Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

I love my crockpot, it is a lifesaver on busy days especially when the holiday season starts up. I like to make double batches of my slow cooker recipes so I can freeze half for a later date and reheat it on busy nights.

This delicious, healthy slow cooker recipe is as easy as it is versatile. This flavor-packed chicken is perfect for burrito bowls, lettuce wraps, or over a bed of flavorful cilantro-lime rice.

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe

Mexican Shredded Chicken Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 10-oz. cans Rotel fire-roasted diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained
• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1½ T. hickory-flavored liquid smoke
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 t. smoked paprika
• 2 t. dried oregano
• 1 t. cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 limes, quartered
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped

A few things that make this recipe easy for clean up are slow cooker liners and if you aren’t great at shredding meat with a fork try using a hand mixer or my favorite – meat claws.

Mexican Shredded Chicken Directions:

1. Unroll and add chicken thighs to bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. Top with tomatoes, black beans, garlic, jalapeno pepper, liquid smoke, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine, making sure the chicken thighs are coated and submerged in the liquid.
2. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before done cooking, remove the lid and shred chicken while in the slow cooker with two forks. Stir to combine shredded chicken with other ingredients. Cover and cook for remaining 30 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavors.
3. Remove lid and squeeze fresh lime juice into the crock. Add cilantro and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
4. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over your choice of rice and top with cilantro-lime sauce, if desired (printable recipe at bottom of post). Serve with remaining lime wedges and extra cilantro.

This dish pairs great with our quick and easy cilantro lime rice recipe.  My best tip for this dish is to not skip the squeeze of fresh lime juice after cooking. It really brightens the flavors and pulls them all together.  The flavor profile is up to you, this dish is great with extra fresh cilantro and lime juice or with some avocado on top.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

Real Momma

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 8 hrs

Total Time 8 hrs 15 mins

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 10- oz. cans Rotel fire-roasted diced tomatoes & green chilies undrained
• 2 15- oz. cans black beans rinsed and drained
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper finely diced
• 1½ T. hickory-flavored liquid smoke
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 t. smoked paprika
• 2 t. dried oregano
• 1 t. cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 limes quartered
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

 

• Unroll and add chicken thighs to bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. Top with tomatoes, black beans, garlic, jalapeno pepper, liquid smoke, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine, making sure the chicken thighs are coated and submerged in the liquid.
• Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before done cooking, remove the lid and shred chicken while in the slow cooker with two forks. Stir to combine shredded chicken with other ingredients. Cover and cook for remaining 30 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavors.
• Remove lid and squeeze fresh lime juice into the crock. Add cilantro and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
• To serve, spoon chicken mixture over plain brown rice or cilantro-lime rice. Top with cilantro-lime sauce if desired. Serve with remaining lime wedges. Enjoy!

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