This was my first time making Slow Cooked Shredded Chicken Tacos and I don’t know why it’s taken me so long! A fantastic recipe to feed a crowd at a party for just dinner for your family. This is a super easy recipe but not quick. However, delicious so take a look!
Crock Pot Talk
Confession. I’m 47 and have never used a crock pot. Ever.
Lets go back a few years. To be exact the spring of 2011 on a Wednesday morning. I was offered a crock pot, and thought YES! So after exchanging a second hand crock pot over coffee, I thought I was in the win win. Until I got home and had no idea what to do with the thing.
It was the time when I had just started on my recipe writing adventure and I had so many ideas of what I wanted to cook and create. However, none of that involved a crock pot. Nope.
So, I started thinking about ways I could incorporate my cooking to crock pot style. Guess what? I just couldn’t. There was no way to sear fish and sautee vegetables in a crock pot.
And that was pretty much my cooking style, so a crock pot just didn’t cut the mustard, so to speak.
Later that week the crock pot was returned with it’s tail between it’s legs and I’ve never looked back. Until now.
Lately, and by lately I mean this whole past year, I’ve been seeing slow cooked crock pot style meals everywhere. Okay, I know many of you are out there laughing at me because crock pot cooking has been around since bell bottoms made their debut.
But I’ve always been about fast cooking. The idea of waiting for something to cook for say a lifetime, seemed senseless to me. I just didn’t get it, like at all.
On my quest to figure out if I could use a crock pot, I started slow cooking in my oven last winter. I’ve done ribs, beef stew, Mexican Carnitas, a few other things and then these tacos.
Now I get it! And I’m convinced, I need a crock pot. So, Amazon will be hearing from me this pronto.
Coming up With New Ideas
Earlier this week, Tuesday to be exact, I thought of making my same ol Loaded Quesadillas for dinner. Everyone loves them, they are quick and easy so it ‘s an all around win.
That’s when I got to thinking about crock pots and all the success everyone raves about. With not a crock pot in sight, I had a quick glance over to my oven and thought, bingo. I’m making slow cooked tacos in the oven.
It is easy? Yes. It is quick? No. But I can vouch that they are delicious. So, lets take a little look at these small bites of happiness.
Everyone Loved These Tacos
First of all, everyone in my family loved these. Everyone! That doesn’t happen often so when it does, it gets filed in favourites.
And this made a whole lot of servings. Way more than I thought it was going to. We had enough left over for the kids dinner the next evening when we had fishcakes.
And, don’t skip the sauce! I made a special sauce to go with these tacos. In my opinion they made them even better. So if you look at it and think, ain’t gonna happen. Think again. It’s delish!
Notes about the tacos
- These are so easy to make, but not quick. Just wanting to make sure that’s understood so there’s no confusion.
- Okay, so let’s talk can tomatoes for a minute. The can of tomatoes I used had quite a lot of liquid in them. If you are using tomatoes with very little liquid you may need to add a little stock as well. I would say 1/2 Cup/120 ml of chicken or vegetable stock would do. Again, this would only be necessary if you are using a type of canned tomatoes that has very little liquid. My advice would be to check the chicken at the halfway mark of cooking and see if there is only a little bit of liquid. If so, add the stock at continue cooking. Remember, this is just a suggestion as I haven’t done it. It’s just that some cans of tomatoes contain very little liquid whereas others have quite a lot. So, depends on the tomatoes. Not trying to make this confusing, just trying to give a little advice to make sure you get the great tacos that we did.
Taco Notes Continued
- Cooking time will probably vary. Mine took just over 4 1/2 hours to cook completely and fall apart when I pulled at it. I would check it at four hours and go from there. It could take longer as every oven cooks slightly different.
- As for cooking the chicken in a crock pot, I’m sure you can. But I can’t can’t give advice on that until I do it myself. And that will be soon. Then I can revisit this recipe with a crock pot version.
- We used small flour taco wraps and heated them up on a cast iron skillet on the stove. You can do what you want. If you prefer corn wraps or shells, use those. It’s just personal preference.
- And as for toppings, go with what you love. We put everything on them. The special sauce, chopped tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, avocados and extra hot sauce!! Overload but delicious.
Serve this with some Mexican Style Rice and you’re all set! Happy cooking friends and it’s time to slow things down in the kitchen.
Slow Cooked Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 large chicken breast approximately 2lb/1kg
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin
- 1 Teaspoon paprika
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon chili flakes optional
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce:
- 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
- Juice of two limes
- 4 Tablespoons hot sauce your choice of type
- Pinch salt
For serving:
- taco shells
- Avocados
- Cheese
- Salsa
- Shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a small bowl combine the cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili flakes (if using) salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Rub the spice rub completely over the chicken. Place the chicken in a casserole dish and pour over the can of tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes a little with a wooden spoon.
- Cover and cook at 325 degrees F for two hours. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F, uncover and continue cooking for a further 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Chicken should fall apart easily when removed from oven.
- Place chicken on a large cutting board. Either use two forks to shred the chicken apart or pull it apart with your hands.
- Place the shredded chicken back in the sauce and give a good stir.
- Make the sauce by combining the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine.
- Put together in a taco shell or tortilla wrap with the sauce and all your favourite toppings.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!
