These Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos are one of those easy dinners that do most of the work for you. The chicken cooks low and slow in barbecue sauce until it's tender enough to shred, then gets piled into warm tortillas with a fresh pineapple avocado salsa.
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The sweet BBQ chicken with the bright, spicy salsa makes these tacos feel a little more fun than the usual weeknight taco situation, but they're still simple enough for a busy night. Make them for taco night, game day, or anytime you want a low-effort dinner with plenty of leftovers.
No meal's more on repeat in my house than tacos. We have tacos essentially every week. These crockpot BBQ chicken tacos are an easy dinner for your next Taco Tuesday. Any chance I have to use a fruity salsa, I am in, my crispy fish tacos with mango salsa are also a hit!
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Try hard taco shells. These bbq chicken tacos are delicious in a hard taco shell!
- Switch out the toppings. If you're not a fan of pineapple, you can try my mango salsa recipe or a corn salsa!
- Adjust the heat. Feel free to omit the jalapeños in the pineapple salsa for less heat or add extra for more heat!
Instructions
Step 1: Begin by adding the chicken, spices and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Step 2: Make the avocado pineapple salsa. Add the pineapple, jalapeño, avocado, lime juice, and cilantro to a bowl. Stir gently so the avocado stays mostly intact.
Step 3: When the chicken is done, shred it with two forks or a handheld mixer. Stir in additional barbecue sauce if needed.
Step 4: Assemble the tacos by placing the chicken on a tortilla, then top it with the salsa and extra barbecue sauce.
How to Heat Tortillas
- My preferred method: Heat corn and flour tortillas over an open flame (medium heat) for about 15 seconds per side until slightly charred.
- Place tortillas in a lightly oiled skillet and heat for 30 seconds-1 minute per side.
- Wrap tortillas in foil and heat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes.
- Place tortillas on a plate, top them with a damp paper towel then cook in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Use a BBQ sauce you love. Since the sauce is a main ingredient, the flavor really comes through, so use what you prefer.
- Don't skip warming the tortillas. Cold tortillas are more likely to crack, especially if you're using corn tortillas.
- Shred the chicken while it's warm. It's much easier to pull apart right after cooking.
- Add more sauce after shredding. The chicken may absorb some of the sauce as it cooks, so stir in a little extra before serving if needed.
- Make the salsa close to serving time. The pineapple salsa is best fresh because of the avocado.
Serving
Serve these crockpot BBQ chicken tacos with tortilla chips, rice, beans, grilled corn, slaw, or a simple salad. They're also great for game day or casual entertaining because you can keep the shredded BBQ chicken warm in the slow cooker and let everyone build their own tacos.
If you have leftover BBQ chicken, use it to make BBQ chicken sliders or BBQ chicken nachos.
Storage & Reheating
For leftover chicken, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can store cooked chicken in a freezer bag in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Reheat the pulled chicken in the microwave for single servings for about 2 minutes. If reheating for a crowd, I recommend reheating on the stove with a splash of chicken broth to keep it saucy.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
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Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Pineapple Salsa
- 2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple, defrosted and cut into cubes
- 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2 avocados, diced
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Chicken
- Add the chicken breasts to a slow cooker with the spices and barbecue sauce. Give everything a quick stir.1 pound chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup barbecue sauce
- Slow cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Remove the lid and use two forks or a handheld mixer to shred the chicken.
Pineapple Salsa
- In a small bowl, add all of the salsa ingredients and mix with a spoon until combined.2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple, 1 jalapeño pepper, 2 avocados, ½ lime, ¼ cup cilantro
Tacos
- Heat the tortillas if desired.Corn tortillas
- Assemble the tacos by placing the chicken on tortilla, top with salsa and extra barbecue sauce.
- Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!Lime wedges
Sarah's Tips
- Warm the tortillas before serving so they're less likely to break.
- The pineapple avocado salsa is best fresh, but leftovers can be served with fish, pulled pork, grilled chicken, or tortilla chips.
- Use leftover BBQ chicken in salads, rice bowls, sandwiches, quesadillas, or nachos.
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or warm larger portions in a saucepan with a splash of broth or extra BBQ sauce.
Alyssa says
This looks delicious!! Definitely saving this recipe for later!
Sarah says
Thanks so much Alyssa!