This is the EASIEST meal you will cook all year!
The intention was to have these posted for you in time for Cinco de Mayo, but life got crazy busy. Oh well, a couple days late, but they are worth the wait!
This recipe really should be called Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tostadas, Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, etc … You can add this yummy shredded chicken to just about anything. I am excited to throw some of the leftovers on my salad tonight.
The combo of ranch & taco spices really reminded me of Cool Ranch Doritos…. hence the name. I must say, this is one of my easiest crockpot recipes. Four ingredients, in the crockpot, and push go! I hope you love this flavorful crockpot recipe.How do you plan on using your Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken?
Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tacos or Tostadas
- Put chicken breasts, taco & ranch mixes and chicken broth in crock pot.
- Set crock pot on low for 5 hours.
- After 5 hours, shred chicken with 2 forks.
- Replace lid and continue cooking on low for 30 more minutes.
- Serve shredded chicken on a tostadas, tacos burritos or salad, with your favorite toppings!
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Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tacos or Tostadas
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast about 1 1/2 lbs
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 packet of ranch dressing
- 14 ounces of chicken broth
Instructions
- Put chicken breasts, taco & ranch mixes and chicken broth in crock pot.
- Set crock pot on low for 5 hours.
- After 5 hours, shred chicken with 2 forks.
- Replace lid and continue cooking on low for 30 more minutes.
- Serve shredded chicken on a tostadas, tacos burritos or salad, with your favorite toppings!
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Chris says
Hi Corey, just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/
Keeley McGuire says
Hehe cute pics Mama 🙂 recipe looks DELISH!
Jen @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Yum!! I love this meal and the corn with it looks so delish!! I love the thumbs up photo!! It makes me laugh!
patwaldau says
looks like i just figured out what i’m making for the family dinner on thursday! thanks, chef corey!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Did it get a thumbs up from the family?
Karin Marie says
I’m making this tonight for supper! It looks sooo yummy! I can’t wait! I’m debating on putting it over nachos or egg noodles..either way I can’t wait! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
I would love to hear how it turned out for you 🙂 XO Egg Noodles would be yummy!
Bobbi@bobbisbentos says
You are so cute! Totally pinning this too. I’m breaking out the crock pot this week 🙂
Anonymous says
made this last night it was a BIG HIT
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
That is awesome to hear! Thank you for sharing 🙂
sweet and lovely crafts says
Saw this on Pinterest the other day, and it’s cooking in my slow cooker now! Can’t wait for supper tonight!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
I hope you loved it Sweet & Lovely!
sweet and lovely crafts says
It was so delicious! I can’t wait to have it again.
Sarah says
I have to tell you, we really don’t eat meat often, but I made this last night and we had chicken tacos, and it was AMAZING! Thank you so much for this keeper!!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Sarah, this comment made my day 🙂 I am so glad to hear you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to let me know 🙂 XOXO
Bondgirl26 says
Has anyone doubled this recipe? I have the larger size crockpot and need to make a huge batch…Any hints??
Jason says
Would love to know this, too. Did you try doubling it?
Winnie says
This sounds great. I can’t wait to try it. I have the ranch in packets, but have taco seasoning in a jar..Do you have a rough estimate as to teaspoons in a pack of taco mix? Great blog..off to look around some more.
Angela says
I think there are about 3-4 tablespoons in each taco package.
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Thanks for helping out with the answer Angela! 🙂 XO
Stephanie says
WE love this! After I shred the chicken I add a package of room temperature cream cheese and let it cook longer! Game changer! This is now in our normal rotation. Thank you!
Anonymous says
It’s 1/3 cup
Miriam says
I had to look it up, too. A packet says 36g or 1.25 oz. Is that correct? If so, that would be 2.5 tablespoons. That’s what I just put in and I hope it’s right!
Tonya says
The taco seasoning packet days 2 tsp a serving with 6 servings. So I used 12 tsp. Hopefully it turns out well! 🙂
Anonymous says
Hi, Corey! Just want to stop by and let you know I recently saw this delicious looking recipe on Pinterest and gave it a try last night…we all loved it! Three thumbs up! Now, I’m interested in trying your Barbeque Ribs, Hawaiian Barbeque Chicken and Stuffed Peppers! Thank you for taking the time to post such beautiful recipe tutorials. You’ve given my tired menus some inspiration!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
You are so SWEET! That recipe is one of my favorites, so I am so glad you loved it too! I am actually making the crockpot peppers tonight! hehe Seriously, this comment made my day. Stop by again to let me know how other recipes turn out for you! XOXO
simplysummers says
This looks delicious! Since I have a 3 year old that seems to be attached to my rear, I need quick, easy meals that don’t take too much of my time. I will definitely be adding this to next week’s menu!! Could this be made up ahead of time and frozen to where you could just heat it through in the crockpot when you’re ready to use it or so you can use it in a recipe that calls for cooked shredded chicken? Thanks!! I can’t wait to try this!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Thank you so much Lori! You know what….there are never any leftovers of this to freeze when I make it! hehe Whatever doesn’t get eaten that night is devoured the next day! I am SURE this would freeze just fine though. If that’s the plan… you better make a triple batch and hide some right away 🙂 XO
Rachel says
Corey!! This is amazing!! I found it on Pinterest and thought I would give it a try- huge win with the family!! My husband nevvver eats leftovers and said if there would have been any left… He would have taken them to work! That is huge and definitely a FIRST!! Thank you so much for all of your time and effort!! I really do appreciate it!! Xo Rachel
Corey says
Rachel!!! You totally made my day with this comment. Thank you for taking the time to let me know how much you liked the recipe. I hope your hubby loved the chicken as leftovers 🙂 Maybe you have converted him into a leftover lover! hehe XO
Christina says
My fiancé LOVES chicken tacos. But they always seemed so bland to me.. But this recipe spiced ‘me up- & it’s in my brand new slow cooker now! (I’m a beginner when it comes to cooking- & it was too easy!)
Corey says
Awesome Christina! Congrats on the new slow cooker 🙂 Have fun with the leftovers. After our taco nights, I love using this chicken as a salad topper 🙂
Amber says
First off this looks delicious!
So my question is, is this powdered ranch or liquid?
It looks like liquid but I just want to make sure before I go throwing ranch all over the kitchen!
Also, could I just use ranch out of the bottle? If so about how much would I use?
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this!
Corey says
Amber, thanks for stopping by! You use POWDERED ranch. I have never tried it with ranch straight outta the bottle. I hope you love this recipe as much as my we do! XO
Kristi says
Do you use frozen or thawed breasts?
Corey says
I use thawed 🙂
Beth says
This was great and so easy. I doubled it and used the leftovers to make chicken tortilla soup! Thanks!!
Corey says
That is great Beth! Ohhhhh, Chicken Tortilla Soup sounds great! Once of my favs 🙂 XO
Jenny says
Hi,
I don’t have the ranch powder. Can I make it with just the broth and the taco seasoning?
Corey says
You sure can Jenny! It will taste great without the ranch 🙂 Hope you enjoy! XO
Bridget says
Hi there,
I’m making this tonight for my 4 kids so we can have a quick but healthy meal before basketball practice. I have a question. Your ingredient list and the directions say chicken broth but the pictures show you putting in chicken stock. Does it make a difference which I use? I bought both to be prepared. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Corey says
Bridget, sorry for the confusion. Either stock or broth will work for this recipe. I tend to use them both in the same way. I know there can be slight taste differences between the to, but when crockpot cooking, I really don’t think anyone would be able to tell the difference. Hope that helps!
Kelly says
I found this recipe on Pintrest. I used frozen chicken breasts and cooked on low for 8 hours. Perfection! Thanks for the post! I’m eager to try more of your delicious recipes!
P.S. I love your usage of organic ingredients:)
Kelly says
A side note: For my tortillas, I preheated the oven to 375 and draped the tortillas over the oven rack and baked for 5-7 min. Crispy shells without the added grease!
Corey says
Love this tip! I am totally going to try this 🙂
Corey says
Awesome Kelly! I hope you love any of the other recipes you try 🙂 XO
Logan says
Did you use the whole packet of Trader Joes Taco Seasoning Mix? The reason is I have used it on tacos before and only used 1/2 pack and it was very spicy- I am making this recipe tonight! yum!
Corey says
Yes, the Trader Joe’s seasoning can be spicy. If you don’t like it super spicy, maybe use 1/2 or a mild form of another seasoning packet. Hope that helps!
WildRose Gypsy says
YUMMY! I Can’t wait to Try this out!! I made your Lasagna Soup last night… Delicious!
Corey says
This is one of our favorites too 🙂 XO
Parker says
Super yummy. Everyone loved it!
Joni says
Does the chicken get overcooked after cooking for 5 hrs? I have done some crockpot recipes before and after about 3 hrs, the chicken is dry and tastes yucky.
Corey says
I haven’t had that problem. Maybe your crockpot runs hot? In your case, it might be good idea to cook on low. Hope that helps!
Tammy says
Oh my gosh I just made this tonight and it’s so yummy! Thank you for sharing! I will be making this again! 🙂
Katie says
Hi! Going to try this tomorrow.. I’ll be at work all day, do you think I can put it on low all day? Or will it dry out? Also the recipe says 14 oz but th pic is 32.. Is 14 the right amount?
Corey says
Yes, 14oz is the right amount. I always buy those big packages of broth and use it several times 🙂 You might want to add a little extra liquid if you are going to be gone all day. Hope that helps!
Katie says
Thanks! Chicken was partially frozen and I added some extra water..cooked 8+ hours and turned out great! Thanks for the recipe !
Corey says
Yay! I am so glad that worked out for you Katie! XO
Sarah F. says
Hey there!
Just made this tonight. I’m a firefighter so I decided to try this out on my coworkers at the firehouse. I love crockpot recipes at the firehouse just incase we have a busy day running calls, dinner is hot and ready when we can get to it. All the guys LOVED it!!!! These guys are not easy to impress. I roughly doubled the recipe (lets face it, we are firefighters, we have hungry appetites!) and we made tacos, and it turned out great!
Corey says
Sarah, thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment! It totally made my night 😉 I am soooo happy everyone loved it.
sabrina says
have you tried this with beef? do you think it would work? we are having a taco bar party and im in charge of the beef not chicken. or do you have a good beef recipe that could be used for tacos?
Lori says
Forgive me for not reading all the posts….can you use frozen chicken breasts? if so, what would you increase the cook time to? The only way I have found to motivate myself to cook again (for 1 person) is to try all these great sounding recipes I come across on Pinterst! 🙂
Corey says
I have never used frozen chicken breasts, but I have heard of people using frozen. Depending on your crockot (size, if it runs hot or cold) you may want to increase the cooking time a tad. Hope that helps!
Nikki says
Hi Lori,
I used frozen chicken breasts and put the cooker on high for the first two hours, then turned it to low for the rest of the time. As a disclaimer for Corey (and me!) the FDA does NOT recommend putting frozen meat in your slow cooker as it can increase the chances of food being at an unsafe temperature for too long. That being said, I still do it occasionally (read: all the time, since I forget to defrost the meat) and have never had a problem when I set it on high at first, but that’s just something to keep in mind. Hope that helps! PS, this recipe is amazing! If you haven’t tried it, you should!
Julie says
I have this in my slow cooker right now. We will be eating shortly. The kids (teenagers) keep asking when they can eat. It smells delicious. I even had some sales people at my door today, that never even came in, and said it smelled great. I did use frozen chicken breasts. All that I had. I put them in about 6 hours or so ago and the chicken has been done for awhile. A little extra time to soak up all that goodness. I may make some rice to go with this too.
Corey says
Wonderful Julie! I hope your family enjoys!
Andrea @ Run, Eat, Date, Sleep says
We made this last night! Super easy and so delicious! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Corey says
Thank you Andrea! I am so glad you loved it 🙂
Delaney says
Yum!! This was so delicious! I added a can of Ro-tel and a can of black beans. My husband loved it, and it was super easy! Thanks for the recipe! Here it is on my blog: http://adventuresofacraftywife.blogspot.com/2013/08/crockpot-chicken-tacos.html
Corey says
YUM! Great idea adding in the black beans 🙂
Heather says
This is my go to dinner!! It is the best, so yummy, easy, cheap to make. I can’t even count how many friends I have told about this recipe and they all have loved it too!! Thank you so much for your recipe, I’m so glad I found it. 🙂
Corey says
Awesome Heather! Thank you so much for the amazing comment. I hope you give some other recipes a try
Mrs. Williams says
This in our crock pot cooking right now! My husband keeps asking what’s for dinner! I think this going to be great because it certainly smells awesome! Thanks for the recipe! Super excited!
Corey says
I hope you loved it!
Ashley says
Hey, can I cook this on high for three hours, and get the same results?
Nikki says
Ashley, I did and it turned out just fine!
Nikki says
Made this for dinner last night and it was AWESOME! I added a couple cans of black beans and a can of green chiles and it was absolutely perfect! Thanks for sharing this!
Colleen says
Tried this tonight and it was wonderful! This will be added to the menu rotation! Thank you!
Tori says
I make this all the time & absolutely love it! Everyone always goes crazy for it! Question though, would this work with a cut up whole turkey? I have a grandmother who has wanted to try this but doesn’t eat chicken. With her being sick I figured it would be a great opportunity to try it out! Thanks in Advance
Corey says
I have never tried that Tori. I am guessing the same flavors would be there. Please let me know if you give it a try!
Melissa says
I just came across this on Pintrest and it is in my crock pot now! It is spring break and the kiddos have been home all week so I haven’t had time to get groceries so I’m running low on cooking supplies, so I was trying to find something I could cook with items that are in my pantry and this was perfect! I didn’t have chicken broth so I just used water, and its been cooking all day and smells GREAT! I hope it turns out ok! Next time ill try it with the chicken broth to see if it effected the taste much. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Alisha says
So delish!! Thank you for sharing:)
Jenn says
I made this Tuesday night in crockpot for dinner last night — rewarmed in a stockpot on the stove. It was seriously, seriously good. I am amazed that such simple ingredients produce such a great result. We made refried black beans and layered for yummy tostadas. This is a keeper and I can’t imagine anyone’s taste buds wouldn’t like it (adults and kids alike)! Thank you!
Corey says
I’m so glad you loved it Jenn!
Kelly Lester (@EasyLunchboxes) says
HUGE hit!! I made it last night and everyone LOVED it. I doubled the amount of chicken but kept everything else the same and it was perfect for our little dinner party. Thank you Corey!
Nicole says
I made this tonight and I weighed out 1 and a half lbs. of chicken breasts to use. I added in the same exact packet of taco seasoning. I added a 14 oz. can of chicken broth and a packet of ranch dips. And it is very flavorful but…..it is SO salty. And i am not usually a person that is sensitive to salt or anything but this is VERY salty. I don’t even know if I can eat it. I keep thinking that maybe I did something wrong but I followed the instructions exactly. Kind of bummed :o(
Katie says
Any ideas on what to substitute for the ranch dressing? We have an allergy to the ranch. Thanks for the ideas!
Corey says
Katie, you could just do the taco seasoning and skip the ranch mix. It would still make a yummy tasting shredded chicken 🙂
Tracy says
Oh no…fprgot to start the chicken! Have you ever cooked it on high for the first few hours? Hope it still turns out ok!
Christine says
This was delicious! Chicken came out moist and it wasn’t too spicy. I served it like a soft taco with sour cream and cheddar cheese. My kids are 7 and 4 and they loved it. It’s simple enough that you can add to it however you’d like. Im definitely making this again! Thanks Corey!
LL says
This was just too salty. =( So sad because minus the saltiness aspect, I loved the flavors. It was really good, if I just ignored the saltiness. We ate it all but hubs said not to make it again. I wish I could figure out a way to make this less salty but considering it’s all packaged stuff, I guess there isn’t a way to.
Corey says
You can always reduce the amount of seasoning, or find a sodium-free or low sodium version. Mrs. Dash makes a sodium free taco seasoning we love!
LL says
I did use a sodium free one. I used organic chicken broth like you have above, and an organic ranch packet. I compared it the Hidden Valley one in the store & they were similar. Hmm!
Kendra says
I wonder if those who are complaining the recipe is too salty are using CONDENSED chicken broth instead of the regular stuff….. Just a thought. Looking forward to making this for supper tomorrow night. My husband is REALLY excited to try it!
Corey says
Good call Kendra! Or at least try low sodium chicken broth….
Jenn says
This looks so good and i really want to try it tonight but dont have powdered ranch dip….can i use ranch dressing? Any idea how much?