3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken | CookOS

3-Ingredient Shredded Chicken

Name: 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 packet taco seasoning; 2 cups chicken broth; 8 tostada shells; 1 (15 oz) can refried beans; 1 cup shredded lettuce; 1/2 cup pico de gallo; 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled; 2 tbsp Mexican crema

This 3-ingredient slow cooker shredded chicken uses boneless chicken thighs, taco seasoning, and broth to create juicy, flavorful meat ready for tacos, tostadas, nachos, or meal prep in under 6 hours.

⚡Slow Cooker

🌍Mexican 🏷️Shredded chicken 🏷️Chicken tostadas 🏷️Tostadas 🏷️Slow cooker Easy recipe

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Total

4h 5m

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

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Ingredients

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
8 tostada shellsoptional
1 (15 oz) can refried beansoptional
1 cup shredded lettuceoptional
1/2 cup pico de gallooptional
1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbledoptional
2 tbsp Mexican cremaoptional

9 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Place the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the basin of a slow cooker.
2
Sprinkle the packet of taco seasoning over the chicken.
3
Pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the chicken.
4
Stir briefly to combine the ingredients.
5
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for about 4 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.
6
Once cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker. It should fall apart easily.
7
Stir the shredded chicken to fully incorporate it with the cooking juices.
8
To assemble tostadas, spread a layer of refried beans onto a tostada shell.
9
Top with a generous portion of the shredded chicken.
10
Add shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and crumbled cotija cheese.
11
Finish with a drizzle of Mexican crema and serve immediately.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than breasts—they contain more fat and stay moist during the long slow cook.
Don't skip browning the chicken first if you have time; it adds depth of flavor though it's not required.
Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker after cooking to absorb all the flavorful broth.
For extra moisture, reserve some cooking liquid before shredding and stir it back in if the chicken dries out.

Substitutions

Taco seasoning packet → homemade blend of cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
Chicken broth → salsa or enchilada sauce (adds more flavor but changes the base liquid profile)

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooked shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to restore moisture.