These slow cook chicken tacos are soaked in a delicious chipotle honey sauce and couldn’t be easier to make!
Slow cooking chicken tacos are kind of an oxymoron for me. I usually think of tacos as a type of fast, summery food; while the slow cooker brings thoughts of winter food. However, when you combine the two, you get the most amazing tacos that are really great to devour all year round. Follow me…
Chicken with honey and chipotle There are numerous different varieties of slow-cooked chicken tacos, but today we’re going for the glorious combination of
honey and chipotle
. Let’s take a quick look at what you’ll need:
- Chicken thighs – Make sure they’re boneless and skinless. Trim excess fat.
- Honey – regular liquid honey.
- Chipotle Paste – This adds a nice touch of chipotle flavor.
- Tomato puree – Deepens the flavor and color of the sauce.
- Chicken broth – Creates the base of the sauce and prevents the chicken from drying out in the slow cooker.
- Lemon juice – Combines beautifully with honey and chipotle.
- Spices – Here I use smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
Where can I find Chipotle Paste
? If
you’re in the UK, you’ll find it in a small pot near the spices section in most supermarkets.
Can I sub Chipotle Chilis
in flao sauce?
If you can’t find chipotle paste, you could definitely sub chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (more on this on the recipe card below).
Slow cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken
When it comes to cooking chicken, I like to combine everything before adding the chicken, just so that everything (i.e. the spice mixture) is evenly distributed. From there, you can add the chicken until it’s evenly covered.
How long should I cook?
I usually do HIGH for 3.5 hours. But you could do low for 6-7 hours. The thighs are quite indulgent, so it’s harder to overcook them, but it can happen, so be vigilant. The chicken is cooked when it is very hot throughout the center and falls apart very easily.
Process the shots: add the ingredients to the slow cooker (photo 1), stir to combine (photo 2), add chicken (photo 3), mix to combine (photo 4), add the lid and cook slowly (photos 5 and 6).
<img src="https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/how-to-make-slow-cooker-honey-chipotle-chicken-744×930.jpg" alt="6 step-by-step photos showing how to make chipotle chicken with slow cook honey"
/> Extra spicy slow cooker chicken
Now, once the chicken has cooked, you will notice a lot of liquid at the base of the slow cooker. Many other recipes would suggest crushing the chicken and placing it back in the slow cooker to absorb the liquid. However, I find that it still comes out slightly watery because the sauce is never that thick. As such, what I like to do is thicken the sauce separately.
Cornstarch slurry
also known as cornmeal suspension, depending on where you are in the world. This is essentially equal parts cornstarch and water, which acts as a thickening agent. Once you have removed the chicken, simply pour the sauce into a pot and simmer with the cornstarch suspension until it is superbly thick and syrupy. This will cover the chicken MUCH better and result in a salty, rather than watery, chicken.
Process shot: remove the chicken (photo
1), simmer the liquid in a pot with cornstarch grout (photo 2), gently crush the chicken (photos 3 and 4), pour over the thick sauce (photo 5), mix to combine (photo 6).
Chicken tacos
with
honey and chipotle
Okay, chicken made and dusted, let’s talk about tacos.
What kind of tortillas to use?
I love using Old El Paso White Corn Street Tortillas, which you’ll find in most supermarkets that sell Old El Paso collections. In reality, however, any small tortilla will do the trick.
One
thing I love adding to these tacos is pickled onions. Simply dice an onion and mix with some lemon juice and let it pickle while the chicken cooks.
Along with the pickled onions with lime, I add Cotija cheese (or feta), avocado and some cilantro/cilantro.
Process shot: cover the tortilla with chicken (photos 1 and 2), add avocado (photo 3), add pickled onions (photo 4), add cheese (photo 5), add cilantro / cilantro (photo 6).
<img src="https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/how-to-make-honey-chipotle-chicken-tacos-744×930.jpg" alt="6 step-by-step photos showing how to make
chicken tacos with chipotle honey” /> Frequently Asked Questions About
Honey and Chipotle Chicken
Tacos
How spicy are these tacos?
They have a good pinch of spices, but nothing crazy. The spice will also soften once the sauce mixes with the chicken.
How sweet are these tacos?
Honey is very soft, as it should be. You don’t want them too sweet, because chicken is pretty nasty if it’s too sweet. Honey is there primarily to balance the other potent/spicy flavors.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?
I highly recommend using thigh, because it is fattier and tastier than chest. Also, as I mentioned, it’s harder to cook too much. If you only have breast, it will continue to work, just be careful that it does not dry out and overcook.
Can I do this in advance?
Chicken is at its tastiest, juiciest, and tender when served right away, so I recommend making it fresh if you can. That said, you can hermetically store leftovers in the fridge and reheat until they’re hot when needed.
<img src="https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/honey-chipotle-chicken-tacos-744×1008.jpg" alt="Aerial shot of 4
chicken tacos with chipotle honey on marble background” /> Serve chicken tacos
with honey and chipotle
The number of
tacos you’ll get from this recipe depends entirely on how much chicken you pack and how big the tortillas are. However, I usually get around 12 tacos.
After more delicious taco recipes? Check out my ground beef tacos and fish finger tacos!
Alright, let’s get into the full recipe for these slow cooker chicken tacos, shall we?
<img src="https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/slow-cooker-chicken-tacos-744×976.jpg" alt="close-up of hand holding
slow cook chicken taco” />
How to Make Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Slow Cook Honey (full recipe and video)
If you loved this slow cooker chicken taco recipe, be sure to set it for later! Have you already done so or have a question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free e-cookbook along the way!
