Chipotle Chicken Recipe – Flavorful shredded chipotle chicken made in the slow cooker. Use it in burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and more!
I wanted to get this recipe to you in case you’re looking for a Mexican inspired recipe for Cinco de Mayo (or any night of the week!).
This slow cooker chipotle chicken is a regular in our dinner rotation. It’s easy, delicious, and you can do an endless number of things with it. Stuff it into tortillas for tacos, throw it over some chips for nachos, add it to a salad, put it in a quesadilla, mix it into scrambled eggs, use it in soup (it’s great in tortilla soup). It’s super versatile, and it’s healthy too! The same can’t be said for the pound of chips I consumed with it.
I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They are moist, tender, and literally fall apart. Fire roasted tomatoes, paprika, and chipotle peppers in adobo add flavor to the chicken. The chipotle peppers in adobo add a smoky, deep, mild heat. The chicken is only slightly spicy, you can add more or less heat based on how much chipotle is added. If you’re concerned about heat, I suggest starting with a little less. You can always add more once the chicken is cooked.
Throw the ingredients in your slow cooker, give it a few hours, and before you know it, you’ll have delicious chicken waiting for you!
More dinner ideas: Chipotle Pimento Cheese, Queso Dip, Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce, Spring Vegetable Alfredo, Pesto Macaroni & Cheese.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, (about 1 ¾ pounds )
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeded and minced plus 1 scant tablespoon adobo sauce
- One 15 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, plain crushed tomatoes can be substituted
- ¼ cup water
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the carrot, onion, and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the chicken with paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, chipotle, and adobo sauce. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and water.
- Cook on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and falling apart. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Stir it around to coat it in the sauce. At this point, I like to cook the shredded chicken for another hour, just to allow it soak up extra juice and flavor. If you don’t want to wait another hour, you can serve it now.
- Before serving, drain off any excess liquid that has accumulated (this just depends on personal preference and how saucy you want your chicken). Serve with any of the suggested items below.
Notes
Garnishes: shredded cheese, avocado, guacamole, diced tomato, shredded cabbage, sour cream, tortilla chips.
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Allyson says
YUM! this reminds me of pulled pork BBQ, which I love since I’m from NC. Like the idea of adding into scrambled eggs!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Allyson!
Teri says
I can’t wait to make this next week for Cinco de Mayo.
Celebrating Sweets says
Enjoy!
Joanne says
These are totally fiesta food! Love how you can make one filling and then shove it into all kinds of things – tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas…the list is endless!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Joanne! Yes, it’s very versatile. 🙂
bri | bites of bri says
ooooh, You know I need another chicken thighs recipe! I love the simplicity of these. They look delish!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Bri!