Easy Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos

by

Easy Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos

Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos turn a short ingredient list into an easy taco-night dinner. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook slowly with taco seasoning, queso dip, drained Rotel tomatoes and chicken broth until the chicken becomes tender enough to shred.

Once shredded, the chicken goes straight back into the creamy queso sauce. Shredded cheddar is added at the end and allowed to melt, creating an extra-cheesy taco filling without requiring a separate sauce or complicated preparation.

The slow cooker does most of the work. After loading the chicken and sauce ingredients, the supplied recipe calls for cooking everything on LOW for 6 hours. Then you shred the chicken, stir it through the sauce, melt in the cheddar and serve the filling in taco shells or tortillas.

Fresh cilantro rounds out the ingredient list and can accompany the finished tacos. With chicken, queso and taco seasoning at its core, this Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos recipe is designed around straightforward preparation and plenty of creamy, savory flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy slow cooker preparation: Add the chicken and sauce ingredients, then let the crockpot handle the long cooking stage.
  • Short ingredient list: The recipe uses chicken, queso, taco seasoning, Rotel, broth, cheddar, cilantro and taco shells or tortillas.
  • Creamy queso sauce: A jar of queso dip cooks with the chicken and becomes part of the finished shredded chicken filling.
  • Extra cheesy finish: One cup of shredded cheddar is melted into the chicken after shredding.
  • Simple seasoning: One packet of taco seasoning supplies the main seasoning blend.
  • Rotel adds tomatoes: One drained can is added before slow cooking.
  • Flexible taco serving: The original ingredient list allows either taco shells or tortillas.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 jar queso dip
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Taco shells or tortillas

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Breasts

The recipe uses 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They go into the crockpot whole and are shredded after the 6-hour LOW cooking period.

Queso Dip

One jar of queso dip provides the creamy base for the chicken. The source does not specify a jar size or particular variety, so no ounce measurement has been assigned.

Taco Seasoning

Use one packet of taco seasoning. Sprinkle it over the chicken before adding the queso, tomatoes and broth.

Rotel Tomatoes

The recipe calls for one can of Rotel tomatoes, drained before adding. A can size or specific Rotel variety was not supplied.

Chicken Broth

Half a cup of chicken broth joins the queso and tomatoes in the crockpot, supplying additional cooking liquid.

Cheddar Cheese

One cup of shredded cheddar is added after the chicken has been cooked, shredded and stirred back into the sauce. Let the cheddar melt into the mixture before serving.

Fresh Cilantro

Fresh cilantro appears in the supplied ingredient list without a quantity. The source does not give a separate instruction for it, so an exact amount or mandatory garnish step has not been invented.

Taco Shells or Tortillas

Serve the finished queso chicken in either taco shells or tortillas. The recipe does not specify a quantity, size or tortilla type.

Equipment

  • Slow cooker or crockpot
  • Measuring cup
  • Forks or another suitable utensil for shredding the cooked chicken
  • Large spoon for stirring and serving

How to Make Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos

1. Add the Chicken

Add chicken to crockpot.

2. Add the Taco Seasoning

Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.

3. Add the Queso, Rotel and Broth

Add queso, Rotel and broth.

4. Slow Cook

Cook LOW 6 hours.

5. Shred the Chicken

Shred chicken and stir into sauce.

6. Add the Cheddar

Add cheddar cheese and melt.

7. Serve

Serve in tacos.

Tips for the Best Results

  • Follow the layering order: Start with the chicken, sprinkle over the taco seasoning, and then add the queso, Rotel and broth.
  • Drain the Rotel: The ingredient list specifically calls for drained tomatoes.
  • Use the supplied LOW setting: The original recipe specifies 6 hours on LOW and does not provide a HIGH alternative.
  • Shred after slow cooking: Cook the chicken first, then shred it and stir it back into the sauce.
  • Add cheddar at the end: The shredded cheddar goes in after the chicken has been shredded.
  • Stir the chicken through the sauce: This distributes the shredded meat throughout the creamy queso mixture.
  • Choose your taco base: Both taco shells and tortillas are supplied serving options.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Forgetting to drain the Rotel: The supplied ingredient list specifically calls for drained tomatoes.
  • Adding the cheddar at the beginning: The original sequence adds the cheddar only after cooking and shredding the chicken.
  • Skipping the final stir: Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce before adding the cheddar.
  • Inventing a HIGH cooking schedule: Only LOW for 6 hours was supplied.
  • Assuming package sizes: The source does not specify the size of the queso jar, Rotel can or taco seasoning packet.
  • Assuming a specific tortilla: The source simply allows taco shells or tortillas without specifying a type or size.

Substitutions and Variations

The supplied recipe provides one explicit serving choice: use taco shells or tortillas. No substitutions for the chicken, queso, taco seasoning, Rotel, broth or cheddar were included with the original recipe.

Because no additional variations were supplied, changing those ingredients would create an editorial variation rather than reproduce the original Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos recipe.

Serving Suggestions

The original recipe instructs you to serve the creamy shredded chicken in tacos and supplies either taco shells or tortillas for that purpose. Fresh cilantro also appears in the ingredient list and can accompany the finished tacos, although the source does not specify an exact quantity or separate cilantro step.

Additional taco sides and toppings were not supplied, so none have been presented as part of the original recipe.

Storage and Reheating

Specific storage and reheating instructions were not included with the original recipe, so this article does not assign a storage duration or reheating method that was not supplied.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos?

This recipe combines slow-cooked chicken breasts with taco seasoning, queso dip, Rotel tomatoes and chicken broth. The cooked chicken is shredded into the sauce, finished with cheddar and served as tacos.

How much chicken do I need?

The recipe calls for 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

How much queso should I use?

The supplied recipe calls for one jar of queso dip. A specific jar size was not provided.

Do I drain the Rotel tomatoes?

Yes. The ingredient list specifically calls for one can of Rotel tomatoes, drained.

How much chicken broth goes into the crockpot?

Use ½ cup of chicken broth.

How long do Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos cook?

The supplied cooking instruction is LOW for 6 hours.

Can I cook the chicken on HIGH?

The original recipe does not provide a HIGH cooking time, so no alternative HIGH setting has been assigned.

When should I shred the chicken?

Shred the chicken after the 6-hour LOW cooking stage, then stir the shredded chicken into the sauce.

When do I add the cheddar cheese?

Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar after shredding the chicken and stirring it into the sauce. Allow the cheddar to melt before serving.

Should I use hard taco shells or tortillas?

Either works according to the supplied ingredient list, which specifically allows taco shells or tortillas.

How much cilantro should I use?

The recipe lists fresh cilantro without an exact quantity.

How many tacos does this recipe make?

The supplied recipe does not state a serving yield or number of tacos, so no quantity has been assigned.

Recipe Card: Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos

Recipe Name: Crockpot Queso Chicken Tacos

Description: Tender slow-cooked chicken mixed with creamy queso, taco seasoning, Rotel and cheddar, then served in taco shells or tortillas.

Cook Time: 6 hours on LOW

Method: Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 jar queso dip
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Taco shells or tortillas

Instructions

  1. Add chicken to crockpot.
  2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
  3. Add queso, Rotel and broth.
  4. Cook LOW 6 hours.
  5. Shred chicken and stir into sauce.
  6. Add cheddar cheese and melt.
  7. Serve in tacos.

Recipe Notes

  • Use 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
  • Drain the Rotel tomatoes before adding them.
  • The source does not specify the size of the queso jar or Rotel can.
  • Only a LOW cooking schedule of 6 hours was supplied.
  • Shred the chicken after cooking and stir it back into the queso sauce.
  • Add the cheddar after shredding the chicken.
  • Serve in taco shells or tortillas.
  • Fresh cilantro is listed without an exact quantity or separate instruction.

Storage and Reheating

Specific storage and reheating instructions were not included with the original recipe.

 

Leave a Comment