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Slow cooker chicken tacos are packed with a bold, savory flavor thanks to a blend of spices and a splash of beer that keeps the chicken tender and juicy. As the chicken simmers low and slow, it soaks up the cumin, chili powder, garlic, paprika and beer. Serve them in hard or soft taco shells and top with cheddar cheese.

This post originally published April 2013.

I haven’t had my slow cooker out in a while so I decided to pull it out for dinner tonight. I like using the slow cooker in the summer because it doesn’t heat up the house at all.

I’ve been wanting tacos all week so I figured this was my chance to make them. I had taken chicken out and chicken tacos sounded perfect.

Now I’ve made plenty of chicken tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. One of my favorites are Buffalo Chicken Tacos in soft tortillas. I also make a really yummy White Chicken Enchilada with homemade sauce that is so good. When I am trying to do lower carbs I usually opt for Chicken Burrito Bowls.

I found a recipe for Slow Cooker Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos and it sounded simple and flavorful.

What can I use instead of the beer?

If you don’t want to use the beer there are plenty of other liquids you can use that will add flavor to these tacos. If you want a savory substitution I would go with chicken broth. Non-alcoholic apple cider adds a mild sweetness and acidity that pairs nicely with cheddar and spices. White grape juice plus a bit of vinegar mimics the flavor and tang of beer well in this recipe.

This recipe is by far one of the easiest slow cooker recipes I’ve made. I put the chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot then mixed the spices with the beer. I poured the beer over top of the chicken, added a few more things and I was finished.

When I came home from work 8 hours later I simply shredded the chicken, added some cheese and sour cream, then let it cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
bottle of beer (any type will work)
jalapenos (fresh or jarred; I preferred jarred because they aren’t as spicy)
chili powder
ground cumin
paprika
salt and pepper
cocoa powder
garlic cloves
cheddar cheese
sour cream
hard taco shells

To make the tacos place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix together the beer, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, cocoa powder, and garlic cloves and pour over top of the chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Place in taco shells and top with cheese and sour cream.

While you can put these tacos in soft tortillas I chose to put them in hard shells. I loved the crunch of the shells with these spiced beer tacos.

We added plenty of cheddar cheese and sour cream to the top of them as well as some cilantro for a fresh finish. The tacos were spicy, had a subtle beer flavor, and were great with the added taco crunch!

How can I use the leftovers?

Use the leftovers on top of nachos. Simply place them on top of tortillas chips, add your toppings, and bake in the oven. You can also use the chicken in soft taco shells or to make chicken enchiladas if you’d like.

If you’ve tried my Slow Cooker Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

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