Description
Tender chicken thighs slow cooked in a smoky sweet tomato-chipotle sauce with honey, garlic, cumin, and chili powder, then shredded and finished with fresh lime.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 1/4 cups crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
12 small corn tortillas, warmed, optional for serving
1 avocado, sliced, optional for serving
1 cup finely shredded cabbage, optional for serving
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, optional for serving
1 lime, cut into wedges, optional for serving
Instructions
1. Place the chicken thighs in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Combine the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, kosher salt, and smoked paprika. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the chicken and turn the thighs to coat. Add the minced garlic.
3. Stir together the crushed tomatoes, honey, and chopped chipotle peppers in adobo. Pour the mixture over the chicken and turn the thighs once or twice in the sauce.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Begin checking around 4 hours. The chicken should reach at least 165°F and pull apart easily with two forks.
5. Transfer the cooked chicken to a large shallow bowl or cutting board and shred it into substantial bite-size strands.
6. Check the consistency of the sauce remaining in the slow cooker. If it is excessively thin, transfer the sauce to a saucepan and simmer until slightly reduced.
7. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir until thoroughly coated.
8. Stir in the fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro, if using. Taste and adjust the heat or seasoning as needed.
9. Serve in warm corn tortillas with avocado, shredded cabbage, queso fresco, and lime wedges if desired.
Notes
For milder chicken, use 2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo instead of 3 tablespoons.
For less sweetness, reduce the honey to 3 tablespoons.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts may be substituted, but begin checking them earlier because lean breast meat is less forgiving of extended cooking.
Do not add extra broth simply to submerge the chicken. The meat releases additional liquid during slow cooking.
If the finished sauce is watery, reduce it briefly on the stovetop before returning the shredded chicken.
Leave the chicken in substantial strands rather than shredding it extremely finely for a better finished texture.
Refrigerate leftovers with their sauce for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition information is an estimate and does not include optional tortillas or toppings.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 4 hrs
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 2 g