This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These pulled chicken tacos are the ultimate Tex-Mex weeknight dinner! I make these tacos with my juicy slow cooker pulled chicken recipe that’s cooked in zesty salsa sauce before it’s tucked into a soft tortilla and pan-fried with all the fixings.
Lovers of saucy chicken tinga and slow cooker chicken tacos, this shredded chicken tacos recipe is for you. And if you’re already hunting for next week’s Mexican night meal, try these shredded Buffalo chicken tacos, too.
I recently made this slow cooker pulled chicken and turned the leftovers into the most incredible pulled chicken tacos! I knew right away that they needed a post of their own. The chicken is moist, tender, and jammed full of flavor after cooking for hours in a zesty salsa mixture. Afterward, all you need to do is shred it, and assemble everything between soft tortillas. Pan-fry your tacos, or don’t, either way they’re the best!
Reasons to Love These Pulled Chicken Tacos
- Hands-free. This dump-and-go pulled chicken recipe is my kind of dinner. It leaves most of the work to the crock pot and I can get it started the night before.
- Bold flavors. The chicken slow cooks in a rich, seasoned salsa so there’s no need to make a separate sauce. The result is tender shredded chicken packed with bold Tex-Mex flavor, and the ingredients are crazy simple.
- Saucy and delicious. I use the leftover cooking juices to drench the tortillas before filling them with shredded chicken, beans, corn, and cheese, then pan-frying. Finished off with homemade avocado sauce, these tacos are 100% worth getting my hands a little messy.
- Versatile. Just like I used leftovers for these chicken tacos, you can repurpose the pulled chicken recipe into more delicious meals, from chicken enchiladas to tostadas, taco bowls, salads, and more.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make the pulled chicken and then assemble it into tacos. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe, followed by step-by-step photos.
For the Pulled Chicken
- Chicken – You can make the pulled chicken with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Salsa – Choose your favorite salsa from the store, or homemade salsa. It can be spicy or mild depending on how bold you’d like the flavors to be.
- Brown Sugar – You could also use granulated sugar, honey, or another sweetener.
- Seasonings – Paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder, plus salt and pepper to taste.
For the Tacos
- Tortillas – Feel free to use corn or flour tortillas, whichever you prefer. I like to toast the tortillas in a skillet with olive oil to crisp them up a bit. You could also use taco shells.
- Beans and Corn – These can be kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans. You can use canned sweet corn or trim the kernels from cooked corn on the cob. If you’re using canned corn and beans, remember to rinse and drain them beforehand.
- Shredded Cheese – Freshly grated mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or another melty cheese. You can use Mexican Oaxaca or Cotija cheese, too, if you have it.
- Fresh Herbs – Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish.
Creamy Avocado Sauce
I top these pulled chicken tacos with a bright and zesty, simplified version of my avocado salad dressing. It’s as easy as adding avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime juice, salt, and pepper to a food processor, or using an immersion blender to combine them into a smooth, creamy sauce. See the recipe card for more details.
You can also dress your pulled chicken tacos with Mexican crema, ranch dressing, or this avocado lime ranch dressing.
Recipe Tips
- More seasonings. In place of the individual seasonings in the pulled chicken recipe, you can use taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
- Check the chicken for doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF before you shred it.
- Leave the tortillas plain. Brushing the tortillas with salsa/cooking sauce is optional. The sauce is so delicious, I just think it’s a shame not to use it. Of course, you can skip frying the tacos altogether and assemble the pulled chicken and toppings in plain tortillas instead.
Chicken Taco Fixings
In addition to the sweet corn and red beans in this recipe, these are some more favorite taco toppings that you can use to dress these pulled chicken tacos:
- Guacamole
- Diced tomatoes and onions
- Shredded lettuce
- Tomatillo salsa
- Fresh or pickled jalapeños
- Enchilada sauce
- Red cabbage slaw
Serving Suggestions
I load up my pulled chicken tacos with avocado sauce and fixings, and then serve them with street corn (elote) on the side, or a starter of Southwest egg rolls. I also love this Southwestern salad or stuffed poblano peppers. For dessert, sip on a cozy Mexican coffee paired with a square of Mexican hot chocolate fudge.
Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Leftover pulled chicken. Refrigerate any leftover slow cooker pulled chicken airtight for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm the pulled chicken in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout. I love adding the pulled chicken to a taco bowl along with any leftover taco toppings for a quick, easy lunch.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Pulled Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1¼ pounds chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 1¾ cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the tacos:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup canned corn, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish
For the avocado sauce:
- 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Combine the ingredients. In the slow cooker, add salsa, brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken.
- Cook. Cook the chicken on a HIGH setting for 3 hours or on LOW for 5-6 hours.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred the chicken using two forks, and add ¼ cup of the cooking/salsa sauce to the shredded chicken.
- Make the avocado sauce. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the avocado sauce. Add avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a food blender. Blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
Assemble the tacos:
- Coat the tortillas. Brush a large skillet with oil. Generously brush the flour tortillas with the cooking/salsa sauce from the slow cooker. (optional step)
- Assemble the tacos. Place the tortilla, salsa side up, in the heated skillet. Add 1/8 of the cheese, 1/8 of the chicken, 1/8 of the red beans, and 1/8 of the corn on top of the tortillas.
- Fry it. Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 3-4 minutes. Gently lift and flip the tortilla and cook for another 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve. Serve the warm chicken tacos with the avocado sauce and chopped cilantro or parsley.
Equipment
Notes
- Chicken options. Substitute chicken breast with boneless and skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Seasoning. For more flavor, add taco seasoning.
- Warming the tortillas. You can skip the step of brushing the tortillas with the cooking/salsa sauce and use them as they are. I find the sauce delicious, and it would be a waste not to use it.
- Cheese options. Try adding some fresh cotija cheese or replacing mozzarella cheese with Monterey Jack cheese for a different finish.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Pulled Chicken Tacos
Follow the steps below to make the tastiest chicken tacos. And, if you already have leftover salsa verde chicken or similar in the fridge, you can absolutely use it in this recipe instead! Just skip over the slow cooking part until next time. Let’s make some tacos:
- Cook the chicken. The day before or the morning of, combine salsa, seasonings, and chicken in the crock pot or slow cooker. Cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
- Shed the chicken. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Then, add about ¼ cup of the salsa/cooking sauce, and toss to coat. I like to save the sauce leftover in the slow cooker to brush over the tortillas before assembling the tacos.
- Coat the tortillas. Now, coat a skillet lightly with oil. In the meantime, brush or dip the tortillas in the remaining cooking sauce, chicken birria-style (only if you’d like to, though I highly recommend it!).
- Assemble the tacos. Add the tortillas to your preheated skillet. Sprinkle each tortilla with shredded cheese, then top with your pulled chicken, beans, and corn. Fold the tortilla in half and fry it in the pan for 3-4 minutes, carefully flip, and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.
- Serve. Move the finished tacos to a plate and serve them warm topped with creamy avocado sauce (see the Ingredients section earlier), fresh cilantro, and any taco toppings you’d like.
More Taco Recipes
