Tacos are a favorite weeknight meal for many families. The minced meat or protein filling wrapped in a soft corn or flour tortilla along with fresh veggies and flavorful sauces makes for a quick, customizable and satisfying dinner. While ground beef is commonly used for tacos, chicken can also make an incredibly tasty taco filling. Chicken tacos offer a lighter alternative to beef and are just as flavorful.
When cooking chicken for tacos, there are a few methods you can use to get moist, tender chicken with maximum flavor The cooking method depends on the time you have and what flavors you want to highlight This article will outline several techniques for preparing chicken for tacos along with recipes and serving suggestions to make your taco night delicious.
Pan-Seared Chicken
One of the quickest and easiest ways to cook chicken for tacos is to pan sear it This method involves seasoning chicken breasts or thighs and cooking them in a skillet on the stovetop with a little oil
To start, cut 1-1. 5 pounds of chicken breasts that are boneless and skinless cut into 1-inch strips or chicken thighs that are diced into 1-inch pieces Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and smoked paprika together to make a spice rub. Sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
Put one to two tablespoons of avocado or olive oil in a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Do not touch the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns brown. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until completely cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping or shredding. The chicken can be served as is or tossed back into the pan with 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa to absorb those flavors.
Easy Chicken Tacos uses this simple pan searing method to make juicy, boldly seasoned chicken for tacos in just 15 minutes. Chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and garlic perfectly season the chicken.
Baked Chicken
If you want to cook chicken even faster, bake chicken breasts or thighs in the oven. Just sprinkle them with oil and spices, and bake them at 400°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they’re fully cooked.
Mix 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper together. Put the chicken in the oven to bake.
Coat 1-1.5 pounds of chicken all over with the spice mix. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before chopping or shredding. The baked chicken can be served as is or you can toss it with salsa, diced onions, cilantro, and lime juice to add extra flavor.
Baked chicken is an effortless way to prepare chicken for tacos with less time spent at the stove.
Slow Cooker Chicken
For ultra moist and tender chicken, the slow cooker is your best bet. Simply add chicken breasts or thighs to the slow cooker with taco seasoning and let it cook low and slow for flavorful shredded chicken.
In the morning, mix together 1 packet of taco seasoning or make your own blend with 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 1/2 tablespoon each of oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes along with salt and pepper.
Place 1-1.5 pounds of chicken breasts or thighs in the slow cooker and rub the taco seasoning all over the chicken. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth or water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until very tender.
Shred the chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker. Stir in some diced onions, cilantro, and salsa at the end for extra flavor if desired. The slow cooker chicken is perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, and more.
Poached Chicken
Poaching chicken in broth or water is an easy hands-off way to cook moist, tender chicken for tacos.
To poach chicken, place 1-1.5 pounds of chicken breasts or thighs in a saucepan and add enough chicken broth or water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Once cooked, remove the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before shredding with two forks. Reserve the cooking liquid to toss with the chicken along with taco seasoning to add flavor.
Shredded Chicken Tacos uses this poaching method to make deliciously seasoned, moist shredded chicken for tacos in just 20 minutes on the stovetop.
Grilled Chicken
Grilling adds wonderful smoky charred flavor to chicken. Use boneless chicken thighs or breasts for easy grilled chicken tacos.
Make a spice rub by mixing together 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper.
Coat 1-1.5 pounds of chicken all over with olive oil first, then the spice rub. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Grill the chicken over direct medium heat for 6-8 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
Let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes before chopping or shredding. The smoky grilled chicken is delicious in tacos, especially when topped with a tangy barbecue sauce.
Chicken Taco Recipes
Once you’ve cooked the chicken, it’s time to build your tacos. Here are some mouthwatering chicken taco recipes to try:
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Baja Fish Tacos – these famous fish tacos also work deliciously with shredded chicken
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Crispy Chicken Tacos – chicken coated in crushed tortilla chips for ultimate crunch
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Chicken Tinga Tacos – spicy, tomatoey shredded chicken tinga in soft corn tortillas
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Korean Chicken Tacos – chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and spicy Korean sauce
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Chicken Shawarma Tacos – Mediterranean spiced chicken wrapped in garlic yogurt sauce
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Jerk Chicken Tacos – Caribbean spiced grilled chicken tacos
Topping Your Tacos
Chicken tacos are so customizable when it comes to toppings. Have fun piling on your favorite taco toppings. Here are some tasty options:
- Shredded cheese – cheddar, Monterey jack, Mexican cheese blend
- Salsa – pico de gallo, salsa verde, guacamole
- Sauces – sour cream, Greek yogurt, avocado crema
- Veggies – lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, corn
- Herbs – cilantro, parsley, mint
- Spices – chili powder, cayenne, Tajin seasoning
- Fruit – pineapple, mango
- Crunchy toppings – tortilla chips, pepitas
With so many easy ways to cook moist, flavorful chicken for tacos and endless topping options, you’ll never get bored with chicken taco night! What’s your favorite chicken taco recipe?
How To Make Chicken Tacos
• Olive Oil: Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil here, or checkout Delish’s list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands. • Chicken: While some recipes use chicken thighs, I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe for a couple of reasons: they’re easy to cook, and I usually always have some on hand. • Seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper for heat make up the five-ingredient spice mix I use to make these chicken tacos. Put the pre-made packet away—trust me, it’s worth it to make your spice mix from scratch. • Tortillas: I like to use corn tortillas for this recipe, but if you prefer flour tortillas, feel free to use those instead! There are a few different ways to heat your tortillas. If you’ve got a gas burner, turn it to medium-low and place your tortillas directly on the burner. You can peek at them with tongs and let them toast for a few seconds. Then flip them over and toast them some more. Not only will this give your tortillas some nice smoky flavor, itll also make them more pliable. As you toast tortillas over an open flame, don’t leave the stove—no one wants to deal with a tortilla on fire! If you have an electric burner, heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and add the tortillas in a single layer. Toast, flipping occasionally, until warm and pliable. • Toppings: I say the more toppings, the merrier. I like my chicken tacos topped with red onion (pickled onions would be great too), avocado, cilantro, and cheese. Pico de gallo, salsa, crema, or some crushed corn chips would also be delicious. Really anything goes with these tacos.
While your oil is heating in a pan, season your strips of chicken with salt and pepper. Cook your chicken until golden, and then add your spice mix. Tip: To help the spices coat the chicken, add a little bit of oil or water to your spice mix before coating your chicken. Stir until fully coated, then cook for around a minute more.
Now, its time for the fun part: Load up your tacos with your toppings! Add your chicken to your warmed tortillas (you can do this in a dry skillet over high heat, about 3 seconds per side), and go crazy with all of your desired toppings.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- When to season your chicken. While my chicken is cooking in the pan, I like to add my spice mix to it. You can also marinate your chicken if you’d rather. Put the chicken slices in a large bag that can be closed again and again. Add the fresh lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate chicken for at least 30 minutes. If you’re ready to cook, take the chicken out of the marinade and keep going with the recipe.
- Grilled Chicken Tacos: These grilled chicken tacos are the perfect summer dinner if you want to grill something.
- Chicken tacos from Chipotle that are crispy and cheesy. Each bite is full of flavor. If you haven’t tried this cheesy “taco shell” yet, I promise you it’s great.
- Recipe for Shredded Chicken Tacos: I love shredded chicken, and these simple tacos are a great way to use up any extra.
QUICK Chicken Tacos {20 minutes)
FAQ
How do you cook chicken for tacos?
Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces. Serve chicken in tortillas, topped with pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro and lime.
How long should you boil chicken breast to shred?
Boil chicken breasts without bones or skin for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they reach 165°F on the inside. This will make shredded chicken. Bone-in, skin-on breasts will require a longer cooking time, around 30 minutes.