Honey Lime Salsa Verde Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

This 10 Minute Crockpot Salsa Chicken is perfect for busy nights

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Tacos — the tangy sweet and spicy flavor of this chicken is out of this world! Pile it in seasoned taco shells, and you have some serious can’t-stop-eating-deliciousness that couldn’t be any easier! 

Thank you Flatout Flatbread for sponsoring this Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken post.  All opinions are my own.

WATCH: Make these Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

 

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SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE CHICKEN TACOS

I  have a love obsession with salsa verde.  From my 3-Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken to my creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas smothered in a luscious, white sauce infuses with sour cream, green chiles and salsa verde to my Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas.  These enchiladas are unlike many of the recipes out there by the same name that use heavy cream.  Instead, my recipe combines extra honey and lime with extra salsa verde for an explosion of flavor that equals my husband’s favorite enchiladas.  Ever.

As I started thinking about those enchiladas, I started obsessing about them.  I needed that fiesta of flavors — in my mouth.  But we’ve been having a heat wave around here and when its extra hot, I love my slow cooker just as much as I love my grill.  So in went chicken, salsa verde, honey, lime, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, etc…

And out came Crockpot salsa verde chicken tacos without even breaking a sweat (at least from cooking). And barely raising a finger.

After you shred your chicken, it will seem like there is a ton of juice/liquid let, but let the shredded chicken soak in the salsa verde honey lime bath for 20-30 minutes more and you will be amazed at how much deliciousness it drinks up.  And even more amazed when the chicken enters your mouth.

Now as much as you will want to devour this Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken plain, it is perfect to stuff in burritos, chimichangas and enchiladas and pile on nachos, tostadas and salads -— but my favorite way to devour slow cooker salsa verde chicken is in Tacos with pico de gallo, guacamole and a side of Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Style Rice! 

But these aren’t just any tacos, these are mini taco shells made of guilt-free Flatout Foldit Ancient Grains Flatbread that get brushed with the seasoned juices from your slow cooker then hung on the oven rungs and baked to golden crispy taco perfection (see video of technique HERE, and start dreaming of the seasoned taco shell possibilities!  BBQ Sauce, Pesto, Buffalo Sauce, etc.).  The shells are hearty, crispy on the outside while still tender on the inside, perfect to cocoon Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken piled high with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream.  And perfect to eat 5 in one sitting.   At least.

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken.  For the most delicious, easy “dump and run” meal.  For your tangy, sweet and spicy chicken cravings.  For your otherworldly delicious taco cravings.  For you.  With love.     

INGREDIENTS IN SALSA VERDE TACOS

These slow cooker chicken tacos have a simple ingredients list:

• Chicken breasts: I prefer using boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe.
• Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Salsa verde: You can use your favorite store-bought salsa verde, or you can make it yourself.
• Honey: Balances out the spices perfectly.
• Lime juice: Freshly squeezed in best, but bottled will work in a pinch.
• Spices: I flavored the slow cooker salsa verde chicken with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
• Flatout FolidIt Flatbread: The base of the tacos.
• Taco toppings: Use your favorite toppings, like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, hot sauce, and so on!

How to make Salsa Chicken Crockpot Tacos

1. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Add all of the remaining Slow Cooker ingredients.
3. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
4. Remove chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 5 minutes before shredding.
5. Return shredded chicken and let cook on low for an additional 20-30 minutes to absorb some of the liquid/juices.
6. Season the Foldit Flatbread Taco Shells (detailed instructions in the recipe card below).
7. Stuff taco shells with chicken and top with desired taco toppings.

How to prep Crockpot Salsa Chicken ahead of time

Yes! You can make the recipe as instructed, then chill for up to 5 days. You can reheat big batches in your slow cooker if you plan on serving this to friends and family — or if you simply want to meal prep for the week ahead!

Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos Crockpot tips and tricks

• For spicier tacos, add extra hot sauce and / or cayenne pepper to the chicken.
• I highly recommend using boneless chicken breasts to make these easy chicken tacos. Boneless chicken breasts are easier to shred and you won’t have to worry about chomping down on any bones.
• The original recipe stated ½ cup honey, so if you have made this recipe previous to 2/22/2017 and thought it was perfect, that is the amount you used.  This was too sweet for some, so I have adjusted it to 1/3-1/2.  You can start with ⅓ cup and add more to taste if desired.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos variations to try

• Sweeten it up: with additional honey.
• Spice it up:  add additional chili powder or chipotle chili powder to taste.
• Make taco salad: Instead making salsa verde tacos, you could use this chicken to make taco salads or burrito bowls.

Storing and reheating Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

This slow cooker salsa verde chicken recipe makes fantastic leftovers as it reheats beautifully and stays tender, juicy and saucy for days! 

• How to store:  store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Taco toppings should be stored in separate containers.
• How to reheat on the stove:  heat a skillet over medium heat on the stove.  Once hot, add the chicken, reduce to medium low and continue to cook and stir occasionally until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water for saucier chicken.
• Reheating in microwave:  transfer chicken to a microwave-safe plate.  Heated on high for 90 seconds, stir then continue to cook at 30-second intervals as needed until heated through.     

How to freeze Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Yes!  This Crockpot salsa verde chicken recipe freezes very well.  To freeze:

1. Let chicken cool completely.
2. Transfer chicken to either a large freezer size bag or divide into smaller size bags.  Alternatively, transfer to airtight container(s).
3. Press air out of the freezer bag, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
4. When ready to eat, defrost chicken in the refrigerator.
5. Heat on the stove until warmed through.

What to serve with Salsa Verde Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow cooker chicken tacos are a spectacular main event that don’t need much by the way of sides.  I love serving them with grilled corn, watermelon, and cilantro lime rice.  

These easy chicken tacos are also fabulous with:

• Chips and salsa.  Every Mexican recipe needs chips and salsa!  Up your salsa game with homemade salsa, grilled corn salsa, pineapple salsa, mango salsa, or avocado corn salsa. 
• Rice: is a must in my book for any taco recipe.  We love serving these tacos with cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice, or avocado rice. You can also serve with quinoa, or low carb cauliflower rice.
• Salads: Mexican salad, southwest salad, corn salad, or southwest orzo salad.
• Veggies:  I HIGHLY encourage you to go with authentic elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn)  – you will not regret it! Other alternatives include baked asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, roasted cauliflower.
• Fruit:  Pina colada fruit salad, fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette, grape salad, summer fruit salad, watermelon salad, or caramelized grilled pineapple.
• Carbs: corn casserole is AMAZING or add some green chiles and or/ jalapenos to my sweet cornbread recipe and watch it disappear (one of my all-time favorite recipes I bring to everything!). Mexican Street Fries are also a favorite that disappear in a flash.

Looking for more crockpot chicken recipes?

• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
• Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Salsa Chicken
• Slow Cooker Fajita Chicken
• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
• Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Chicken
• Asian Sweet Chili Sesame Chicken
• Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken

Looking for More Easy Taco Recipes?

• Turkey Tacos
• Tacos Al Pastor
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
• Chili Lime Chicken Tacos
• Baja Fish Tacos
• Blackened Fish Tacos
• Baked Fiesta Ranch Chicken Tacos
• Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• and on and on…

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Tools Used in This Recipe

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SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE HONEY LIME CHICKEN

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken (and Tacos!) – the flavor of this chicken is out of this world AKA the best "dump and run" meal you will ever make! Use the sweet, tangy spicy Mexican chicken for tacos, burritos, tostadas, salads, etc.

Servings: 12 -24 mini tacos*

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 hours hrs

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Ingredients

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup mild salsa verde (medium for a kick) (I use roasted Herdez in the jar)
• 1/3-1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste

Tacos

• 1-2 packages Flatout FolidIt Flatbread Ancient Grains***
• Monterrey Jack Cheese
• lettuce
• Tomatoes
• cilantro
• Avocadoes
• sour cream

Instructions

• Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add all of the remaining Slow Cooker ingredients except for the hot sauce. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
• Remove chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (there will be a lot of liquid remaining). Return shredded chicken and let cook on low for an additional 20-30 minutes to absorb some of the liquid/juices. Drain excess liquid before serving or use tongs to remove shredded chicken. Taste and add more honey for sweeter, lime for more tang, hot sauce/cayenne for spicier.
• To make Seasoned Flatout FolidIt Flatbread Taco Shells, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each FoldIt in half and lightly brush with Salsa Verde Honey Lime juices from slow cooker on one side. Hang each cut FoldIt in half over individual oven rungs so they from a taco shell and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 10-12 minutes or until edges are crisp. Remove and let cool for 1 minute. (See video on how to bake shells).
• Stuff taco shells with chicken and top with desired taco toppings.

Video

Notes

*The original recipe stated ½ cup honey, so if you have made this recipe previous to 2/22/2017 and thought it was perfect, that is the amount you used.  This was too sweet for some, so I have adjusted it to 1/3-1/2.  You can start with ⅓ cup and add more to taste if desired. **This chicken is a little on the spicy side due to the salsa verde but I think its perfect for most people. If you want it very kid friendly, then I would recommend reducing the salsa verde to ½ cup, honey to ¼ cup lime juice to ¼ cup.  Then adjust to taste. **This recipe makes enough for 2 packages Flatout FoldIt Flatbread (24 mini tacos) but you can just make one package (12 mini tacos) if you prefer.

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