BBQ Chicken Tacos

5 from 1 vote

Mar 21, 2024

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These easy slow cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos are the perfect dinner for a busy weeknight! This healthy dump-and-go crockpot recipe is made even better with a quick 5-minute coleslaw!

four bbq chicken tacos covered with easy coleslaw on a plate with pickles

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Tacos
How to Make the BEST chicken tacos in the crock pot
If you love this easy meal, you should try these crock pot dinners!
BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

These tasty BBQ Chicken Tacos are made perfectly tender in the slow cooker for an easy dinner the whole family will love! Switch up your Taco Tuesday with a tangier version coated in a garlicky BBQ sauce and topped with a quick, fresh slaw to brighten the whole dish. Chicken breasts make this a lean recipe, and the coleslaw is a flavorful, dairy-free alternative to cheese! Feeding a crowd is easy with this simple, healthy dinner!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Easy – This dump-and-go meal is easy to prep ahead of time and doesn’t require any babysitting or effort. Mix the sauce, mix the coleslaw, and let the slow cooker do its job!
Healthy – This lean chicken recipe uses whole ingredients, and it’s easy to turn it into a low-carb meal! Picking the right tortilla for your dietary preferences can help this meal work for nearly anyone. This high protein meal with low calories can easily work into nearly any diet.
Meal Prep Friendly – Every aspect of this recipe could be prepped ahead of time, making it the perfect dinner for a busy night! The chicken can even be cooked and frozen for long-term meal planning or for gifting to new parents, sick neighbors, or stressed friends.

a bowl of coleslaw surrounded by juicy bbq chicken from the crock pot

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Tacos

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this easy chicken dinner. You will find exact measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Juicy chicken taco filling
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – This cut keeps the meal very lean and healthy. You could also use chicken thighs or even tenderloins if you prefer, though both are smaller and may cook more quickly.
- Apple cider vinegar, sweetener, BBQ sauce, and minced garlic – I recommend using honey (paleo friendly) or brown sugar monkfruit (keto friendly) for your sweetener. If low-carb, make sure to use a sugar-free barbeque sauce.
Quick & easy coleslaw
- Cabbage slaw mix – This often comes bagged and includes pre-shredded or roughly chopped cabbage and carrots. Tri-color coleslaw mix contains red lettuce which is great for those who like a big crunch.
- Mayonnaise and lime juice – Mayo adds the creamy base while tangy lime juice adds the perfect contrast to the BBQ chicken! If you’ve got a lime to zest, adding just a hint would add a big, fresh boost of flavor, too.
- Pickled jalapeno and fresh green onions (green tops only) – These will need to be finely chopped so that the flavor comes through the entire slaw. You can adjust the amount of jalapeno based on your spice preference, too. You’ll also need salt and pepper to taste.
Tortillas – Use your favorite! You can buy gluten-free or low-carb tortillas if you’d like, or you could try these Keto Zucchini Tortillas for an option that is both. These cassava flour tortillas are paleo and grain-free.
Optional garnish: pickles, red onion, sour cream, black beans, cheddar cheese, avocado, etc.

How to Make the BEST chicken tacos in the crock pot

This delicious taco recipe is incredibly easy! It’s the perfect dump-and-go recipe that is made even better with a 5-minute slaw that can be whipped together right before serving. Here’s an easy step-by-step guide to this easy weeknight meal.

Make sauce

bbq sauce mixture being poured over chicken breasts in the slow cooker

Mix together the BBQ sauce, vinegar, sweetener, and minced garlic–Shake it in a jar or whisk it in a bowl. You can do this up to a day ahead of time to make this a true dump-and-go slow cooker recipe. If making the honey bbq sauce ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cook chicken

chicken breasts covered in low-carb bbq sauce in the slow cooker

Lay the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place the lid on top, then cook on low up to 8 hours or on high up to 4 hours. Remember to check your chicken a bit earlier if you swapped the breasts out for thighs or tenderloins.

Shred chicken

shredded chicken in bbq sauce in the crock pot

Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it. Place it back into the slow cooker and stir or toss to coat the chicken in the sauce.

Tip: To save time, skip shredding the chicken with forks on a cutting board! Instead, place them in the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium low. This shreds the chicken for you in no time!

Make slaw

Mix together your shredded coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, lime juice, jalapenos, and green onions. This will last in the fridge up to 5 days in an airtight container, so you can easily prep this ahead of time or whip up right before serving.

four juicy bbq chicken tacos loaded with slaw and pickles

How to serve BBQ Chicken Tacos

I like to warm my tortillas for 10-15 seconds in the microwave–It helps make the tortillas more pliable and helps keep the filling warm. If you’re using corn tortillas, let them sit on a hot skillet for a few seconds on each side instead of microwaving… The corn tortillas can become more delicate after microwaving.

Fill your warm tortillas with the shredded chicken, then top with the creamy coleslaw. For even more flavor, you could add a drizzle of this copycat recipe of Taco Bell’s Creamy Jalapeno Sauce or maybe this Chuy’s copycat Jalapeno Ranch. For sides, consider some Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn or Sweet Potato Cubes. An easy Cucumber Salad or these Four Ingredient Jalapeno Poppers would be great low-carb options as well!

More sides for BBQ chicken tacos

closeup of bbq chicken tacos on low carb tortillas topped with easy coleslaw recipe

Storage

It’s best to keep the barbeque chicken and the coleslaw separate for the best flavor and texture. First, allow the chicken to cool completely, then place in an airtight container up to 4 days. Transfer the coleslaw to its own airtight container, and it should stay fresh in the fridge up to 5 days.

Can you freeze chicken for tacos?

Yes! Cooked, shredded chicken can freeze perfectly, allowing you to put in the work now for a delicious dinner later. Here are the top tips for freezing chicken to last:

Let it cool first. Residual heat turns into condensation which can lead to freezer burn. Make sure your chicken has cooled before closing it up in a container. It should not feel warm at all.
Package it tightly. The less surface touching air, the less likely you are to have freezer burn. Pack the shredded chicken in your freezer container and consider using a bag. This allows you to press, suck, or roll out any air to protect the meat.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. When meat goes through the freezing and defrosting process, the cells are compressed and expanded. While a quick thaw is convenient for us, it can actually damage the cells of the meat, leading to a mushy texture. If you let the chicken thaw overnight in the fridge, you are more likely to have perfectly tender, delicious chicken.

bbq chicken breast recipe with 5-minute coleslaw

Reheating

The key to the best chicken taco leftovers is separation! Your coleslaw is best served slightly chilled, so do not reheat it with the other ingredients. The tortilla doesn’t need as much reheating time as the meat, so it’s best to treat everything separately, then assemble at the end.

Transfer the chicken to a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 50% power in 1-minute increments. Stir the chicken between blasts to promote even heating. Once warm, set it aside and reheat the tortilla for 10-15 seconds on a plate in the microwave. Once it is warm, assemble the tacos and add the slaw.

easy bbq chicken tacos with slaw and pickles

If you love this easy meal, you should try these crock pot dinners!

Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili – This is the perfect dinner on a chilly night when you need some good comfort food! It’s good for meal prepping, too.
Crock Pot Sundried Tomato Chicken – You get loads of flavor from this delicious, easy dinner! Enjoy as is or serve over pasta or cauliflower rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos – This tastes like a special occasion meal, but it’s simple enough to serve on your average busy weeknight Taco Tuesday!
Slow Cooker Pork Sirloin Roast – This inexpensive cut becomes incredibly juicy and tender when given time in the crock pot! Instant Pot and Stovetop directions are included in case your slow cooker is full of potatoes instead.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos – If you want another variation on tacos with all the ease of this crock pot recipe, you’ll love this one! It’s loaded with ranch, salsa verde, and lime juice for a fresh flavor!

BBQ Chicken Tacos

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