I have recently been experimenting with Crockpot/Slow Cooker recipes in an effort to streamline the busyness of our early evenings. I even created a CrockPot Inspiration board on Pinterest if you want to browse.
Last week I made a delicious Cilantro Lime Chicken which we ate all week. The first night we had it in flour tortillas with salsa. The next day, we had it on top of salad. Then I used it in a Chicken Noodle Soup. Love!
Crockpot Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken
- Chicken Breasts (or a whole chicken or thighs)
- 5 Limes
- Fresh Cilantro
- Onion – cubed
- Chicken Broth
- Salt and Pepper
- Garlic Powder
Lay Chicken Breasts into bottom of crockpot. 4 breasts fit into my crockpot perfectly.
Squeeze several limes over chicken and cover with chicken broth. (I cover about half of the breast)
Sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, garlic powder, (optional dash of hot sauce or Lowrys seasoning for added flavor).
Cube an onion over chicken and lay several stalks of cilantro on top.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours. (try not to overcook)
Remove chicken and toss the wilted cilantro stalks.
Pour the liquid into a bowl for later.
Shred chicken with 2 forks.
Mix in some fresh cilantro.
Put the shredded chicken back into the crockpot and slowly add back in the broth-lime liquid. The chicken will quickly absorb the liquid bringing back moisture to the breast meat (other cuts will not be as dry). Continue adding the broth/lime liquid until it’s perfectly juicy. Use in soft tortillas with salsa. Add avocado and throw on a salad. We even used it in soup. Personal favorite, by itself.
Other optional tips to keep chicken moist:
- Lay plastic wrap over crockpot before putting lid on.
- Don’t lift lid during cooking. It releases moisture.
- Use a whole chicken or thighs instead of breasts. The fat naturally keeps meat moist.
- Add additional broth if needed over the next day or two.
Check out my Pinterest Crockpot recipes board here.
Very tasty! Happy with the recipe- thank you! We made it with chicken breasts, and it was very moist. We also prepared the entire recipe in the crockpot the night before, letting the chicken marinate in the lime juice overnight. Took it out of the fridge and plugged it in in the morning, cooking it for 5 hours. Chicken came out perfectly. Thanks 🙂
Such a great idea, letting it marinate in the lime juice overnight. I will definitely try that next time. Thanks so much. Glad you liked the recipe!
I had something similar to this the other night at a friends and they added Thai chilles to this and it was awesome! Also wrapped it in cabbage:)
Delicious!
I can’t wait to make this!! How much chicken broth is needed?!
I don’t measure but if you are using chicken breasts which dries out easily, you will want more broth, halfway up the meat. Thighs and boned chicken will require less. Crockpots are very forgiving.
I can’t wait to make this!! How much chicken broth is needed?!
This looks amazing! Tip for shredding the chicken breast: use your kitchen aide with paddle attachment when the chicken is still hot. Works like magic on the chicken breast and no work at all!
Love that tip Cody. Thanks
Is there measurements for anything?? Like how many chicken breasts or how much garlic powder, salt and pepper? I’m just going to guess for now but the only amount given in your recipe is limes. Thanks. It sounds very tasty!
I usually put 4 or 5 breasts which fit my crockpot without overlap and then cover them halfway with broth. I make sure they are all sprinkled with spices evenly, but don’t measure. This is a very forgiving recipe as far as flavor goes. You can’t go wrong with cilantro, lime and onion all in one recipe? So it’s easy to adapt if you aren’t fond of cilantro or need a low sodium option.
Made this tonight, was a big hit!
I love the flavor and how easy it is. Thank you for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed Isa! Easy is good!
I made this dish for dinner, yum! I added 2 garlic cloves & it was fantastic. Thanks!
Tara, I am trying that next time. Thanks!
Made this tonight! Love it! I added jalapeños because I like things spicy. Will definitely be making this a regular at my house!
Is there a way to adjust this without using a crockpot? I would love to make it with shredded chicken I already have without it getting too dried out. I’m new to this. Thanks!
You could marinate the chicken in a ziplock bag for a few hours to add the flavor and then cook it in the oven.
Would you still pour over the broth then? Im in the same situation, marianting it over night. Would you want it all covered by brother or wrapped in silver paper in the oven? Thanks for your hopefully amazing recipe.
Very tasty
Used chicken breasts and added some garlic infused olive oil to make up for a lack of fat, worked out wonderfully!
Such a great idea.
Tip for not drying out meat in the crackpot…put it on top of a thickly sliced onion. Prevents the juices from being sucked out.
Love this tip! Thank you!
Is it okay if the chicken breasts are frozen?
I have done frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot before but not with this recipe. So I can’t promise anything
I just did this and used frozen chicken breasts and did it on low 5 hr and cooked perfectly
This sounds incredible. I’ve got to try it soon!
Can’t wait to make this tomorrow! I’m doing a double batch using chicken thighs. Having it with oven roasted potatoes tomorrow, then using some of it with some quinoa for stuffed peppers another night. I can’t wait!
Currently cooking this in my crockpot right now, it smells AMAZING! can’t wait to try it!
Ohhhh….can’t wait to try this! I’m gonna serve this with soft tortillas and black beans on the side!
Made this tonight and put on cauliflower tortillas. It was really good.
What a great idea! Did you make the Cauliflower tortillas?
I’m needing to serve about 10 ladies for book club! Any suggestions on how much chicken I should use?
i want to serve this to my book club. How many chicken breast would you use for 10 ladies?
It depends on how you are serving it. If you throw it on a salad or in a soft tortilla you will need less. I would do 7 or 8 if you can’t fit them in your crockpot
So onion will be mixed with chicken. We are not removing it like cilantro.
Yes, I leave the onion in there. In fact it’s so tasty I find myself picking it out to nibble on.
I added a small can of diced green chili’s and some cumin too. I can not tell you how incredible the house smelled! This was a great filling for chimichangas too. Thanks for the recipe- you’re a crock star!
Haha! That made me laugh out loud. I love the idea of the chili’s and cumin. I’ll try that next time. Thanks again for the laugh!
I am trying this as wee speak and it smells fabulous!
Can’t wait to try it
The chicken was so easy to shred apart and taste so delicious. I used the leftovers to make chicken tacos.
I am so happy. I am making it tonight. I just love it too.
What did you serve this chicken with, or how?
My favorite is in soft tacos! I serve soft tortillas and then let people choose their toppings like shredded cheddar, salsa, lettuce, sour cream. I prefer mine with a little greek Yogurt and salsa in the tortilla and that’s it. The next day I use the chicken in a salad.
If you haven’t tried “bbq chicken tacos” yet… You’re missing out! Use this chicken mixed with your favorite bbq sauce… Soft tortillas, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, little bit of sour cream, spicy jack cheese and frenches fried onions for a crispy surprise. Enjoy!
Thanks For sharing this recipe. It has quickly become a staple in our home. It’s easy and delicious!
Ours too. So glad you enjoyed it Pam.
I made into a Verde enchilada filling.
So , so yummy !
The left over filling is going into Breakfast Burritos.
Thank you
That sounds delicious!
If I’m using only 2 breasts should I cut the time in half to be cooked?
Has anyone tried to cook this in a shorter amount of time, such as on a high setting instead of low? My gf requested I make this tonight and now its 2 and the cooking just started.. I hate to have dinner at 8 :/
Love this recipe. Should I program crock pot on low or high?
It’s really a timing thing. You can do low for longer, or high for shorter.
Hi there, I can’t wait to make this recipe! Question, can I substitute the limes to lemon juice?
Yes. The citrus will have the same effect on the meat. I use limes because I like the lime/ cilantro combo but absolutely use whatever your palette prefers.
My chicken was dry, but I did use the chicken breasts. I shredded the chicken and add the broth back in. I will see if it absorbs the juices. Fingers crossed.
Yes chicken breasts have the least fat of chicken parts which is the biggest struggle using them in a crock pot which is why I add the juices back in. The juices reabsorb and moisten the chicken. I have added chicken broth to it a few days later when I wanted juicer meat for a salad or something. There are a few tricks to help not dry out your chicken which I listed at the bottom of the post.
Sounds so delicious!
It’s all of my favorite flavors!
Just wondering if I only used two breasts how long would you cook for on low?
I would check your crock pot instructions because it will depend on the size of it and the power. I would think 3-4
Could you do this in a pressure cooker?
I haven’t but let me know.
Made this for dinner last night- everyone loved it! Even the picky eaters loved it! Will definitely be making again. Thanks for sharing!
Making it as I type and the house smells divine… quick question: how did you turn this into a soup? Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
I made soup with some chicken broth, rice, and then threw in the chicken. I topped it with lime, cilantro and avocado.
Love this recipe!! I use the leftover broth to cook some rice in. Then I add some black beans and guacamole, all wrapped up in a tortilla shell!
Can I use something other then cilantro, my husband hates it…………
You could simply leave it. Or you could play around with other flavored like parsley, thyme, etc.
How would you prepare this for a gallon freezer bag? Would you add the chicken broth to the bag or add then when actually making the meal.
Id do it in the bag but imagine it could be added as well.
To make a larger batch, would you just double every ingredient?
Wow. YUMMMM. So good. I decided to make this last minute, so made it on the stove instead and my house instantly smelled heavenly. Even my kids gobbled this up in tortillas! Next week I’m going for the crock pot 🙂