Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos with Simple Slaw

Skip the bun and have your BBQ in a tortilla! These Simple BBQ Chicken Tacos are slow cooked and topped with a creamy simple slaw. Slow cooker tacos are a win every time!

This recipe was originally published June 2017. Photos and post were updated April 2020.

BBQ Chicken Tacos

We like BBQ Sauce in our house--a LOT. And we love trying all different flavors and brands all summer long. BBQ chicken is a weekly occurrence at dinner time and so why not have it in the form of tacos to make things a bit different, right?

You may be used to your BBQ on a bun, but trust me, wrap it up in a flour tortilla and top it with this creamy, simple slaw and you are gonna be CHANGED.

Juicy BBQ flavor is clearly the main reason I love these tacos, but it's my slow cooker doing what it does best that makes me love them all the more.

Why you need these tacos in your life:

• They are so simple to make. Toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker and essentially you can walk away until dinner. That's my kind of meal--every time.
• You can make them using a different BBQ sauce every time. That's right, it will never be exactly the same twice--unless you want it that way!
• Feed a crowd--in shifts. I get it, it's not always easy for everyone to sit down together, but the slow cooker can sit on warm for the evening and the crew can put together a few tacos when they need to. No need to nuke anything.

What you need to make these BBQ Chicken Tacos:

• I have used thawed as well as frozen chicken breasts for these chicken tacos. Both came out delicious. I use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is 165°F. The frozen chicken will take a bit longer, but not an extensive amount of time in comparison.
• Sometimes I chop up a jalapeño as well as a bell pepper to bring up the heat.

The slaw is pretty basic as well--just some cole slaw mix, mayo, sour cream, lime juice and seasoning.

You don't have to top these Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with this slaw, but I think the tacos are just not the same without it.

How to make this recipe:

• Add the chicken to the slow cooker and season with the salt, pepper and garlic. Dice the pepper and onion and toss them in with the chicken. I typically surround the chicken with the pepper and onion. (steps 1 and 2)
• Pour BBQ sauce over chicken and vegetables and spread to cover. (step 3)
• Cook on low 5-6 hours or on high 3-4 hours. When chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F use two forks to shred the chicken It should come apart very easily. Sometimes I toss in some extra BBQ sauce at this time to thicken it up. (step 4 and below)
• For the slaw--simply toss everything together in a bowl and toss to combine. Chill for at least 15 minutes before serving.
• My husband will NOT eat tacos without cheese so I add some cheese on top of these BBQ chicken tacos and the slaw on top of that with extra extra cilantro when I put the tacos together.

Try these other Slow Cooker Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Slow Cooker / Instant Pot Carnitas
• Tomato Tortellini Soup
• Crock Pot Sweet Potato Chili
• Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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