Crockpot Chicken Birria Tacos

These crockpot chicken birria tacos are absolutely loaded with flavor! The chicken gets slow cooked in a spiced, savory sauce until it’s fall-apart tender—then it’s tucked into tortillas with melty cheese, crisped up in a hot pan, and served with that rich cooking broth for dipping. Yep, they’re a little bit messy to make… but in the best possible way. This is the kind of hands-on, no-airs-and-graces meal that’s meant to be devoured, and dishes like this always remind me what family dinners and shared meals should really be all about. Good food, made with love. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• We’re using chicken thighs instead of beef, so it’s super flavorful and easy on the budget. Though these are packed with flavor, you need surprisingly few ingredients so they’re good for those nights when you don’t need any extra fuss

• It’s a total crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing with family or friends

• The slow cooker does the hard work, and everyone can dig in and build their own tacos if you want to do things that way 

• That crispy-cheesy taco + birria dipping combo is wildly good!

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs
• Onion
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Fire roasted tomatoes
• Birria seasoning
• Taco sized tortillas
• Mexican cheese (or mozzarella, if you prefer or that’s what you have in your fridge)
• Cilantro and onion, for serving  

How To Make Crockpot Chicken Birria Tacos

Want to skip straight to the recipe? You’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post—perfect for saving in your go-to recipe folder. But if you’re more of a visual learner, keep scrolling. I’ve broken down the steps below with photos to walk you through the whole process.

• Place the chicken and sliced onion in the bottom of your slow cooker.
• In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, chipotle in adobo, tomatoes, and birria seasoning until well combined.

• Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure it’s fully coated.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4, until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
• Once it’s done, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.

• To build the tacos, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Dip a tortilla into the cooking liquid (yes, it’s messy—but so worth it), then lay it in the hot pan.
• Add a scoop of shredded chicken, a handful of cheese, and any toppings you like.

• Fold the tortilla in half, press gently, and flip to cook the other side until it’s crispy and golden.
• Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, then serve hot with extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Recipe Notes

• Storage – Leftover birria is just as good (if not better) the next day. Store any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

• Protein swaps – Not a fan of chicken thighs? You can easily use chicken breasts, a beef roast, or even pork shoulder instead—just adjust the cook time if needed to make sure it’s tender enough to shred.

• Make it ahead – The shredded chicken can be prepped in advance and reheated in the leftover broth when you’re ready to build your tacos.

Serving Suggestions

• Don’t skip the dipping – Serve the tacos with a small bowl of that rich birria broth on the side for dipping. It’s messy in the best way.

• Add a side of rice or beans – Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, or refried beans are perfect for rounding out the meal.

• Top it your way – Load your tacos with chopped onions, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or a drizzle of crema for extra flavor and texture.

• Make it a taco night spread – Let everyone build their own with a taco bar setup—warm tortillas, shredded chicken, toppings, and dipping broth all laid out.

Print Recipe

Crockpot Chicken Birria Tacos

These slow cooker chicken birria tacos are packed with flavor, tender from hours of simmering, and finished with crispy tortillas, melty cheese, and that must-have birria dipping broth. Easy, affordable, and perfect for taco night.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 onion sliced
• 7 ounce canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 14.5 ounce fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 ounce birria seasoning
• Taco sized tortillas
• Mexican cheese or mozzarella
• Cilantro and onion for serving

Instructions

• Place the chicken and sliced onion in the bottom of your slow cooker.
• In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, chipotle in adobo, tomatoes, and birria seasoning until well combined.
• Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure it’s fully coated.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4, until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
• Once it’s done, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.
• To build the tacos, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Dip a tortilla into the cooking liquid (yes, it’s messy—but so worth it), then lay it in the hot pan.
• Add a scoop of shredded chicken, a handful of cheese, and any toppings you like.
• Fold the tortilla in half, press gently, and flip to cook the other side until it’s crispy and golden.
• Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, then serve hot with extra sauce on the side for dipping.

These tacos are bold, messy, and full of all the best things—spice, texture, and loads of flavor. Whether you’re feeding the family or pulling out the slow cooker for a casual get-together, this chicken birria recipe is a guaranteed hit. Don’t forget the dipping broth, a big stack of napkins, and maybe an extra batch—because they disappear fast. And if you make them, make sure you take a few pics and tag me on Instagram @slimmingviolet!