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Spicy, tender, sheet-pan, shredded chicken tacos are SO quick and easy to make, they’ll be a family favorite in no time!
Why is this Easy Chicken Tacos Recipe the best on the whole internet?
My love for tacos runs DEEP, and these tacos are no exception! They actually remind me of these frozen tacos I used to eat when I was in college (except these are much tastier and made with fresh ingredients). Nonetheless, hello nostalgia!
This chicken taco recipe is the easiest to pull together, and they all bake on one sheet pan. SHEET PAN TACOS! Seriously, anytime I can make dinner all on one sheet pan, I’m in. It’s genius. Then there’s the seasoned chipotle sauce that really gives these tacos a punch of flavor with just the right amount of kick for this spice-loving gal (don’t worry if spice isn’t your thing, you can easily adjust this level).
Chicken Taco Recipe Ingredients
To make these super flavorful tacos, here’s what you’ll need:
- Corn Tortillas – for the taco shell, you’ll need 12 corn tortillas.
- Olive Oil – to keep the tortillas pliable and also help them crisp in the oven, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Shredded Chicken – 1 pound of shredded chicken breast makes up the filling for these tacos (I made mine in the Instant Pot using this method, but you could also use a slow cooker or other method to cook the chicken and shred it, or use shredded rotisserie chicken).
- Cheese – these tacos wouldn’t be complete without cheese. You’ll use 8 ounces of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
- Chipotle Peppers – the main spice component of the sauce comes from 1 4-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo.
- Lime Juice – a ⅓ cup of lime juice gives a fresh, citrus flavor to the sauce (juice of about 3 limes, plus an extra for garnish if you’re a “squeeze of lime to finish” kind of person).
- Cumin – a ½ teaspoon of ground cumin adds a beautifully warm depth of flavor.
- Salt – a ¼ teaspoon of sea salt brings the flavors of the sauce together.
- Sour Cream – a ½ cup of sour cream serves as the base to the creamy dipping sauce.
- Cilantro – a taco really wouldn’t be complete in my book without a sprinkle of cilantro for garnish.
Ingredient Modifications
This recipe is seriously perfect as it stands, but it is also versatile to meet whatever craving you have for tacos. Here are some ideas:
- Swap the protein – use shredded pork, barbacoa, or ground beef in place of the shredded chicken.
- Make it dairy-free – use a vegan shredded cheese and dairy-free sour cream.
- Cut the spice – if you don’t want your tacos to be too spicy, simply cut the adobo in half and only add it to the sour cream. For the chicken, make the sauce with an additional ½ cup of sour cream, lime juice, and cumin.
How do you make chicken tacos?
Assembling these tacos only takes minutes, and it all happens on the sheet pan (for super easy clean up). Here’s how you’ll make them:
- Preheat the oven – to 350℉.
- Blend the sauce – to the blender, add the chipotle peppers + sauce, lime juice, cumin, and sea salt. Blend on high until combined and smooth.
- Make the filling – in a medium size bowl, add your shredded chicken and half of the adobo sauce and mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Rub the tortillas – lay the tortillas out on the baking sheet (they may overlap a little, and that’s ok!) and drizzle with olive oil on both sides.
- Fill – on one half of each of the tortillas, add a spoonful of the chicken mixture and a sprinkle of cheese.
- Bake – bake the open faced tortillas with chicken and cheese for 5 minutes (your cheese will just start to get melty).
- Fold the tortillas – using a spatula (if you value your fingertips at all), fold the tortillas in half over the melted cheese to make your taco (the cheese should be melted enough to hold the shell closed), flip the tacos, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Make the dipping sauce – mix the remaining half of the blended adobo sauce with the sour cream until combined.
- Remove from oven – once finished baking, remove the tacos from the oven, garnish with cilantro and lime wedges (if desired).
- Serve and enjoy! – serve alongside the dipping sauce and enjoy the taco goodness!
*Baked as directed will result in a not-crispy-but-holds-its-shape soft taco. If you want a crispier taco, flip again after step 7 and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
*If you don’t want your tacos to be super spicy, omit the adobo sauce and instead mix your chicken with a ½ cup of sour cream, lime juice, and cumin.
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How do you store these easy chicken tacos?
If you happen to have any leftover tacos (although there usually aren’t ever any left to spare in my house), store them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3-5 days.
How long do these easy chicken tacos last?
Mine barely last long enough to cool enough to eat them once removed from the oven because eager hands are ready to eat! But they’ll last in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re prepping in advance, you could make the sauces and mix up the chicken and store in a lebled container, then assemble and bake them the day of.
Are authentic chicken tacos easy to reheat?
These chicken tacos reheat really easily in a saute pan (over medium heat) or re-crisped in the oven (350℉ for 10 minutes–5 on each side).
Easy Chicken Tacos FAQs
I found that 1 pound of shredded chicken breast was the perfect amount for this recipe.
Sure! The recipe calls for shredded chicken for the texture and ease of filling the tacos, but you could also use finely chopped chicken and the tacos would seal up just fine.
I love the adobo, lime, and cumin sauce for its acidic and spicy flavor. You could definitely use a more traditional taco seasoning on the chicken if you prefer. I would mix it with some sour cream to add some creaminess and keep the chicken moist.
The process and assembly is actually really quick and easy (especially if your chicken is already prepped and shredded. Start to finish, it should take you roughly 30 minutes or less (about 10 minutes to prep and assemble your ingredients plus 15-20 minutes of bake time).
They sure can be! When I think of healthy foods, I often refer to the quality of ingredients being used. When buying chicken, I prioritize buying free-range, organic chicken to avoid antibiotics, trace hormones, and pesticides. These chicken tacos have a nice balance of high quality ingredients–including lean protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates.
These chicken tacos are delicious with the creamy adobo sauce, a sprinkle of cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. They would also be great topped with this black bean and corn salsa or this mango salsa for a sweet and citrusy contrast. You’ll also never find me eating tacos without a side of guacamole.
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Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound shredded chicken breast
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 4- ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo
- ⅓ cup lime juice juice of about 3 limes, plus extra lime wedges for garnish
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Blend the chipotle peppers + sauce, lime juice, cumin, and sea salt on high until combined and smooth.
- In a medium size bowl, add your shredded chicken and half of the adobo sauce and mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Lay the tortillas out in an even layer on the sheet pan (they may overlap a little). Drizzle both sides with olive oil. Brush or rub the olive oil on both sides of the tortillas.
- On one half of each of the tortillas, add a spoonful of the chicken mixture and a sprinkle of cheese.
- Bake the open faced tortillas with chicken and cheese for 5 minutes (your cheese will just start to get melty).
- Using a spatula, fold the tortillas in half over the melted cheese to make your taco (the cheese should be melted enough to hold the shell closed), flip the tacos, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Mix the remaining half of the blended adobo sauce with the sour cream until combined.
- Once finished baking, remove the tacos from the oven, garnish with cilantro and lime wedges (if desired).
- Serve and enjoy!
Casandra says
The whole family loved the tacos and they were quick and easy.
Melissa Guevara says
So glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to share with us! ~Melissa
Ashley says
Hello! Any ideas for substitutions for the adobe sauce all together for those who are spice-adverse? Thank you so much (and thanks for the great recipes)!
Melissa Guevara says
Hi Ashley! You could always squeeze a lime in the sour cream for a lime-crema sauce or just use plain sour cream. Hope you enjoy! ~Melissa
Carolyn says
These were fantastic! I used plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and accidentally mixed the chipotles in adobo sauce with the Greek yogurt and added that with the chicken. Stilled turned out good and my husband was obsessed with the sauce it made. Will be making again but the correct way next time. Thanks!
Melissa Guevara says
What a happy mistake! The chipotles are delicious in the sauce if you can tolerate the additional heat. I am glad that you enjoyed! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. ~Melissa
Brooke says
Delicious fast recipe! Went lighter on adobo sauce as Cassy did on her Instagram stories so toddler could handle. Had great flavor without being overly spicy for our kiddo and my spice averse husband.
Liz says
Delicious and simple!
Felicia Alfaro says
the adobo mixture was simple and quick but made all the difference to shredded chicken! quick as well for a busy weeknight! will make this again!
Melissa Guevara says
Thank you for taking the time to share with us! We’re so glad that you enjoyed. -Melissa
Melissa says
Hi! Can’t wait to make these; my friend sent it to me absolutely RAVING about them! One question: Why is the cook time over nine hours? Is that just a glitch?
Melissa Guevara says
Hi Melissa! Thank you for bringing this to our attention! It is definitely not a 9 hour cook time. We have updated the recipe card to be accurate. Hope you enjoy! -Team F&F
Lindsey says
I was curious if you used cooked corn tortillas or uncooked? We bought some uncooked tortillas from HEB and I just assumed they would cook in the oven. Was I supposed to cook them on a cook top before assembling?
Melissa Guevara says
Hi Lindsey! We use cooked corn tortillas for this recipe. If you’re using an uncooked tortilla, I would heat in the pan for 10-30 seconds prior to assembling so that they are soft and pliable. Hope that helps! -Team F&F
Cindy Schilhab says
So good and easy!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! I’m so glad you loved it :)!
Annette says
I’m Mexican and my whole family LOVES these. I’ve made them 3-4 times now— once for a family party. They’re always a big hit. I make my own filling though— either chicken or pork based on the recipes I’ve used for years. I’ve been making tacos my whole life and can’t believe I’ve never used this method before!
Melissa Guevara says
We LOVE to hear that this method is so helpful and such a hit, Annette! We wish we could come taste your chicken and pork tacos – positive they are incredible! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. -Team FF
Meagan says
10/10!! We had a taco themed birthday for my daughter and I made these and they were a huge hit! They came together so easily too. The only thing I would be aware of is if you follow the recipe exactly the chicken ends up super spicy. I had to add quite a bit of sour cream. I wouldn’t put as much chipotle sauce in next time. People can add their own from the dip.
Brandi Schilhab says
So fun – we’re so glad these were a hit, Meagan! Thank you for sharing!