Autumn means slow cooker season. My crock pot has been on the counter for weeks, and I love how effortless it makes weeknight dinners. Toss a few ingredients into the pot, set it, and come home to a flavorful meal. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a slow cooker for every tedious task—cleaning, paying bills, even jury duty? One can dream.
Now, about tacos. I could eat tacos every day. These crock pot ranch chicken tacos are a favorite in our house. The chicken is so flavorful you can easily enjoy it with just a fork, no tortilla required. They’re also relatively low in fat—pick lighter toppings and you have a healthy, satisfying meal. We make this recipe regularly, often two to three times a month.
While this was originally a slow cooker recipe, it adapts perfectly to an Instant Pot for a much faster option. I’ve included both methods so you can choose what works best for your schedule.
The ranch seasoning provides a noticeable but not overpowering flavor. If you prefer a stronger ranch profile, reduce the taco seasoning or add extra ranch mix. You can also drizzle ranch dressing on the finished tacos instead of sour cream for an extra hit of flavor. This shredded chicken is versatile—use it in nachos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, or on a Mexican-style salad. Leftovers freeze well (keep some of the cooking liquid) and reheat easily on the stove.
Crock Pot Ranch Chicken Tacos
10 minutes
3 hours
3 hours 10 minutes
These easy ranch chicken tacos can be made in the slow cooker or in an Instant Pot. They’re also great for salads, enchiladas, bowls, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
- 1 package low sodium taco seasoning
- 1 package ranch seasoning mix
- 6 flour or corn tortillas
- Toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, avocado
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, ranch seasoning mix, and taco seasoning. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
- For a slow cooker: cook on low for about 3–3½ hours or on high for about 1½ hours. For an Instant Pot: cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, then perform a quick release. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the cooker and let it sit in the juices for 10–15 minutes to soak up the flavor.
- Use a slotted spoon to place the shredded chicken on tortillas and add desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition estimate below is based on two tacos per serving (including chicken and two flour tortillas) and does not include toppings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 358
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 104mg
Sodium: 886mg
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 41g
Nutrition estimate includes two tacos per serving (about 2–3 tablespoons chicken per taco and two flour tortillas). Does not include toppings.
