Easy Chicken Tacos
Looking to elevate your taco night or taco Tuesday? Say goodbye to bland and boring with these juicy, flavorful, and easy-to-make chicken tacos. Bursting with bold flavors from vibrant spices and succulent chicken, these tacos are a fiesta for your taste buds. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen newbie, this recipe is the definition of easy peasy. Say hello to your new favorite chicken taco recipe! Delicious, juicy, NOT DRY chicken tacos easily made in 30 minutes on the stovetop.
Pair with Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans for a perfect meal. And serve hot Churros or Flan for a delicious dessert.
We are basically obsessed with tacos at our house: Grilled Fish Tacos, Shredded Beef Tacos, Baked Chicken Tacos, you name it, we love it!
What Makes Good Tacos?
I grew up in a small town in Southern California, where Mexican food was plentiful, and delightful. When I moved to Utah in college, I quickly realized how spoiled I had been when it came to great tacos. I had so much difficulty finding a taco that was good, I had to start making my own. This is a recipe I have made over and over since college, tweaking and refining the proportions for years. here is what I learned makes for great tacos:
- Quick and Customizable: Good tacos are worth effort, but even better if they don’t take too much effort. These tacos are simple, but incredibly flavorful. And easy to customize to your family’s preferences.
- No Dry Chicken. Good tacos start with the protein, and I want juicy, flavorful, and tender chicken. You can use chicken breast or thighs to achieve this, thighs make it easier, but since chicken breasts are more popular, I opted to develop the recipe for chicken breasts first and foremost.
- Good Tortillas. When I have the time, I love making homemade tortillas. But this page is eazy peazy, and most of the time, I have no time for homemade tortillas, so instead we employ a few tricks to get great tortillas starting from store bought.
- Dressed for Success: The toppings and fixings for your tacos can make or break them. What pico or salsa will you use? What will you top your tacos with? What sauces will you use? I’ve got you covered.
Tips for Amazing Chicken Tacos Every Time!
The best way to make chicken tacos amazing every single time, is start with great chicken, and then enhance it with toppings and sauces. Here are my tips:
- Cook Chicken Properly. The best way to get perfect chicken tacos every time, is to properly cook the chicken. Chicken cooked past 165 degrees F tends to be dry. Use an instant read thermometer to cook the chicken to 160 degrees F, and then rest and tent the chicken to let it come up to 165 degrees F. This is especially important if using chicken breasts. Another option is to use chicken thighs, as they have more internal fat, are harder to overcook, and are more flavorful.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning. This homemade taco seasoning mix is a total win. I have been tweaking it for years to get it right, and the flavor is spot on. There is chipotle, and paprika, and more. If you need a short cut and want to use a packet, you can, but add some chipotle pepper powder if you can, it really amplifies the flavors.
- Pan Juices. Do not waste your pan juices, they are great way to keep the chicken juicy, and add more flavor to the overall chicken. Don’t discard the juices, instead, pour them back over the chicken after chopping it.
- Toss with Lime and Cilantro. Lime juice and cilantro tossed with the chopped up chicken is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY! Trust me when I say, it will level up your chicken tacos in a major way.
- Top Your Way: Top with cilantro, onion, pico or salsa, cotija, lime juice, avocado, and your favorite sauces, like crema or tomatillo dressing.
What You Need for Chicken Tacos
While this recipe offers intensely delicious flavors, it is incredibly simple to make. It starts with a homemade spice rub, and is cooked stove top. Then you assemble your tacos and enjoy! Let’s take a look at what you need:
- Chicken breast (or thighs)
- Oil
- Butter
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- Taco fixings: tortillas, salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream or crema, cotija, cilantro, onions, lime, avocado
- Sides like these from dry bean instant pot black beans, or these Best Ever Black Beans.
How to Make Easy Chicken Tacos
- Pound Chicken to Even Thickness: Place chicken breasts in a zip top bag, or between sheets of plastic wrap, and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to even thickness. This will help it cook evenly and avoid the chicken drying out while cooking.
- Season Chicken: Place chicken breasts on a plate or in a dish and sprinkle with the taco seasoning, be sure to rub it all over the chicken breasts, flipping them to be sure to coat both sides evenly. Place chicken in the refrigerator, covered, for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat Pan: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes, until hot, and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, swirl to coat the entire bottom of the pan.
- Sear Chicken: Once oil is in, use tongs to place the seasoned chicken breasts into the pan. Once they touch the pan, they stick, and you can’t move them, so place them carefully, and plan to cook in 2 batches, do not crowd the pan. Leave the chicken alone, not touching it or moving it at all for 3-4 minutes, to allow a nice sear, and for the flavors to develop.
- Flip Chicken: Using tongs, flip the chicken. If when you try to flip it, it sticks to the pan, wait an additional minute and try again. It will flip easily when ready and if it has a nice sear. Let cook another 3-4 minutes to sear this side.
- Add Fat: Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt around the chicken. This helps develop more flavor and a richer brown sear. Then turn the heat down to medium. Cover the chicken and cook the chicken until it is a deep golden brown and an instant read meat thermometer registers 160-165 degrees F. About 5 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Remove and Cover: Remove the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm, while repeating the process until all of the seasoned chicken is cooked through.
- Chop Chicken: When all the chicken is cooked through, use a sharp knife to chop it into small taco sized pieces.
- Add Extra Flavor: Place chicken in a large bowl, and toss with lime juice and chopped cilantro. Pour any juices from the cutting board or pan into the chicken bowl and toss.
- Assemble Tacos: Serve warm with fixings to make tacos!
Assemble Chicken Tacos
When your chicken is cooked and ready to go, it is assembly time. The first step for assembling amazing tacos is to char and steam your tortillas. This is how you take store bought corn tortillas and make them amazing.
Char and Steam Tortillas
Using a gas stove, turn gas burner on to medium high heat. Place corn tortillas directly on the great, and let them char for a few seconds (when they start to turn brown, remove or flip). Carefully flip tortillas with metal tongs to char each side.
After they are charred to your satisfaction, place them in a zip top bag and seal it. Add a damp paper towel between every 3-4 tortillas, and keep the bag sealed so the steam will help make the tortillas pliable. Keep in the bag until ready to serve.
Build Chicken Taco, Customize to Preference
Now it is time to stuff those tortillas full of all of your chicken taco goodness. I like to start with a hefty amount of your seasoned chicken, then layer on the pico de gallo or salsa, cilantro and onions, cotija, Mexican crema, and avocado. But you can layer and customize as you see fit.
What to Eat with Chicken Tacos?
Looking for ideas of what to serve your tacos with? Here are some of our preferred accompaniments:
- Chips and Salsa: Cowboy Caviar Salsa, Restaurant Style Blender Salsa, Mango Avocado Salsa
- Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice : Either one of these rice options are a great side for these simple chicken tacos.
- Beans: Black Beans or Pinto Beans : Cook beans to accompany, for a traditional side.
- Easy Guacamole : Because who doesn’t love chips and salsa with guac as a side for tacos?
- Creamy Tomatillo Buttermilk Ranch : Got a ranch lover? Give them this ranch with a Mexican twist.
- Elote {Mexican Street Corn} : Such a fun side dish to go with tacos, especially when corn is in season and extra sweet.
- Tomatillo Dressing: we like to put this dressing on everything, and it is super delicious drizzled over these tacos. It adds an extra layer of flavor, and makes them even saucier tacos.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Tacos
Leftover chicken can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days and be reheated for tacos. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months, and reheat. Just be sure to label with date to use before the quality degrades.
All the toppings and fixings should be stored in the refrigerator in air tight containers.
How to Freeze Chicken Tacos?
Assembled tacos should not be frozen. But you can freeze the chicken taco meat. Here is how:
- Let it cool completely.
- Put chicken in a ziplock or airtight container.
- Freeze. Will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to use it, pull out of the freezer, place in the fridge to let it defrost overnight. Then use as you see fit. It is great in tacos, enchiladas, salads, quesadillas, burritos, and more.
How to Reheat Chicken
When you’re ready to reheat the chicken for your tacos, or whatever you decide to make with it, you simply need to defrost it, then you can add it to a pan on the stove top with a little olive oil or water and heat until heated through. Or you can pop it in the microwave, though it may dry it out a little if you do this, so add a little water. Then serve!
How to Use Chicken Taco Leftovers
- Chicken taco salad: Use the leftover meat as a topping for a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese.
- Chicken taco quesadillas: Add the meat between two tortillas with cheese and any other desired toppings, then cook until crispy. Or make sheetpan quesadillas!
- Chicken taco pizza: Use the meat as a topping for a pizza along with cheese, onions, peppers, and salsa. And this homemade pizza dough, for a quick, easy dinner.
- Chicken taco wraps: Fill a tortilla with the meat, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream for a quick lunch or dinner. You can even use Homemade Tortillas!
- Chicken taco soup: Add the meat to a pot of chicken broth with beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices for a hearty soup.
- Chicken taco stuffed peppers: Use the meat as a filling for bell peppers, then bake until the peppers are tender.
- Chicken taco rice bowl: We love making rice bowls. Serve the meat over rice with beans, cheese, and avocado for a filling meal.
- Chicken taco pasta: Mix the meat with cooked pasta, cheese, and salsa for a Mexican-inspired pasta dish.
- Chicken taco lettuce wraps: Such a fun twist on chicken tacos.
Easy Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the taco meat
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
The rest
- 12 corn tortillas plus more
- 1 batch Blender Salsa
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 small white onion chopped
- Sour cream
- 1 cup cotija
- 2 limes cut into wedges
- 2 Avocados diced or sliced
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a zip top bag, or between sheets of plastic wrap, and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to even thickness. This will help it cook evenly and avoid the chicken drying out while cooking.
- Place chicken breasts on a plate or in a dish and sprinkle with the taco seasoning, be sure to rub it all over the chicken breasts, flipping them to be sure to coat both sides evenly.
- Place chicken in the refrigerator, covered, for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes, until hot, and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, swirl to coat the entire bottom of the pan.
- Once oil is in, use tongs to place the seasoned chicken breasts into the pan. Once they touch the pan, they stick, and you can't move them, so place them carefully, and plan to cook in 2-3 batches, do not crowd the pan.
- Leave the chicken alone, not touching it or moving it at all for 3-4 minutes, to allow a nice sear, and for the flavors to develop.
- Using tongs, flip the chicken. If when you try to flip it, it sticks to the pan, wait an additional minute and try again. It will flip easily when ready and if it has a nice sear. Let it cook 3-4 minutes to sear that side of the chicken.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt around the chicken. This helps develop more flavor and a richer brown sear. Then turn the heat down to medium. Cover the chicken and cook the chicken until it is a deep golden brown and an instant read meat thermometer registers 160-165 degrees F. About 5 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm, while repeating the process until all of the seasoned chicken is cooked through.
- When all the chicken is cooked through, use a sharp knife to chop it into small taco sized pieces.
- Place chicken in a large bowl, and toss with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- Pour any juices from the cutting board or pan into the chicken bowl and toss.
- Serve warm with fixings to make tacos!
Notes
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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