Dinner in a hurry is no worries if you have it Shredded Chicken Tacos. Plain shredded chicken gets a juicy, flavorful Tex-Mex makeover with sautéed onions, homemade taco seasoning, chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and lime juice. You’re only 20 minutes away from taco night with this easy recipe!
In an ideal world, I would have unlimited time to leisurely cook dinner, accompanied by upbeat background music, a glass of wine, a relaxed husband, and my dog calmly watching me.
Unfortunately, this often can’t be the case (except maybe the wine glass part); I hold responsibility accountable.
We all need quick and easy dinners in our back pocket that are tasty, nutritious and won’t cause complaints from our loved ones.
Enter shredded chicken tacos.
We all know the salsa + chicken + slow cooker trick to prep chicken for easy chicken tacos.
- When creating these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, I discovered that with just a few additional ingredients and steps, Mexican chicken can be infinitely more flavorful than the jar-o-salsa version.
- This recipe is even More quickly than the Instant Pot version, since we’re simply simmering pre-cooked shredded chicken like in this Chicken Quesadilla recipe, another 911 dinner fix.
How to cook shredded chicken for tacos
There are several ways to prepare shredded chicken for chicken tacos. It’s your decision!
Each of these posts have ALL the details and tips on how to cook non-dry chicken cutlet to perfection.
How to make the best shredded chicken tacos recipe
Taking the one extra step of sautéing the onion to soften and sweeten it and the spices to bring out their flavors is worth the flavor payoff.
The ingredients
- Shredded Chicken. Cook this lean protein using your preferred method. Options see above.
- Onion. Gives the chicken more flavor.
- Chicken Taco Seasoning. Chili powder, salt and cumin give our chicken the perfect Tex-Mex flavor. This seasoning is just as easy to mix together as opening a pre-made taco seasoning packet, and you’ll love the simple ingredients.
- Garlic. I recommend chopping the garlic fresh.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. These peppers come in a can and are usually available at the grocery store at Mexican food ingredients.
Top!
Be warned that canned chipotle peppers are HOT. All you need is one or two of these little babies and a few teaspoons of sauce for a whole load of smoky flavor.
- Diced tomatoes. A can of dainty diced tomatoes will add more juiciness to the chicken.
- lime juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice is the final zip to warm taco flavor.
- Tortillas or taco shells. To serve!
The directions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion in olive oil with chili powder, salt, and cumin. Stir in the garlic.
- Add the shredded chicken, chipotle peppers, diced tomatoes, and lime juice. Let cook until chicken is warmed through.
- Fill taco shells or warm tortillas with the chicken and your favorite toppings. ENJOY!
Shredded Chicken Taco Toppings
Taco night is all about the toppings, right? Load up your Mexican chicken tacos with any of the following, or dress them up taco bar style:
- guacamole. See How to Make Guacamole for my famous guac recipe. You can also top your shredded chicken tacos with diced avocado.
- Grated cheese. A tip I always give to chefs is: Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded. Cotija cheese would be authentic and cheddar cheese would taste good too.
- Red onion. Quickly pickled red onions are one of those secret, super flavorful ingredients that shouldn’t be so secret.
- Greek yogurt. My favorite healthy substitute for sour cream is non-fat Greek yogurt.
- lettuce. Shred romaine lettuce for a delicious crunch on your shredded chicken taco.
- Sliced radish. Adds a nice crunch and a little zing.
- salsa. For dipping chips and topping your taco.
- jalapenos. Sliced jalapenos add some kick if you like it spicy.
- Fresh coriander. Cilantro adds a pretty garnish and fresher flavor.
storage tips
- To store. Before making tacos, refrigerate leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To warm up. Gently microwave shredded chicken until hot, add a splash of water or chicken broth to keep it from drying out, then prepare fresh tacos.
- Freeze. Store shredded chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
remnants of ideas
This Mexican Chicken Cutlet is not only easy to make, but also versatile to serve and is great for leftovers like the following:
- Mixed with rice and beans as burrito bowls, with roasted corn tortillas. Make brown rice or white rice for your bowl bottom.
- As a filling for enchiladas.
- To this thin taco salad.
- Rolled up in a jumbo, low carb tortilla, or flour tortillas as a burrito.
What to serve with shredded chicken tacos
Here are the key ingredients to serve alongside your shredded chicken tacos:
- meat grinder. Super handy “claws” make chopping meat easier than using forks.
- Taco Stand. Taco night at home feels like it’s at a restaurant with taco holders.
- garlic press. The only garlic press I like.
This easy shredded chicken taco recipe takes pre-cooked shredded chicken from bland to WHAM for the ultimate chicken taco.
May you always have an answer to “What’s for dinner?” now.
frequently asked Questions
Use chicken breast if you prefer white meat for shredded chicken tacos and chicken thighs for dark meat. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this shredded chicken taco recipe.
Boneless is easier to shred while boned bone tends to stay moister than boneless and has more flavor than boneless. You don’t want or need skin in shredded chicken, so discard it if necessary.
Don’t use chicken wings or drumsticks for shredded chicken, as neither contain a significant amount of meat.
Yes! Store-bought rotisserie chicken is a fabulous dinner shortcut. You can follow this recipe for the best chicken tacos with rotisserie chicken.
This recipe can easily be scaled up for large groups. 3/4 to 1 cup of meat per person is a good estimate. So, for example, if you’re serving tacos for 20 people, I would make 15-20 cups of shredded chicken. A medium chicken breast makes about 1 cup of shredded chicken.
Chicken should be shredded after it is cooked. This way the chicken will retain its moisture. Let it rest for 5 minutes before chopping.
FOR THE TACO-SHREDDED CHICKEN
- 3 cups cooked chicken* (about 3 medium boobs)
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion or 1/2 large yellow onion rolled
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 to 2 Chipotle peppers in individual adobo peppers NOT whole canned, finely chopped (if you love spiciness, feel free to add a little more pepper or stir in a few teaspoons of canned sauce)
- 1 15 ounces may contain dainty diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lime juice from about 1 medium lime
TO SERVE:
- Your choice of warm tortillas or hard taco shells
- Choice of toppings: fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced jalapenos, pickled onions, thinly sliced radishes, cheese, salsa
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In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chili powder, salt and cumin. Sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
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Add the shredded chicken, chipotle peppers, diced tomatoes, and lime juice. Let cook, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, until chicken is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Taste and season to taste.
-
To Serve: Fill the shells or warm tortillas with the chicken and add toppings of your choice. Enjoy immediately.
- TO STORE: Before making tacos, refrigerate leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- TO WARM UP: Gently microwave shredded chicken until hot, add a splash of water or chicken broth to keep it from drying out, then shape into fresh tacos.
- FREEZE: Store shredded chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Portion: 1of 4 (chicken only)Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 10GProtein: 28GFat: 14GSaturated Fatty Acids: 3GPolyunsaturated fat: 2GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 8thGCholesterol: 79mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 2GSugar: 4GVitamin A: 472ieVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 3mg
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