Mexican Shredded Chicken (Instant Pot + Crock Pot)

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Restaurant style Mexican shredded chicken that is clean, dairy free, keto, and low carb. No packets, preservatives, or junk! Copycat your favorite Mexican restaurant with this easy and clean Mexican shredded chicken.

Have you ever wanted to replicate your favorite restaurant style Mexican shredded chicken at home? Well, now you can with this easy and clean recipe!

My family are big fans of Mexican food. In fact, it’s probably the biggest category of recipes on my website because I just love the flavors or Mexican cuisine. I’ve even joked (but seriously) about buying a vacation home in Mexico one day. What could be better than the ocean and tacos? Dream big, right?

Although I have several mexican chicken recipes already, I didn’t have a basic “restaurant style” recipe. And that is exactly what this Mexican shredded chicken recipe is. 

You can use this Mexican shredded chicken as the base for just about anything your creative cooking heart conjures. 

This Is The Best Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe

And here’s why:

• Tastes just like your favorite Mexican restaurant’s house chicken
• Clean, easy to find ingredients
• Instant pot and crock pot instructions
• Use in tacos, enchiladas, salads, quesadillas, casseroles and more
• Mild spice level for younger palettes
• Suitable for low carb, keto, paleo, Whole30 diets
• Dairy free

How To Make Clean Mexican Shredded Chicken At Home

This easy Mexican shredded chicken recipe can be made super fast using your Instant Pot but if you want to set it and forget it, you can also use your slow cooker. 

Regardless of the device you choose to use, all that needs to be done to prepare your chicken is dump, set, and cook. Shred the chicken with forks or tongs after cooking and you’re ready to create a meal!

For the Instant Pot: add everything to the pot and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Naturally (manually) release the pressure and shred the chicken with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the juices until ready to use.

For the slow cooker: add everything to the bowl and cook for 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low. Shred the chicken and return to the bowl with the juices until ready to cook.

For a finer shredded chicken, place the chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment and low speed, shred your cooked chicken until you reach the desired pull.

Ways To Use Your Mexican Shredded Chicken

There’s more than one way to skin a cat as my Papa used to say and there’s definitely more than one way to use this clean restaurant style Mexican chicken! Here are a few ideas to help you think outside of the taco box:

Breakfast

Huevos rancheros, low carb breakfast burritos, Mexican omelette, Mexican egg scramble bowl, breakfast hash with sweet potatoes, peppers, and scrambled eggs

Lunch

Taco salad, lettuce wraps

Dinner

Enchiladas, burrito bowls with Mexican cauliflower rice, Mexican chicken casserole, quesadillas, Mexican soup

Where Do The Carbs In This Keto Mexican Chicken Recipe Come From?

If you are following a low carb or ketogenic diet, then you’re probably aware to scan recipes to see what are the carb sources. In this recipe, the carbohydrates are coming from onions, tomatoes, and garlic cloves. Because we do not use any spice packets, dairy, or processed ingredients, there are not an extraneous carbs to worry about. 

Read this blog post for my take on carbs from vegetables. 

More Low Carb Mexican Chicken Recipes For You

• Instant Pot Keto Adobo Chicken (dairy free, paleo, Whole30)
• Ground Chicken Tacos (keto, paleo, dairy free, Whole30)
• Keto Crockpot Chicken Tacos
• Keto Sheet Pan Fajitas
• Low Carb Mexican Lasagna
• Adobo Chicken Chili (keto, paleo, dairy free, Whole30)
• Keto Fajita Casserole

Mexican Shredded Chicken (Instant Pot + Crock Pot)

Anna Hunley | Keto In Pearls

Restaurant style Mexican shredded chicken that can be used in tacos, enchiladas, salads, and more!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Chicken

Cuisine Mexican

Calories 119 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup water
• 1.5 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 3 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 can tomatoes with green chiles with juice (rotel tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 2 garlic coves chopped
• 1/2 onion sliced thin
• 1 jalapeño deseeded and roughly chopped

Instructions

 

• Add the water, chicken, and lime juice to the pot.
• Sprinkle spices on top of the chicken.
• Add garlic, onion, jalapeño.
• Add tomatoes to the top. Do NOT stir.
• Close the lid and seal the vent. Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Manually (naturally) release the steam.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Shred with two forks and return to juices until ready to use or serve.

Notes

Crockpot: add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 1 week in an airtight container. Freeze leftovers in a freezer safe bag up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to use.

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