• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Texas Kitchen
  • Recipe Index
  • Meal Plans
  • Life
  • About Me
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Life
  • About Me
  • Meal Plans
  • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Life
    • About Me
    • Meal Plans
    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Main Entree

    Mexican Shredded Chicken Thighs (Crockpot)

    Modified: Nov 22, 2023· Published: Oct 31, 2023 by Alaine · 2 Comments

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Email
    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Mexican Shredded Chicken Thighs are an easy and flavorful recipe for juicy shredded chicken! Simple ingredients and a slow cooker make for an easy dinner your family will love. 

    This recipe for shredded chicken thighs was born out of necessity. That being to save money on groceries and because the grocery store was frequently out of chicken breast.

    Chicken thigh meat is more flavorful, juicy and succulent than boneless chicken breasts. I developed a preference for using thighs for shredded chicken in many of my favorite Mexican food recipes.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make
    • Serving and Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    shredded cooked chicken in crockpot

    Boneless skinless chicken thighs are considered a lean source of protein. They contain similar amounts of sodium, cholesterol and calories. They contain more fat -  a 3.5 oz. portion contains 10.9 g of total fat versus 3.6 g of fat in a chicken breast. Again, this is still considered a lean source of protein.

    It is also significantly less expensive. A perfect option if you are trying to eat healthy on a budget.

    Ingredients

    Less than 10 ingredients in this set and forget recipe for crockpot chicken thighs!

    • Onion – Approximately one medium white or yellow onion, diced
    • Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – Roughly two pounds of trimmed chicken thighs.
    • Rotel – A 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, liquid included.
    • Dried Spices: Cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper
    • Minced Garlic
    slow cooker full of shredded chicken thighs with visible tomato and broth

    How to Make

    Step 1 : Prepare the chicken thighs

    I recommend trimming as much visible fat from the edges of the chicken thighs as possible. I do this with a pair of kitchen shears, it takes just a couple of minutes and will result in less fat in your cooked shredded chicken.

    Step 2 : Layer ingredients in the crockpot

    Place onions in a single layer on the bottom on the slow cooker followed by the chicken thighs. Top with dried spices, garlic and rotel.

    chicken thighs in crockpot topped with Rotel and dried Mexican spices

    Step 3 : Cook

    Cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours or HIGH heat for 3-4 hours.

    One way to tell that the thighs are done in the crockpot, is that they will easily shred with a fork!

    Step 4 : Shred Chicken

    Remove thighs from slow cooker and broth. Shred with forks or in stand-mixer with paddle attachment on low speed. Add broth to desired consistency. Return to crockpot with liquid to keep warm.

    If you are cooking this for a soup or recipe that requires chicken broth, feel free to use the cooking liquid. It is very flavorful!

    Serving and Storage

    This makes a delicious shredded chicken thigh recipe that is very versatile to use in any Mexican recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Use it in tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, soups or casseroles (like this Homemade King Ranch Chicken).

    Storage

    Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if used within 4 days. This recipe freezes well.

    To freeze - let chicken cool, then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. 

    📖 Recipe

    closeup of shredded cooked chicken in slow cooker with visible tomato pieces

    Mexican Shredded Chicken Thighs (Slow Cooker)

    Alaine @ My TX Kitchen
    Easy and flavorful southwest shredded chicken thighs!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 People

    Equipment

    • Slow-Cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 c. Onion diced
    • 2 lbs. boneless skinless Chicken Thighs trimmed
    • 1 - 10 oz. can Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
    • 1 tsp. Cumin
    • 1 tsp. Chili Powder
    • 1 tsp. Minced Garlic
    • ½ tsp. Dried Oregano
    • ½ tsp. Black Pepper
    • ¼ tsp. Salt

    Instructions
     

    • Place onions in a single layer on the bottom on the slow cooker followed by the chicken thighs. Top with Rotel, dried spices, and garlic. Cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-7 hours.
    • Remove thighs from slow cooker and broth. Shred with two forks or in stand-mixer with paddle attachment on low speed. Add broth to desired consistency. Return to crockpot with liquid to keep warm.

    Notes

    Trim chicken thighs: I recommend trimming as much visible fat as possible from the chicken thighs before cooking. I use kitchen shears to do this. 
    Keyword crockpot chicken thighs, mexican shredded chicken, shredded chicken thighs
    Tried this recipe?Mention @mytxkitchen or tag #mytxkitchen!

    Whether you enjoy the succulence of chicken thighs or are cooking them for the first time out of necessity, I hope your family enjoys this easy recipe!

    Recipes you might also enjoy:

    • Crockpot Green Chile Chicken
    • Healthy White Chicken Chili
    • Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
    • Kid-Friendly White Chicken Chili

    Tex-Mex Shredded Chicken Thighs was originally published in September 2019. Updated in October 2023 with new photos and text.

    More Main Entree Recipes

    • visible green salsa verde and cooked ground turkey meat
      Salsa Verde Turkey Taco Meat
    • serving bowl of white rice topped with cajun red beans and sausage
      Skillet Red Beans
    • creamy and cheesy taco soup topped with jalapenos and tortilla strips
      Cheesy Taco Soup
    • plate with fried venison cubed steak and gravy
      Fried Venison Cube Steak with Cream Gravy
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie

      June 17, 2020 at 11:54 am

      Does it matter what size crockpot you use?

      Reply
      • Alaine

        June 21, 2020 at 12:43 pm

        I usually make this in a 6 quart crockpot. I have made it in a 4.5 qt too, but not sure it would fit in anything smaller.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey y'all, I'm Alaine! Wife, mom of three, and Registered Dietitian. Welcome to My Texas Kitchen where I share recipes and bits of life from Central Texas. Thanks for stopping by!

    More about me →

    Texas Recipes

    • cream cheese filled kolaches
      Cream Cheese Kolaches
    • cast iron skillet of sautéed fajita bell peppers and onions. onions are slightly brown and peppers are charred.
      Fajita Veggies
    • baking sheet of golden brown baked Texas sausage kolaches
      Klobasnek aka Texas Sausage Kolache
    • cooked charro beans in a bowl with visible chunks of tomato, bacon and top with cilantro
      Charro Beans

    New Recipes

    • pan of cooked homemade dark chocolate brownies
      Easy Homemade Brownies
    • baked bourbon chocolate chip cookie bars cut into squares
      Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
    • a prepared bowl of velveeta queso with visible chunks of cooked sausage, diced tomatoes, garnished with cilantro and served with tortilla chips
      Crock-Pot Queso with Sausage
    • cowboy caviar closeup with visible black eyed peas, bell pepper, onion, corn
      Cowboy Caviar

    Footer

    • Privacy Policy

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Brunch Pro on the Feast Plugin

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.