Easy Chicken Slow Cooker Rotel Tacos

Slow Cooker Rotel Tacos Recipe

Now you could make this faster by following our Ninja Foodi Shredded Chicken directions and timing but with this sauce vs. just broth. WAY faster but many times low and slow is the way to go. Throw it in in the morning and it will be ready for an early dinner. If you aren’t ready after 6ish hours just keep it on low until you’re ready.

Now this is very similar to our Crockpot Salsa Chicken where you use a can or jar of diced tomatoes with other spicier ingredients. Makes it easier since it is like a dump and go style one pot meal. Breasts work great but if you love thighs better than go with those.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉

Personally we think that this is perfectly spicy for us. The Rotel mixture already has some green chilies and diced green peppers inside. If you wanted to add more spice you could. I like more Roasted Jalapenos to give it a deeper flavor or powdered peppers if all you have available are dried.

Shredded Chicken with Rotel Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless skinless is best
• 1 can rotel <—— buy it here, 10 oz or homemade linked in recipe card below
• 1 packet store bought taco seasoning or homemade
• Small onion diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 3/4 c chicken broth

Variations

As for the meat you can use dark or light meat of course. With either it is much easier and the meat will cook more evenly if pieces are boneless.

If you wanted to make a spicy version of Chicken Birria Tacos you could use this same recipe but add diced jalapenos, hot sauce or red pepper flakes. That would be the easiest method but we do have instructions for the legit sauce linked in that post too if you wanted to use that.

Beyond this you will want tortillas. Small are great for tacos filled with all the fixings you love. Larger can be made into burritos with things like black beans, rice and toppings all wrapped up. Burrito bowls on top of a bed of rice are great. OR add a dollop on top with your cheese to make Air Fryer Chicken Nachos.

How to Make Rotel Chicken Tacos in Slow Cooker

• Prepare the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the breasts or Crockpot boneless skinless chicken thighs work really well too and take a bit less time to break down.
• Sprinkle packet or homemade taco seasoning on top, and pour the remaining ingredients over it too.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours cook time or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with two forks.
• Once the chicken is cooked, use two forks to shred it directly in the slow cooker.
• Stir into the sauce, allowing it to absorb the flavors
• Serve it inside warmed small tortillas with chopped cilantro, sour cream, slices of avocado, squeeze of lime juice and cheese.

If slow cooker Mexican chicken thighs are your jam vs. white meat I get it. It took me a really long time to try them in a few dishes back in the day and I was a believer too. The reality is that I buy and cook with whatever is on sale my friends. Let’s be honest, groceries are expensive nowadays.

How Long to Cook Crockpot Rotel Tacos

You really want the result to be as fork tender as Boiled Shredded Chicken Breasts, your meat will have a ton of flavor this way. Timing will depend on the thickness and whether they are bone-in but 5 hours is the average on low. You will get the same tender fall apart texture you want but since it is cooked right in the sauce for most of the day it takes on all of that spice and tomato goodness.

For low carb you can certainly skip the wraps entirely and just enjoy as is in a bowl with shredded lettuce and other veggies on top. If you have leftover taco meat allow it to cool completely until at room temperature. Then store in freezer bags and in the fridge for 3 days, frozen for up to 3 months to use again.

Thereafter you can use it to make the same thing all over again reheated in a pot with a bit more broth to give it more moisture.