Crockpot Chicken Tacos (2024)

FAQs

Why is my crockpot shredded chicken tough? ›

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

Taco meat can dry out if you don't add extra water to the slow cooker. I suggest adding water before turning on the heat.

We recommend putting a small amount of liquid (like broth, water or tomatoes) into your slow cooker. It will help prevent burning and its steam cooks the chicken and keeps it moist. Be sure to follow these other slow-cooker tips.

Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes. Perfect for shredding!

Absolutely! Cooking vegetables with raw chicken in a crock pot is a great way to have a complete meal in one pot. Add your favorite vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions, or green beans to the crock pot along with the chicken for a delicious and nutritious meal.

That is why tough meats become “fork tender” in the slow cooker. Chicken breasts have very little connective tissue; that means they can be cooked quickly because the long cooking time needed to soften connective tissue isn't necessary. They also have little fat, which means they can become dry if cooked too long.

A typical 12-serving taco seasoning mix recipe uses about 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch. If you want to skip the cornstarch in your homemade seasoning to use it for other purposes, just sprinkle ⅓ to ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per pound of browned, spiced meat before adding ¾ cup of water and heat until thickened.

What you're doing when you add water is helping the cornstarch create a smooth sauce flavored with the spices. The heat then activates the cornstarch, thickening the mixture.

Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour water and seasoning mix over beef; stir to combine.

Don't shoot the messenger. But, do not cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts on HIGH unless you like overcooked, dried out, tough meat. Always cook on LOW.

Why does chicken get rubbery in a slow cooker? ›

Rubbery chicken is usually an indicator of overcooked chicken. The longer the chicken cooks, the more moisture it loses, and without moisture, the protein fibers become elastic, AKA rubbery.

For a whole chicken – Place it in your slow cooker breast side down. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. For bone-in pieces - Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 3-4 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.

You're going to compromise the texture of chicken a bit when you cook it for 8 hours in the slowcooker. It's going to be super tender, but not “sliceable”, so use this to your advantage and shred the meat using two forks and toss it with the cooking liquid.

You can overcook chicken in a slow cooker. If the chicken is cooked too long, it will become dry and tough. Check your chicken for doneness early, especially if it is one of your first times making it.

As long as the temperature remains above 140 F you can leave your chicken in the cooker all day but try to avoid more than 12 hours…

Moisture: Introduce moisture to the chicken to help soften it. You can do this by marinating the cooked chicken in a sauce or broth for a while. This can help rehydrate the meat and add some flavor. Just be careful not to over-marinate, as the chicken could become mushy.

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

The longer the chicken cooks, the more moisture it loses, and without moisture, the protein fibers become elastic, AKA rubbery.

Cook Low and Slow

Add your other ingredients and liquids, then set your cooker to “low.” Plan for 6-9 hours of cooking time for your warming slow cooker meal. This long, slow braise breaks down the connective tissue and fat, creating deliciously soft and juicy meat.