Easy Mexican Shredded Chicken

I love a meal prep moment and this easy Mexican Shredded Chicken is one of my favorite weekly staples! Well that and this Chipotle Salsa (which goes great with this recipe).

Move over pulled pork, there's a new shredded chicken in town and it's easy to make! This Mexican shredded chicken is perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or just served on its own with rice and beans. Best of all, it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish! So what are you waiting for?

Mexican Shredded Chicken can be made in a slow cooker or a heavy bottom dutch oven! Both recipes are listed below - but the Dutch Oven takes only 20-30 minutes total so when I'm in a rush, that's my preferred method. Once it's done you can use this on just about everything (which, as you know, is one of my favorite perks of certain recipes) But wait! Looking for more easy recipes like this one? Enter my epic Mexican Lasagna and Chicken Chili Verde. Trust me, you're going to want to make this!

I'll mix this into some cooked quinoa and top it with some guacamole. Or I'll fold it into some cheese and make chicken enchiladas or flautas. It would be equally as delicious tossed with some pasta and veggies. Or even thrown onto a pizza. Basically any way you mix it, it's going to work. That's what's so wonderful about something like this. In less than 30 minutes you're going to have a perfectly cooked protein that you can use for just about anything!

And feel free to use any variety of my salsas! You can mix and match them up and your chicken will just take on the flavor of whatever type of salsa you choose!

What is in Mexican Shredded Chicken?

Four ingredients, thats it. Don't you just love a simple recipe?

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Chipotle Salsa or your favorite store bought salsa

Is Mexican Shredded Chicken Spicy?

The beauty with this recipe is that the spice comes from the salsa you decided to cook the chicken in. If you want to go hot I would suggest a habanero or Jalapeño based salsa. If you want to go mild, I would opt for a chipotle salsa or any mild salsa you can find in the grocery store. I love this one from Trader Joes.

Easy Shredded Chicken

Author: Gaby Dalkin

4.9 from 10 votes

The easiest Shredded Chicken recipe that works for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas etc.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwestern

Servings 4 Servings

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• ▢ Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• ▢ 1 cup Chipotle Salsa or your favorite store bought salsa

Instructions

 

For a slow cooker (5-6 hours)

• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Add the chicken into a slow cooker along with the olive oil and salsa. Turn to high heat and cook for 5-6 hours until the chicken is falling apart. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken while still in the slow cooker and let it rest in the salsa before serving.

For a Dutch Oven (30 minutes)

• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Place a large skillet with olive oil over high heat and let the oil heat for a moment. Using a pair of tongs, add the chicken to the skillet and sear the chicken on both sides for 3 minutes each so that each side is golden brown.
• Add the salsas to the skillet and cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid. Reduce the heat to medium and let the chicken cook for 25-30 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, using a pair of tongs, flip the chicken over to the over side and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and using 2 forks, shred the chicken and then use as needed.

For an Instant Pot

• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Turn an instant pot onto the saute setting. Add the olive oil and let the oil heat for a moment. Using a pair of tongs, add the chicken to the instant pot and sear the chicken on both sides for 3 minutes each so that each side is golden brown. Add the salsa on top, close the lid and make sure it's sealed, and set the instant pot to poultry. Let the chicken cook and remove once the instant pot is done. Shred with 2 forks and serve as needed.

Notes

I kept the seasoning basic here so you can make a ton of this at once and portion it into freezer bags. Then it's super easy to take it out and stir into Italian, Mexican, or any meal!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

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