Weeknight Tacos · Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos
Screen stays on while you cook
Before you start
Gather your ingredients
Swaps for chili powder
Instead of chili powder
- Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
- Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.
Swaps for ground cumin
Instead of cumin
- Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
- Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
- Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.
Swaps for garlic powder
Instead of garlic
- Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
- Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
Step 1 of 7
Stir the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt together and sprinkle it over both sides of the chicken.
Step 2 of 7
Lay the chicken in the slow cooker and pour the salsa over the top.
Step 3 of 7
Cover and cook on LOW (or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH) until the chicken is tender and reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
165°F
Step 4 of 7
Move the chicken to a cutting board and it with two forks.
shred (how to shred)
Shred Pull cooked meat (or cabbage and other vegetables) into thin strands. 1. Let cooked meat cool just until you can handle it, and take out any bones.2. Hold the piece in place with one fork.3. Drag a second fork through it, following the grain, so it pulls apart in strands.4. Toss the strands with a spoonful of the cooking juices so they stay moist. Done when: The meat pulls apart with almost no effort. If it fights you, it needs more cooking time. Safety: Meat straight from the pot holds steam inside; open it up and let it cool for a few minutes first.How to shred cooked meat with two forks: mistakes to avoidStep 5 of 7
Return the chicken to the slow cooker, add the lime juice and stir it into the sauce.
Step 6 of 7
Cover and let the chicken soak up the sauce on the WARM or LOW setting.
Step 7 of 7
Pile the chicken into warm tortillas with a slotted spoon and add your toppings.
All done
Enjoy!
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