Baja Chicken Tacos in slow cooker is a ultimate lazy summer crockpot dinner recipe. Its super easy to make and full of flavors. Juicy chicken thighs slow cooked in a homemade Baja sauce and Beer and served over warm tortillas with crispy Mexican slaw, Chipotle Mayo, Cotija cheese, Guacamole, Lime and Cilantro on top.
If you know me, you know that Baja shrimp tacos are one of my all time favorites.
There is just something about that crispy battered shrimp and tangy sauce that gets me every time. But this week, I wanted to try those same iconic flavors with chicken, and let me tell you, it is a game changer. You can try my Baja Shrimp Tacos Recipe
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This is honestly one of the easiest weeknight dinners I have made in a while, and it is so incredibly delicious. Its incredibly zesty and fresh just like these Instant Pot Shredded Hawaiian Chicken tacos and this Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken tacos
The best part? It takes exactly 5 to 10 minutes to assemble and prep. Because it is summer right now, the absolute last thing I want to do is heat up my oven or stand over a hot skillet. This recipe lets the Crockpot does the 100% of the heavy lifting. Have you tried my Crockpot Chicken Fajita or Easiest Crockpot Tomato Basil Chicken or Crockpot Buffalo Ranch Chicken (5-ingredient) or The Best Beef Barbacoa Recipe Ever (Crockpot). All of these makes for an insanely delicious tacos with meat cooked in the slow cooker.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Zero Heat: No ovens, no skillets, and no sweating in the kitchen.
- Insane Flavor: Slow cooking the chicken directly in the homemade Baja sauce allows the meat to soak up all the flavors much better than a quick skillet version ever could.
- Super Versatile: You can eat it as tacos, turn it into a low carb bowl, or wrap it up for a hearty lunch.
- Meal Prep Friendly: The sauce and the chicken can both be made ahead of time to save you stress later in the week.
Crockpot Baja Chicken Tacos recipe
👩🍳 Ingredients You Need
For the Baja Chicken
- Chicken thighs: You can also use chicken breast if you want.
- Mayo and sour cream: The creamy base for our Baja dressing.
- Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce: For that perfect smoky kick.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Beer: A splash at the end keeps the shredded chicken incredibly moist.
For the Slaw and Toppings
- Purple cabbage and red onion: Finely sliced for that classic crunch.
- Mayo and lime juice: To toss with the cabbage.
- Corn or flour tortillas: Toasted before serving.
- Garnishes: Chopped fresh cilantro, grated cotija cheese, and extra lime wedges.
More Chicken Thigh recipes you can try this summer
- Blackened Chicken Thigh with Chimichurri Sauce
- Easy Crockpot Chicken Thighs in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce (just 4-ingredients)
- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Apricot Jam Recipe
- Sesame Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Apricot Chicken Thighs in Crockpot
- Crockpot Greek Lemon Chicken Thighs with Veggies & Potatoes
- Chicken Thighs in Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce
- Cajun Butter Crockpot Chicken Thighs and Rice Louisiana Style
- Creamy lemon garlic chicken thighs in Crockpot (Very Creamy & zesty)
- Grilled Honey Lemon Basil Chicken Thighs
- Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken
🍳 Step by Step Instructions
1. Make the Baja Dressing
In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, chipotle chilis in adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and a bit of pepper until smooth.
2. Slow Cook the Chicken
Place your chicken thighs into the crockpot. Pour that beautiful Baja dressing right over the top, making sure the chicken is coated. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. If you are heading out for the day, you can also cook it on low for 5 to 6 hours.
3. Shred and Finish
Once the timer goes off, use two forks to shred the chicken right in the pot. Now pour in some beer, flip the slow cooker to the warm mode, cover it, and let it hang out for an hour so the chicken drinks up all that liquid.
4. Assemble Your Tacos
Toast your tortillas. Toss your purple cabbage and red onions with a little mayo and lime juice to make a quick fresh slaw. Pile the juicy Baja chicken onto the tortillas, top with the slaw, and finish with a heavy squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, and plenty of grated cotija cheese.
Fun Recipe Variations
This recipe is a fantastic base, and you can easily change it up depending on your mood or diet goals:
- Baja Chicken Skillet: If it is not summer or you do not mind the stove, you can make this in a skillet and top it with melted cotija or cheddar cheese.
- Keto and Low Carb: Skip the tortillas completely. Toss the chicken over a bed of the cabbage slaw or serve it with bell peppers for a perfect low carb bowl.
- Make it Heartier: Mix in some rice and black beans to stretch the meal further.
- Crunch Wraps and Burritos: Use the chicken mix along with some rice to roll up massive burritos or layer it with a tostada shell for a homemade protein crunch wrap.
You can try these Authentic Mexican Chicken Tinga Taco and this Mexican Shredded Chicken Carnitas taco and this Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos which are so easy to make Chicken Tacos recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
This is a dream recipe for meal prep. You can mix up the Baja dressing a few days in advance and keep it in a jar in the fridge.
If you are in a massive rush and do not even have 3 hours for the slow cooker, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken. Just mix the rotisserie chicken with the dressing and a splash of beer, then warm it up on the stove or in the crockpot until hot.
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It tastes even better the next day as it sits in the sauce.
🍹Side Dishes
You can serve them with:
- Homemade Pico de Gallo
- Refried Beans
- Beans and rice
- Corn Mango Salsa
- Roasted Tomato Salsa
- Pineapple Salsa
You do not need to spend hours in a hot kitchen to make a dinner that tastes like it came from a taco truck. This slow cooker Baja chicken is creamy, smoky, tangy, and requires almost zero effort. Give it a try tonight and let me know how you customize your taco plates!
I hope you liked this recipe. If you happen to make this recipe, then comment below and rate this recipe. Also, tag me with #recipemagik on Instagram.
Slow Cooker Baja Chicken Tacos
INGREDIENTS
For the Baja Chicken
- 1.5 lbs Chicken thighs boneless
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 2 tablespoon chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper as per taste
- ½ cup Beer
For the Mexican Slaw
- 2 cups purple cabbage shredded
- 1 medium red onion finely sliced
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
For Serving
- 8 Tortillas corn or flour, toasted
- cilantro freshly chopped
- ½ cup cotija cheese grated
- 1 fresh lime cut into wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped chipotle chilis in adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the prepared Baja dressing completely over the chicken, coating it evenly. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours (or on low for 5 to 6 hours).
- Once cooked, leave the chicken in the pot and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Pour the beer directly over the shredded chicken. Cover, turn the slow cooker to warm mode, and let it sit for 1 hour to absorb the liquids.
- While the chicken finishes, toss the shredded purple cabbage and sliced red onion in a small bowl with the mayonnaise and lime juice until coated.
- Toast your tortillas on a dry skillet or open flame. Pile a generous amount of juicy Baja chicken onto each tortilla, top with the fresh cabbage slaw, and garnish with chopped cilantro, grated cotija cheese, and a fresh squeeze of lime juice.
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