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This easy chicken tacos recipe is packed with flavor and ready in 30 minutes! It’s a fun dinner idea starring juicy chicken and fresh toppings: a simple recipe everyone will love.
Need an easy flavor-packed dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes? It’s deceptively tricky to find dinnertime hits, but this one seems to please everyone every time we serve it! The juicy chicken strips are seasoned to perfection, nestled into a tortilla with guacamole, cheese crumbles and topped with a zingy lime crema.
Alex and I could (and do!) eat this over and over. The chicken works on the stovetop or grilled. We just made it for a dinner party with ranch water and black bean and corn salad and everyone raved. You can also make it as a taco bowl for gluten-free eaters—it’s totally versatile!
Featured reader comment
These chicken tacos are so so good! Great flavor and they come together so quickly. I appreciate how simple yet tasty the lime crema is. These are definitely going into the monthly rotation!” -Tanvee
Key ingredients for chicken tacos
Tacos are where it’s at for weeknight dinners over here (especially with kids!), and we love that this version can be either pan fried or grilled, depending on the season. Here are the key ingredients you’ll need:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Try to find organic chicken if possible for the best flavor and most sustainable option. You can buy either cutlets or chicken breasts and butterfly them.
- Seasonings: Our seasoning blend includes smoked paprika (pimentón), oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, black pepper, celery seed and cayenne. You can substitute sweet paprika for the smoked, but it’s well worth buying.
- Lime crema: Mix up your own lime crema using sour cream, lime juice and zest, garlic and salt.
- Taco toppings: We like using guacamole as a base for the chicken strips, then topping with cilantro, queso fresco, and onion. If you have time, a batch of pickled red onions takes the flavor over the top.
- Tortillas: We like flour tortillas, but corn or grain free tortillas work well too.
Pro tip
We like using mini tortillas (4.5 inch) if we can find them! They are often easier to eat and bonus: you can eat more tacos.
How to make chicken tacos: step by step
These chicken tacos come together simply: you’ll season the chicken, pan sear it on the stovetop, then slice it into strips for the tacos. Here’s the basic outline of steps:
Step 1: Butterfly the chicken (if not in cutlets) by slicing in half horizontally, then opening it up and cutting along the fold to separate the two halves. Pat dry and season with salt. Mix the seasonings and sprinkle on both sides.
Step 2: Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When the internal temperature is 165°F, remove to a plate and rest for 3 minutes. Then slice into strips.
Step 3: Make the lime crema by stirring together the sour cream, lime juice and zest, garlic and salt in a small bowl.
Step 4: Warm the tortillas. To make the tacos, spread guacamole onto a warm tortilla, then top with chicken strips, red onion, cilantro, cheese, and lime crema.
Alternative: grilled chicken tacos
This chicken tacos recipe works grilled, too! We’ve made it both ways and it comes out fantastic.
For grilled chicken tacos, preheat a grill to high heat (450 to 550°F). Grill the chicken until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature is 165°F. Remove to a platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes for maximum juiciness, then slice.
Chicken tacos toppings
The best part of any tacos recipe is the toppings, of course! For these chicken tacos, we like to make sure there is a good mix of soft and creamy textures to offset the texture of the chicken. We like the chicken strips on a bed of guacamole, but you can mix and match toppings here. Here are a few more chicken tacos toppings we love:
- Sauces: Instead of lime crema, serve with chipotle crema, avocado crema, chipotle ranch, or cilantro lime sauce. For dairy free, try this creamy cilantro sauce.
- Pickled vegetables: This recipe is fantastic with pickled onions or pickled jalapenos.
- Shredded lettuce or slaw makes a nice topping; try cilantro lime slaw.
- Crumbled cheese like Cotija, queso fresco or feta always adds a nice pop of savory flavor; omit for dairy-free.
- Pico de gallo adds a punch of red; try purchased or homemade pico de gallo.
- Corn or corn salad adds sweetness and texture.
- Chopped cilantro brings a delicious freshness.
- Salsa like mango salsa, peach salsa, or pineapple salsa make a savory sweet combination.
Sides to serve alongside
Chicken tacos are a fun easy dinner idea to serve any time of year! We like them especially in the summer as a patio party meal, but they work in any season. (Of course, they’re always great with a margarita, too!) Here are a few sides we like to serve alongside:
- Make homemade refried beans or 5 minute bean dip.
- Go for salads like black bean and corn salad, grilled corn salad, Mexican chopped salad, or avocado corn salad.
- Mix up homemade guacamole, watermelon salsa, or corn salsa with tortilla chips.
- Try grilled corn, elote, or elote salad.
- Add a side of cilantro lime rice.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers of this meal keep on giving! Leftover cooked chicken lasts up to 3 days refrigerated. Leftover lime crema stores up to 2 weeks refrigerated.
Dietary notes
This chicken tacos recipe is gluten-free with corn tortillas (or serve it in a bowl for a chicken taco bowl), and dairy-free with cilantro sauce, omitting the cheese.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some ideas:
Taco seasoning: A quick and easy option with a blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, and other spices.
Fajita seasoning: Similar to taco seasoning, but often with a smokier flavor profile.
Adobo sauce: For a Latin twist, marinate the chicken in adobo sauce for bold and flavorful tacos.
DIY spice rub: Get creative with your own blend of spices like chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper.
All the classic taco toppings work great! Here are some ideas:
Shredded cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend.
Salsa: Choose your favorite, from mild to spicy.
Lettuce and pico de gallo: Add freshness and crunch.
Sour cream and guacamole: Creamy toppings for extra richness.
Cilantro and lime wedges: A squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of cilantro brighten up the flavors.
Absolutely! You can use lettuce wraps instead of tortillas, or try cauliflower rice tortillas for a lower-carb option.
Here are some ideas:
Cilantro lime rice: A refreshing and classic pairing.
Mexican corn: Sweet corn with a kick of spice.
Refried beans: A hearty and filling side dish.
Guacamole and chips: A crowd-pleasing appetizer or side.
Chopped salad: A light and healthy option.
You can use leftover chicken taco meat in many ways! Here are a few ideas:
Taco salad: Toss the chicken with lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cheese, and your favorite dressing.
Burrito bowls: Serve the chicken over rice or quinoa with your favorite toppings.
Quesadillas: Fill tortillas with cheese and leftover chicken, then cook on a griddle until golden brown.
Nachos: Top nachos with leftover chicken, cheese, beans, and your favorite toppings.
Chicken Tacos
These easy chicken tacos are packed with flavor and ready in 30 minutes! It’s a fun dinner idea starring juicy chicken and fresh toppings: a simple recipe everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos (4 servings) 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chicken
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ pounds, organic if possible)*
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon celery seed
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the lime crema (or cilantro sauce or chipotle sauce for dairy-free)
- 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema (or ¾ cup Greek yogurt plus ¼ cup mayonnaise)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus the zest of ½ lime
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the tacos
- Guacamole
- Red onion, minced (or pickled red onions)
- Cilantro, finely chopped
- Shredded lettuce or slaw (optional)
- Cotija, queso fresco, or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 8 small flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season the chicken with the salt (if you’re using 1 ½ pounds, use 1 ¼ teaspoons salt). In a small bowl, mix the seasonings together. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning mix. (If desired, you can do this up to 12 hours in advance and allow the chicken to sit marinate before cooking.)
- Stovetop instructions:** Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned (and seasoning is starting to blacken), on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate and rest for 3 minutes. Then slice the chicken into strips.
- Make the lime crema by stirring all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- If desired, char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. Or warm them in a skillet or in the oven (see How to Warm Tortillas).
- To make the tacos, spread guacamole onto a warm tortilla, then top with chicken strips, red onion, cilantro, cheese, and lime crema. Leftover chicken stores up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
*If you buy the chicken as breasts that are not already butterflied or cutlets, butterfly the chicken: Place your hand over the top of each chicken breast. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book (or butterfly!). Unfold the breast like a book, then cut along the fold to separate the two halves.
**For grilled chicken tacos, preheat a grill to high heat (450 to 550°F). Grill the chicken breasts until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until no longer pink in the center and the internal temperature is 165°F, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes for maximum juiciness, then slice.
A few more chicken recipes
We hope you love these chicken tacos as much as our family! Our kids especially gobble this one up. Let us know in the comments what you think. Here are a few more chicken dinners you might enjoy:
- Try simple baked chicken breast, pan seared chicken breast, Parmesan crusted chicken, or blackened chicken.
- Go for crowd-pleasers like chicken paillard, chicken cutlets, chicken and rice, Tuscan chicken or chicken piccata.
- Make thighs like easy chicken thighs, baked chicken thighs or grilled chicken thighs.
- Go for grilled chicken salad or chicken nuggets.
Made the chicken tacos for dinner tonight. These are so so good! Great flavour and they come together so quickly. I appreciate how simple yet tasty the lime crema is. We had them with feta, cherry tomatoes and some guacamole. The kids had the chicken inside quesadillas and loved them. These are definitely going into the monthly rotation!