Slow cooker Rotel tacos with shredded breasts are a cheap and easy meal that is healthy too. You can throw in in the morning with pantry ingredients and let it go until tender. Use fresh meat or Crockpot Frozen Chicken works just as well and turns out just as delicious.

Close-up of two Rotel Tacos filled with shredded meat, diced tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and jalapeรฑo slices, garnished with cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. Lime wedges are placed beside the tacos.
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Tacos with Rotel are simple. You could do the same thing in a pot on your stove too bubbling and breaking down until fork tender. Make in bulk for a large crowd for taco Tuesdays and youโ€™ll be the hit of the party. Just one of our many Crockpot recipes on our site. (affiliate links present)

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 arenโ€™t ready after 6ish hours just keep it on low until youโ€™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.

Letโ€™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 likeโ€ฆ.

  1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ˜‰

A floral design slow cooker with a white base and lid sits on a kitchen countertop, perfect for whipping up a 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe.
Shredded Chicken with Rotel

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 <โ€”โ€” 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.

Can you make taco meat with Rotel?
Can you use Rotel instead of water to cook chicken in a slow cooker?
Crockpot Rotel Tacos

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. Letโ€™s be honest, groceries are expensive nowadays.

Two forks are shredding cooked chicken in a slow cooker. The chicken mingles with a vibrant Rotel sauce featuring diced tomatoes and green peppers, perfect for mouth-watering tacos.

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.

Two Rotel tacos filled with shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, jalapeรฑo slices, sour cream, and lettuce on a white plate. A halved lime and extra jalapeรฑos are in the background.
Two Rotel tacos loaded with shredded chicken, fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy sour cream, fiery jalapeรฑos, and zesty lime wedges on the side.
5 from 1 vote

Rotel Tacos

By The Typical Mom
Slow cooker Rotel tacos are an easy cheap shredded chicken dinner to make. Healthy chicken breasts with few ingredients in Crockpot.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Servings:
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Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Ingredients 

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless skinless is best
  • 1 can rotel, 10 oz
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3/4 c chicken broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste at end
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Instructions 

  • Prepare the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the slow cooker. Sprinkle or pour the remaining ingredients over the chicken.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours 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 and cheese.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 201kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 762mg, Potassium: 711mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 674IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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