Mexican Shredded Chicken Thighs (Crockpot)

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

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

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.

Step 3 : Cook

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

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

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.