Easy Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken Recipe (Keto and Low Carb)

If you’re looking for a slow cooker recipe for Taco Tuesday that you can just set and forget, Mexican shredded chicken is a great recipe to add to your low carb meal plan rotation.

The best way to stick to keto is to keep it simple. You can’t make following a low carb diet any easier than healthy meals that only take a few minutes to throw into a crock pot. Take a few minutes to shred the chicken – and boom! This easy shredded Mexican chicken recipe is a lifesaver on busy weeknights.

Before we talk about how to make slow cooker Mexican chicken, I wanted to let you know this blog contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you click through. I also link to the same info that’s helped me lose 100 pounds with a low carb lifestyle I love. Click through so this info can help you too!

Mexican Shredded Chicken Ingredients

This easy recipe calls for only a few simple ingredients. Who knew such a flavorful keto-friendly meal could be so easy?

Well, I did. I’ve been making delicious homemade keto meals at home for more than seven years now. If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time – then you did too 😉

Main Ingredients

The main ingredients for this delicious recipe are 2 pounds of chicken and a cup of fresh salsa.

When it comes to keeping inflammation low on a keto diet, using organic chicken is best. If you’re unable to source high quality meats near you, check out Butcher Box. They’ll deliver grass-fed, organic meats straight to your doorstep every month.

It’s up to you whether you turn this into a chicken thigh keto recipe, or if you want to keep it basic. Both boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts work well in the slow cooker. Either cut cooks up a delicious recipe – so go with what you prefer for this easy Mexican shredded chicken.

When it comes to the kind of salsa you use for this recipe, choose your favorite jar of salsa from the grocery store. I prefer the fresh salsa located in the refrigerated section. If you’re fancy, you could even add your own homemade salsa to this recipe.

Spice it Up

To really make this a flavorful chicken dish, add in minced garlic and lime juice.

The dry ingredients for this Mexican style chicken include smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin and sea salt. This authentic Mexican mix will keep your taste buds happy.

While you could get away with skipping the loose spices and adding taco seasoning to this slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken recipe instead, you need to be choosy.

Most taco spice packets from the grocery store contain less than stellar ingredients, like highly processed vegetable oils. These are the ingredients you’re trying to avoid to keep inflammation low on a keto diet. My favorite low junk taco seasoning brand is Siete.

If you go with another brand, be sure to really dig into that nutrition label for a mix that is made up of only spices, without fillers or chemicals.

 

How to Make Low Carb Mexican Shredded Chicken

Let’s start with a few prep tips before throwing this meal together:

• Be sure to spray the crockpot with a nonstick cooking spray for easy clean up. (Stick with coconut oil spray. Quit using canola oil based sprays 🧐)
• Use chicken that’s been fully thawed to avoid too much extra liquid while cooking
• Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding it into the crockpot
• Preheat the crockpot on low while you gather all of the ingredients
• Give your hips a good shake, throw one arm up in the air, and scream “Ole!”

Ok – so that last tip is completely optional, but it will make cooking this delicious shredded chicken even more fun.

Let’s Get Cooking!

Once everything is prepped, place the chicken into the crockpot. Add it in a single layer so the chicken cooks evenly.

Then, layer the minced garlic directly on top of the chicken. Spread the garlic evenly over the chicken with a spatula.

Next, mix the spices into the salsa. Stir well to combine.

Then pour the salsa on top of the chicken. Use the spatula to coat all of the chicken with salsa. Finally, place the lid onto the crockpot and allow the chicken to cook for 5-6 hours on low heat.

If you’re in a hurry, you can cook this dish on high heat, but the chicken won’t be as tender. The cooking time at this temperature is around 3-4 hours. Next time, plan a little more time for tender chicken.

Once the crockpot Mexican chicken is fully cooked, pour the lime juice over the chicken and then shred the meat.

You can do this two different ways. Choose your preferred method:

• The first way is to use two forks to shred the meat. This takes a little extra elbow grease – but it still only takes a few minutes and makes for easier clean up.
• The second way is to use a hand mixer to shred the chicken meat. You can either transfer the chicken into a large bowl or shred the chicken right in the crock pot. This requires minimal effort to shred, but a little more work when it’s time to wash the dishes.

Once you shred chicken, eat as is or top it with sour cream and a little more of your favorite salsa. Serve shredded chicken as part of a burrito bowl or with your favorite low carb side dish.

This recipe makes a big batch, so store leftovers in an airtight container to reheat for lunch later in the week.

 

The Mexican Shredded Chicken Wrap Up

With just a few steps, you have a new kind of chicken your entire family will love. I always make a large batch of this chicken since it’s so easy to reheat on the stovetop. You could even just eat a few slices cold from the fridge if you’re looking for a quick keto-friendly snack.

My favorite way to serve this recipe is to turn it into a keto-friendly bowl by adding it on top of a bed of Mexican cauliflower rice.

The flavor of these recipes combined is amazing. You could even try it on top of cauliflower cilantro lime rice for a different flavor combo.

Another great way to serve this recipe is to make chicken tacos. Skip the flour tortillas and use lettuce wraps instead for a crunchy low carb option.

If you’re looking for other Mexican food inspired favorites, check out this layered taco salad. It’s one of the first low carb recipes I created that helped me lose 100 pounds. Even my best friends who don’t monitor how many carbs they eat love it!

Buffalo ranch taco salad is another quick and easy dish with a Mexican flair.

If you love this recipe, don’t forget to save it to your keto-friendly chicken recipes Pinterest board. Sharing is caring – please share this recipe with your friends on social media.

Keep scrolling for the recipe card and nutritional information.

 

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Low Carb Mexican Shredded Chicken

More Delicious Recipes from Eating Fat is the New Skinny:

 Keto Taco Casserole

Garlic Butter Chicken Fajitas

Cheesy Buffalo Ranch Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

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