Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (2024)

Home » Protein » Chicken

ByApril Boller Wright

676 Shares

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Delicious and easy cheesy shredded chicken tacos with BIG flavors! These shredded chicken tacos with homemade taco seasoning is easy and delicious! Top these chicken tacos off with my homemade habanero chunky salsa. These shredded chicken tacos are so easy and delicious!

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (1)

I’ve been craving shredded chicken tacos for the longest time. The last time I had chicken tacos was about a year ago. I don’t know why it took me so long to make these shredded chicken tacos but I recently made them and my family and I loved them so much that they requested that I make them again this week. I think I’ve had these cheesy chicken tacos about five times in the past two weeks.

I like to make a large serving of these chicken tacos so that my family and I can have something that tastes fantastic and quick to eat for lunch or even dinner. My teen loves eating a lot of different variations of chicken tacos and so far he says these are the best ones yet, so leftover shredded chicken is always a great option for making tacos.

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Join our newsletter and stay up to date on all the newest recipes guaranteed to add a burst of flavor to your inbox.

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (2)

The tacos, habanero salsa and the homemade taco seasoning for my shredded chicken taco or any Mexican style recipe are all simple to make. The ingredients in this homemade taco seasoning are onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper, smoked paprika, Mexican chili powder, pepper. Mix all the seasonings together.

Season the boneless skinless chicken thighs liberally with 2 tablespoons of the homemade taco seasoning. I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for my tacos because chicken thighs have so much more flavor than chicken breast. Juicy tender chicken tacos is a good thing!
Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side. While the chicken is cooking, chop up the onions and mince the garlic. I used canned diced tomatoes and one small habanero minced.

Cook the onions until they’re soft then add the other vegetables. Using a wooden spoon smash the chunks of salsa as it cooks. Add a bit of sugar about 1-2 teaspoons to get rid of the bitter taste of the tomatoes. Lastly, add about 1 tablespoon of lime juice to the homemade salsa then season the homemade habanero salsa with salt and pepper. With two forks, shred the chicken thighs leaving some bigger pieces of shredded chicken.

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (3)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray a bit of vegetable oil on the parchment paper. Place about 3 small soft tacos on the baking sheet (you may be able to add more or less tacos depending on the size of your baking sheet) and spray a bit of vegetable oil.

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (4)
The vegetable oil will make the soft tacos have a soft crunch. Add the cheese, the shredded chicken then more cheese to the taco. Bake the chicken tacos for only 2-3 minutes then add the homemade habanero salsa, fresh sliced grape tomatoes and the lettuce. Add sour cream if you like. So good! Enjoy!

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (5)

You may also like:

Quesadillas in the oven (Sheet Pan Quesadillas),Enfrijoladas,Jamaican Beef Patties, Cheesy Jalapeno Ground Beef Tamale Pie

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (6)

Shredded Chicken Tacos

April Boller Wright

Easy Homemade Shredded chicken tacos with great BIG flavors These chicken tacos are so easy and delicious! The chicken is tender and juicy, cooked in a flavorful mouth-watering taco seasoned adobo sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Taco Seasoning

  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp red pepper
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Mexican Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp pepper

Chicken

  • 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp of the homemade taco seasoning mix

Homemade Habanero Salsa

  • 1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cup diced onions
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1-2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp jarred jalapenos diced very smalll
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 habanero diced very small
  • 6-8 soft flour tacos

Instructions

Taco seasoning mix

  • Add all of the seasoning to a bowl or jar big enough and mix well. Season the chicken thighs with the homemade taco seasoning.

Habanero Salso

  • Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot add the onion Cook the onions until softened. Add the diced canned tomatoes, habanero and jalapeno. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add sugar if the tomatoes are too bitter. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper for taste.

Chicken

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot add the Season chicken thighs. Cook for3-4 minutes or until done. Add the cooked chicken into a medium sized bowl. With two forks shred the chicken leaving some bigger pieces of shredded chicken. Add more homemade taco seasoning to the chicken if needed. I usually add an additional 1 teaspoon of homemade taco seasoning to the shredded chicken.Season with salt and pepper for taste.

  • Lightly spray the baking sheet with vegetable oil. Place the soft tacos on the baking sheet ( I was only able to fit 3 tacos on my baking sheet) Spray a tiny bit of vegetable oil on top of each soft taco.

  • Add your choice of shredded cheeses. I use monterrey jack cheese and Mexican mixed cheeses. Add the chicken then add more cheese. Place the baking sheet into the oven and cook for about 2-3 minutes. You want the tacos to have soft crunch. Don't leave the tacos in the oven too long or they will become hard.Add the homemade salsa and fresh grape tomatoes and lettuce. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cook tips

Instant Pot Burn Notice -

No 1. Couple reasons for this warning. If you receive a burn notice you most likely need to add more broth or water (if you like) to the instant pot. Don't worry if you get the warning. I got the warning so of course, had to add more liquid. I initially tried to get away with 1/4 cup of but it wasn't enough. The liquid measurement in the recipe card is what you can start with.

No 2.The knob was not turned to sealing position. Make sure the knob is set to sealing.

No 3. The burn notice could be that the lid wasn't locked. Make sure the lid is locked. For more instant pot troubleshooting info you can check out thepressure cooker site.

Storage - Storein air-tight container. Place in the refrigerator for up to one week. Freeze up to a month in the freezer.

Tools to make this: Visit my Amazon shop to purchase the Instant Pot that I use.

Recipe has been updated 3/6/2019

Keyword chicken tacos, Mexican shredded chicken, shredded chicken tacos

Like this? Leave a comment below!Let us know how it was!

April Boller Wright

April is a PR friendly Food Blogger, Recipe Developer, Photographer & Sweetsaholic in the D.C area who loves using mostly fresh ingredients to make her simple melting pot flavorful recipes. For business inquiries please fill out this contact form.

Chicken Tacos and a Taco Seasoning Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you use taco seasoning on chicken instead of beef? ›

Taco seasoning is a blend of spices commonly used to flavor Mexican-style dishes, including tacos made with different types of meat like ground beef or ground chicken. The same taco seasoning blend can generally be used for both ground beef and ground chicken.

What is a chicken taco made of? ›

Mouthwatering chicken is wrapped in warm tortillas and sprinkled with salsa, cilantro, and all your favorite toppings. It's adaptable for all tastes, so we like to let the kids (and adults, too!)

How to make chicken taste like beef? ›

How do you make a chicken breast taste like beef? Buy beef and label it chicken. Seriously, boil beef stock cubes with BBQ spice in water, place breasts in a sieve that just touches the broth, cover with the pot's lid and steam until just cooked, rotating the pieces every so often. Then blanch them a couple of times.

What is chicken taco meat called? ›

Pollo is chicken in Spanish. This is a popular choice in tacos as well. Chicken is marinated and then cut into small pieces, making it the perfect filling for your tacos. Some will also prepare it by shredding it before putting in the tortillas.

What goes good with chicken tacos? ›

The best side dishes to serve with chicken tacos are guacamole, pineapple salsa, refried beans, pico de gallo, Spanish rice, lazy enchiladas, churros, tostilocos, chicken tortilla soup, homemade salsa, sweet corn salad, black bean salad, cilantro lime rice, chili con queso, fried plantains, shrimp ceviche, and avocado ...

What is another name for chicken tacos? ›

These Tacos de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Tacos) are the perfect low calorie addition to your taco Tuesday rotation! Featuring delicious Mexican Shredded Chicken and a handful of healthy ingredients, these tacos are sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Do Mexicans eat chicken tacos? ›

Mexican tacos are made of anything but chicken.

Chicken or beef tacos may be big in the US, but in Mexico, chicken is used to make stews, soup, and tamales. Mexicans love to eat tacos campechano, which are made with chicharron, chorizo, steak, tomatillo sauce, morita sauce, onions, and cilantro.

Do you add water before taco seasoning? ›

Taco seasoning used on meat for the tacos needs a bit of water to help distribute the spice mix. Packaged seasonings may contain thickeners to keep the finished product from becoming watery. In other recipes you might use the seasoning without water but would need some moisture to make it stick.

Do you add water before or after taco seasoning? ›

Pretty much everyone knows the drill: Brown the meat, breaking it up as you go, sprinkle the taco seasoning over it, and add a specific amount of water, simmering and stirring until thickened.

Do you add water when adding taco seasoning? ›

1/2 cup water: After you've browned your meat, add in 1/2 cup water with 3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix. Stir to combine and mix all together. Slowly add in another 1/2 cup water as some will begin to absorb – you want it with a little sauce, just not too watery!

Do you put seasoning on chicken before or after? ›

Yes, you should always season your chicken before cooking when it's raw. You can even do this up to 24 hours before if you have the time. Why? Because leaving the seasoning on your chicken overnight in the fridge will help it start to trap moisture in the chicken, which will make it nice and juicy once cooked.

Do you drain ground chicken? ›

Ground chicken doesn't need to be drained of its liquid unless the recipe requires calls for it, so don't let those flavourful juices go down the drain.

When should you add taco seasoning? ›

To season ground meat tacos, first sauté the meat until it loses its pinkish color. Then sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir to combine. Add one cup of vegetable, chicken or beef stock per pound of meat and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and let the liquid evaporate from the meat.

Is chicken taco seasoning the same as beef taco seasoning? ›

The answer is quite simple: Chicken taco seasoning tends to be on the milder side. I don't know if you've noticed, but regular taco seasoning tends to have bolder and spicier flavors from more chili powder and other spices. This is great for proteins like beef, but can overpower leaner proteins like chicken.

Can you substitute chicken for ground beef? ›

With a similar texture, ground chicken or ground turkey can be superb substitutes for ground beef. The poultry is a bit paler than beef, which can change the appearance of some dishes, but they still taste equally delicious.

Can you use beef seasoning on chicken? ›

Using store-bought steak seasoning on the chicken is a safe and easy way to add flavor and depth to your chicken dishes. Although the dish's taste will be altered, steak seasoning can create a unique and delicious flavor profile.

Is chicken or beef tacos better? ›

Chicken tacos are some of the highest in protein. They're often lower in fat than red meats as well ( 22 , 23 ). Plus, studies have found that eating lean cuts of white meat, like chicken, are not associated with an increased risk of chronic disease ( 24 , 25 ).

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5905

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Birthday: 1996-05-19

Address: Apt. 114 873 White Lodge, Libbyfurt, CA 93006

Phone: +5983010455207

Job: Legacy Representative

Hobby: Blacksmithing, Urban exploration, Sudoku, Slacklining, Creative writing, Community, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.