Easy Chicken Soft Tacos

By Updated on

These Easy Chicken Soft Tacos use a homemade taco seasoning mix made with items right in your pantry and are ready in under 15 minutes!

277 CAL 26g CARBS 6g FAT 27g PROTEIN 4
2 Comments

There are so many options when it comes to tacos, but these Soft Chicken Tacos may just be the easiest option out there. They are ready in 15 minutes, full of flavor, and so much better for you than using a store bought packet.

Served with a simple Black Bean and Corn Salad or Mexican Corn Salad, you have a delicious take-out inspired dinner.

We eat more than our fair share of tacos and these easy chicken tacos are constantly in the rotation. They are seriously simple to make, super flavorful, and make the best leftovers. I am not kidding when I say we eat some version of these every week. We also love these stovetop shredded chicken tacos and chicken street tacos.

Plus they are so much better for you than takeout tacos or tacos made with store-bought taco seasoning packets. Often these packets have a huge amount of sodium, preservatives, sugar, and MSG. Making homemade chicken taco seasoning is super easy, just as tasty, and makes this a healthy meal that you can feel good about eating and serving. 

Looking for another easy, Mexican meal? Try these Rotisserie Chicken Taco BowlsSpicy Chicken Tacos, or Mexican Shredded Chicken.

More Ideas You'll Love
Our Best Healthy Mexican Recipes

Our Best Healthy Mexican Recipes

This delicious recipe is featured in our guide to the best healthy Mexican recipes! If you are craving good-for-you versions of all your favorite Mexican meals, then check it out.... Take me there

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

  • Chicken: Chicken breast, chicken thighs, and ground turkey are all good options for making tacos.  Leftover shredded chicken can be used as well, just mix it with the seasoning. It's also delicious with this chicken tinga taco filling.
  • Tortillas: Flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or alternative tortillas all work for chicken tacos. For something light, swap in lettuce wraps.
  • Taco seasoning: Make your own homemade taco seasoning using the recipe below or use a grocery store version. Look for one with minimal preservatives and added sugar.
  • Toppings: This is the fun part when it comes to tacos! Add your favorite salsa or pico de gallo. Then grab some shredded cheese like Monterey jack or try out some Mexican cheese like queso fresco. Then add some veggies, Lettuce, cabbage, diced tomatoes, cilantro, onion, or fajita veggies are all delicious. Finish with some sour cream, Mexican crema, or yogurt. 

How do make chicken taco seasoning?

Chicken taco seasoning is a great spice blend to make at own since it uses spices you already have at home in your pantry. You can make it as mild or spicy as you like. Please note this version does not use cornstarch, which is typically used as a thickening agent. If you mostly plan to use this for ground chicken (or beef), you may want to add one tablespoon of cornstarch to help the sauce thicken.

  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1.5 tsp black pepper
  • Optional: Oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper

How to use taco seasoning? This taco seasoning can be used to marinate chicken when combined with olive oil or lime juice. It can also be used as a dry rub for chicken, pork, beef, fish, shrimp, or tofu. Additionally, you can use it to cook ground chicken or ground beef. First, brown the ground meat, and then add 1/3 cup water and 2 tbsp taco seasoning for every pound of meat you use. Bring it to simmer and then turn off the heat and let the mixture thicken.

Chicken soft taco meat in a black skillet.

What is the best cut of chicken for chicken tacos?

There are basically three options when it comes to making chicken tacos - boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or ground chicken. All three work great in this soft taco recipe and each has its own advantages. For those looking for light, healthy recipes - chicken breast will be the best option. It has the least amount of calories and fat. However, the one disadvantage of chicken breasts is that they can get dry if they are overcooked at all.

The second option is chicken thighs. Chicken thighs have more fat and therefore will stay more moist and tender when cooked. If you aren't overly concerned about calories, or fat - then chicken thighs will result in the juiciest chicken tacos. Trim them before cooking, removing any excess fat. Cut the chicken thighs into chunks and follow the recipe directions as written. Chicken thighs will take 8-10 minutes in a skillet.

If you decide to use ground chicken, you will want to start by adding about one teaspoon of cornstarch to the two tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound. This helps thicken the sauce. Start by browning the chicken. Then add the taco seasoning (with the added cornstarch) and 1/3 cup of water or chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Let the sauce thicken for 2-3 minutes. 

What to serve with chicken tacos?

When it comes to soft chicken tacos, there are so many different options when it comes to topping your tacos and also what to serve as side dish. When I serve these tacos, I always use chopped onion, chopped cilantro, Mexican and queso fresco. When I am really hungry, I will add some black beans and corn as well. Here are some other ideas for topping your tacos.

  • Your favorite salsa: I am partial to spicy green salsa and chipotle salsa, but anything will work. These tacos already have some spice from the taco seasoning, but I like to add some tangy green salsa to add some extra flavor and spice.
  • Guacamole or avocado: It's almost impossible to eat a taco in our house without some homemade guacamole or diced avocado. The creaminess of the avocado balances out the spice.
  • Veggies: You can go Mexican style with these tacos and add cilantro and diced onion or make more American style tacos with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and even diced pickles.
  • Extra hungry: Add some canned black beans, pinto beans, and/or corn to your tacos as well. These make them more filling and adds extra fiber and protein.

Looking for side dish ideas? There are also tons of options when it comes to side dishes from traditional options like rice and beans to more exciting options like a Mexican Corn Salad or Avocado Salad.

  • Beans and rice: Stick with a traditional option by pairing your tacos with some Quick Refried Beans and Mexican Cauliflower Rice.
  • Serve it with salad: For a lighter option, you can make some pretty amazing salads to serve with your tacos. Consider trying this Mexican Chopped Salad or Mexican Quinoa Salad. You can also make a quick homemade salad using a combination of corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and plenty of fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Three chicken tacos in soft corn tortillas with chicken in a bowl on the side.

What can I do with the leftovers?

If you end up with some extra chicken taco meat, lucky you! There are tons of options for the leftovers. You can pack it up with rice, beans, and fresh veggies for a burrito bowl or chicken taco bowl. Use it to make quesadillas with a low carb flour tortilla, diced bell peppers, and cheese. Toss it in lettuce wraps with black beans for a lighter taco. Add it to your favorite canned black bean or vegetable soup for a quick and hearty lunch. Add it to a big green salad for a taco salad. 

One quick note, if you decide to make extra so you have leftovers, you may want to cook the chicken in two batches. When there is too much chicken in the pan, it tends to cook unevenly and will leave you with some overcooked pieces and some barely cooked pieces. 

Can I make this in the slow cooker?

This recipe works great in the slow cooker with a few adjustments. If you are using chicken breasts, you will want to add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (or a can of undrained diced tomatoes) to the slow cooker so there is some liquid to keep the chicken moist. If the chicken is cut into cubes, it will probably only take about 2 hours in the slow cooker. Chicken thighs will take about the same amount of time if chopped, or about 4 hours if left whole.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions about making this chicken taco recipe.

Generally speaking, soft tacos are healthier since the shells in a crispy taco usually are deep fried. Deep drying adds fat and calories,  making them less healthy. However, if you make baked taco shells then there is no difference between crispy and soft tacos in terms of nutrition.

The Recipe
Chicken soft tacos with seasoned chicken breast and cilantro served on corn tortillas.

Easy Chicken Soft Tacos

277 CAL 26g CARBS 6g FAT 27g PROTEIN 4
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 15 Min
2 Comments
  • Print
  • Download
  • Send to your inbox

Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
  • 1.5 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 limes, juice (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other oil)
  • 8 corn tortillas (or low carb or lettuce wraps)

Like this Recipe? Try our Meal Plans!

Slender Kitchen Meal Plans
  • Weekly Meal Plans
  • Easy Shopping List
  • Healthy, Low Carb, & Vegetarian
  • Nutritional Information

Instructions

(Hide Media)

Switch to prevent your screen from going dark.

1

Mix together all the spices in a small bowl. Add the lime juice.

2

Add the chicken to a bowl, shallow dish, or ziploc bag. Add the spices and lime juice and use tongs to make sure the chicken is evenly coated. If you have time, let this rest for up to thirty minutes. If not, you can move on to the next step right away. It will still pack in plenty of flavor.

3

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with the oil. Once hot, add the chicken. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is just cooked through. To ensure the chicken stays tender, try not to over-cook it. Remember it will continue to cook while you warm the tortillas.

4

Remove the chicken and let rest while you heat up the tortillas.

5

Serve with your favorite taco toppings - salsa, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado, guacamole, diced onions, cilantro, etc.

Equipment

This equipment section may contain affiliate links to products we recommend.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 277
Calories from Fat 55
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6g
9%
Saturated Fat 1g
2%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 56mg
18%
Sodium 376mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate 26g
9%
Dietary Fiber 4g
19%
Sugars 1g
Protein 27g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

user image
About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Easy Chicken Soft Tacos
user image
user image
Jen
January 3, 2022 - 14:39
Add a Rating:
5
Hey there!! One of our faves! We are trying it in the slow cooker tonight .. I have cut up the chicken - 2 lbs. Cook on high for 2 hours?
user image
Margie Mora
April 16, 2020 - 13:33
Can I freeze leftover chicken, and for how long?

Thank you.
Instagram Icon
Did you make this?

Snap a picture and show us what you made on Instagram or Facebook. Tag us using @SlenderKitchen or #slenderkitchen.