Shredded chipotle chicken is so juicy, flavorful, and versatile that it will go on your menu plan every week. It’s perfect for tacos, tostadas, or enchiladas and it’s only 6 ingredients.
I love making this chicken because it’s so easy – just dump everything into a dutch oven or slow cooker and then toss it into the oven until it’s done! It’s also possible to make it in the Instant Pot, but trust me when I say it works a lot better in the oven or slow cooker because of how thick the sauce gets.
It can easily be scaled up for a party, too. The first time I made it was actually for a taco bar! In the recipe card I call for 4 chicken breasts for 6-8 servings, but depending on how you use it, it can probably feed a lot more. When we make tacos or tostadas with it, it usually makes about 12 and sometimes even then we still have extra leftovers.
I’ve been known to just fill a bowl with this stuff, add some toppings to it, and call it a day, but if you’re feeling fancy, here are some ideas for how to use it:
- Tacos
- Tostadas
- Enchiladas
- Stuffed baked potato
- Copycat crunch wrap supreme
- Burritos
- Taco salad
- Taco chicken pizza (top a frozen cheese pizza with chicken, sliced black olives, and cheddar cheese and bake according to package directions, then if desired, top with diced tomatoes and crushed nacho cheese Doritos (or similar GF chip brand).
- Lettuce cups/wraps
The possibilities are truly endless.
My favorite is on tostadas with befriend beans, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, all of the extra sharp cheddar cheese in the refrigerator, and some hot sauce right on top.
If you’re gluten-free you will need to check the ingredients on the tomato paste and chipotle peppers, like you would with anything. Most brands are gluten free, though. I use Orrington Farms chicken broth base which is gluten free, but Better than Bouillon is also excellent for those of you who are not gluten free.
Here’s the recipe!
Shredded Chipotle Chicken
Shredded Chipotle chicken is super juicy and flavorful, and perfect to add to tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, or anything else you can think of.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning one packet if using pre-mixed
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth base (Orrington Farms is gluten free)
- 2 cups water
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Place chicken breasts in a large dutch oven or other oven-safe dish. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and top with chipotle peppers. Combine broth base, water, and tomato paste in a measuring cup and pour over chicken.
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Cover and bake for 1 and a half hours, or until internal temperature of chicken is at least 165 degrees F and it can be shredded easily with two forks.
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Shred the chicken carefully with two forks and add it back to the sauce, stir to combine and serve.
Recipe Notes
When shredding meat, the internal temperature will often be well above the recommended internal temperature for any meat type by the time it can be easily shredded. This is 100% fine and due to the cooking method and sauce, the chicken will not dry out.
SLOW COOKER INSRUCTIONS: Place all ingredients in a slow cooker following the directions in the recipe and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Chicken does well on the "keep warm" setting after it's been shredded.
What a great recipe. You can never go wrong with a great chicken dish. This would be great so many ways. Love the taco idea. I would use it in pasta dishes, salads…with eggs….in a wrap. The delicious possibilities are endless.
Love the fact that this shredded chicken can be used in so many ways! It looks delicious and I’m sure it tastes great!
This looks so easy to make, and yet bursting of flavor. I love chipotle so much, this has to be a big hit!
perfect to stuff in tacos, enchiladas or burritos
Great recipe! So easy and delicious. Taco seasoning brings lots of flavor. I will try this one in my Instant Pot. Thanks for the idea!
Chicken tinga, as I know this dish, is one of my favorite chicken dishes in the world because it’s just so versatile. I use the leftovers to top homemade nachos when I’m feeling a bit lazy and don’t want to make a “proper” dinner. 🙂
I have bookmarked this recipe and probably trying it today itself.. looks so amazing
Thanks for sharing this recipe Sam, I a similar meal last Friday night in Sand Diego. Such a hearty looking meal!
No-mess tasty recipe? I’m totally sold into this. Is it a freezer-friendly recipe too?
Yes! Definitely freezer friendly :). I would put it together uncooked, freeze, and then toss it into a crockpot in the morning – then dinner will be ready and waiting that night!
This looks so delicious! I would love to serve this as tacos!
Excellent recipe, right up until “taco seasoning”. Why not call out the herbs and spices since there are many places where “taco seasoning” does not exist.
Where it does exist, it usually includes sugar, fillers, and too much salt, and if you figure out what it costs per pound, you will be mortified.
The taco seasoning blend I use doesn’t contain salt, sugar, or fillers. You can use any brand you want or make your own!
I had been waiting until the right time to try this recipe. I am not a good cook, nothing I make ever seems to turn out edible, but this was amazing! Probably because you put all the ingredients in and leave it alone. Fantastic! thank you so much for this recipe, its going in the list of things I can make for meal plans also.
Yay! I’m so glad you like it, it’s one of our staples for sure, it’s just so easy!
What size can of paste?
6 oz
What size chicken breasts also?
When it was done the adobo sauce and chilis smelled strooonnggg and I was afraid it’d be lethal-spicy, but it wasn’t bad 🙂 definitely keep a Kleenex close lol
This recipe is delicious. It’s very simple to do in a slow cooker and seems like it would be fairly low in calories. Do you have a calorie count for just the recipe (no add ons)?
We made this for a taco bar and it was delicious. We used the leftovers the next night to make burritos. Delicious and easy recipe!!