Easy Crockpot Chicken Fajitas (Printable)
Tender chicken with peppers and onions, slow-cooked to perfection with Mexican spices.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 large green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
07 - 2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ To Serve
15 - Warm corn or flour tortillas
16 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Sliced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Arrange the sliced bell peppers and onion in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Place the chicken breasts or thighs evenly over the bed of vegetables.
03 - Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes uniformly over the chicken.
04 - Pour the drained diced tomatoes over the seasoned chicken and vegetables.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender.
06 - Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred using two forks.
07 - Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss with the vegetables and cooking juices. Serve in warm tortillas and top with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and your preferred toppings.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Your slow cooker does practically all the work while you handle everything else on your to-do list
- The chicken becomes impossibly tender, shredding apart with just the gentle pressure of two forks
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they survive that long
02 -
- Draining the tomatoes thoroughly is the difference between fajitas and soup, do not skip this step
- Chicken thighs can handle longer cooking times without drying out, unlike breasts which may become slightly stringy
- The seasoning blend looks like a lot when you are sprinkling it on, but trust the process and use it all
03 -
- Avoid lifting the lid during cooking time, every peek adds 15-20 minutes to the cooking process
- Line your slow cooker with a reusable liner for the easiest cleanup imaginable