Cilantro lime chicken crockpot tacos are full of simple, bright flavors: cilantro, lime juice, garlic and a touch of honey! No sauteeing required (just 15 min prep!), and easy to meal prep.
After updating these delicious Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs, these cilantro lime chicken crockpot tacos absolutely had to go on the menu next!
If you are looking for cilantro lime chicken that actually tastes like cilantro and lime...you have the right recipe!
While I love cilantro, I do not love soggy cilantro leaves. This recipe blends the cilantro into the cooking liquid before cooking, eliminating the soggy cilantro leave conundrum, and infusing the chicken with so. much. dang. flavor.
And? No sauteeing. Hallelujah! That means this can work as a freezer crockpot meal (find 7 more freezable Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes here!)
Reasons you're going to ♡ these cilantro lime chicken crockpot tacos
- they taste like cilantro & lime but without the soggy cilantro leaf situation
- no sauteeing & 15 minutes prep
- you can assemble ahead and freeze OR cook ahead and freeze!
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how this recipe comes together. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
No sautéing for easy prep
We are skipping the sautéing for this recipe for an easy 'dump dinner' (can we please find a better name for this?!). You can have your cilantro lime sauce and chicken into the slow cooker in just 15 minutes! This also means that we can assemble ahead and store in the fridge or freezer (more on this in the meal prep tips section below)
Optional add-ins
You can make this recipe a few different ways: just chicken, or chicken + corn + black beans + red onions. Totally up to you!
Adding in corn, beans and onions is a great way to bulk this meal out and make more servings while saving money.
Chicken shredding hack
I have been LOVING this 'hack' to shred your chicken quickly: transfer your cooked chicken to a clean bowl, then shred with an electric hand mixer. You can also use a paddle attachment in a stand mixer.
Assemble ahead for easy dinners
Freezer crockpot meals are a STAPLE in my house...try them and prepare to have your life changed by how easy they make dinner!
Here’s how you can turn this recipe into a freezer pack:
- Assemble the chicken and all other ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer bag (update- we no longer use plastic bags, we use ½ gallon stasher bags or glass meal prep containers, our faves are the 3 quart glass containers from IKEA).
- Squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
So incredibly simple! When you’re ready to cook, you will need to thaw completely before placing everything in the slow cooker and cooking on low for 4-5 hours.
What kind of chicken can I use in this recipe?
We make it with either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs can cook a little longer (5-6 hrs) than chicken breasts (4 hrs).
Can I cook this recipe in my Instant Pot?
I bet that would work (8 min high pressure + quick pressure release for chicken breasts, 10 min for thighs), though I haven't tried. If you do try it, I'd love if you left a comment below!
Can I freeze the chicken after cooking?
You sure can! Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to serve it
Well obviously tacos is one idea, but there are a bunch more ways you could use up your chicken:
- burrito bowls- serve with rice, lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado (see how to cut an avocado) and a dollop of sour cream
- taco salad- serve with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, tortilla chips and salsa
- rice- I bet this coconut rice or this coconut cauliflower rice would go great!
- sweet potato- what about stuffing your sweet potato with cilantro lime chicken? Sounds good to me! See How to Bake Sweet Potatoes (with a trick to get super fluffy insides)
More freezer crockpot recipes
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
- Spicy Slow Cooker Chickpea Chili
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken Stew
This recipe was originally published in 2017! We have tweaked the recipe slightly and added a video in 2019...same great flavors but less liquid!
Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot Tacos
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- zest of 1 limes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
To serve (you will just need these ingredients the day you serve)
- Tortillas 2 small tortillas per person
- shredded cabbage
- radish slices
- greek yogurt
Instructions
- In the base of a 6 quart slow cooker, place the chicken breasts, corn and onion slices.
- Using a stand or immersion blender, blend the sauce ingredients and pour over slow cooker contents.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve in tortillas topped with yogurt, shredded cabbage and radish slices
To assemble and freeze:
- In a gallon sized freezer bag (see note), place the chicken breasts, corn and onion slices.
- Using a stand or immersion blender, blend the sauce ingredients and pour into the bag.
- Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely and cook as directed above.
