefer to make this recipe in the Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker, you can find that version HERE >>> Instant Pot Chicken Black Bean Tacos.

And if you're in the mood for beef instead of chicken, be sure to check out these similar (but different) Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos!

To Accompany Your Tacos