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Chicken Tacos

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By Jenn Segal
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These chicken tacos are a healthier spin on traditional beef tacos — and they’re just as good, if not better.

Plate of chicken tacos.

When my kids were younger, I came up with some weeknight traditions to make dinnertime fun and special for my family (kudos to past me; I’m much less ambitious now!). Taco Tuesdays was a huge hit. Every Tuesday, they’d come home from school all excited because, “yay, it’s taco night!” We whipped up everything from shrimp tacos to Baja fish tacos, yet these simple chicken tacos were consistently their top fave. Now, even as young adults, their love for them hasn’t waned. These are a lighter take on traditional hard-shell beef tacos, and they easily hold their own in the taste department.

What you’ll need to make Chicken Tacos

Taco ingredients including hard taco shells, tomato sauce, and garlic.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make them, begin by chopping the vegetables. You can do this in a food processor if you like; just be sure not to purée them.

Vegetables in a food processor.

Normally, I don’t believe in hiding vegetables but in this case, I dice them very small so my kids don’t notice them (or at least they can’t pick them out).

I figure what they don’t know won’t hurt them, and one night where I’m not nagging them to eat their vegetables is good for all of us.

Food processor of finely chopped vegetables.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the vegetables.

Chopped vegetables in a skillet.

Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft.

Skillet of cooked, chopped vegetables.

Add ground chicken and spices use a wooden spoon to break chicken into small pieces.

Ground chicken and spices in a skillet with vegetables.

Turn the heat to high and use a wooden spoon to break the chicken into small clumps; cook until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes.

Tomato sauce in a skillet with ground chicken.

Add the tomato sauce, then turn the heat down to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Cilantro in a skillet with ground chicken.

Meanwhile, heat the shells in the oven. To serve, spoon the chicken inside the shells and top with shredded lettuce and cheese.

Chicken tacos on a plate with salad.

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Chicken Tacos

By Jenn Segal

These chicken tacos are a healthier spin on traditional beef tacos — and they’re just as good, if not better.

Servings: 12 tacos
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
  • 2 bell peppers (any color), finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 pounds ground chicken (not extra-lean all breast meat)
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1¾ teaspoons salt
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (1 cup)
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (see note)
  • 12 hard taco shells
  • 2 cups shredded lettuce or red cabbage, optional for topping
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, optional for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Heat the olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Add the chicken, paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne (if using), and salt. Increase the heat to high; use a wooden spoon to stir and break the chicken into small clumps. Cook until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  4. Meanwhile, remove the taco shells from the package and lay sideways on baking sheet. Pull the stack apart, overlapping the edges slightly. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until crisp. Spoon the chicken into the shells and serve with toppings.
  5. Note: To save time, you can chop the bell peppers and onions in a food processor; just be sure not to purée them. You can also use 1 teaspoon ground coriander in place of the fresh cilantro; add it along with the other spices.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 460
  • Fat: 27g
  • Saturated fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 30g
  • Sodium: 1086mg
  • Cholesterol: 130mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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  • This was another winner at our house, surprisingly for both my children despite one loving peppers and one hating peppers.

  • Love this recipe !
    Can I use slow cooker ?
    Thank you

    • Hi Kessy, I’ve never tried it, but in theory it should work 🙂

  • We didn’t have the red sauce so we just added about 1/4 cup of water to the spices. The tacos still still tasted great, but the meat didn’t “hold together” as well and tended to fall out of the shell. Nonetheless, it was delicious. Having made this once with lean ground chicken and once with ‘regular’ (85% lean) ground turkey, I have to say the latter ground turkey version had more flavor.

  • Absolute best tacos. I used turkey because my store was out of chicken but I know they were just as good.

  • Chicken Tacos: My son loves these! They’re so quick and easy. Simple to substitute or add vegetables depending on what you have on hand or if you need to stretch because a few friends showed up around dinnertime. Great family meal.

  • This is the first recipe from this site that I have prepared & it was delicious! I love the addition of all the fresh veggies to the taco meat mixture. We make tacos all the time with a homemade spice mix but this mix of spices was even better! I added 1 tsp of coriander to the spice mix as recommended in the recipe for those who do not care for cilantro – thank you, Jennifer for that great tip! I think coriander is my new favorite spice.

  • Do you have nutritional information on Chicken Taco recipe?

    • Hi Linda, Have just added the nutritional data; you’ll find it beneath the recipe.

      • Is the nutritional info just for the meat or does it include the tacos/. I am hoping to make it as a lettuce wrap so it is more healthy………can I get just the nutritional info on just the meat?

        • Hi Dawn, the nutritional info includes the taco shells. For just the meat, each serving has 321 calories. I’d love to hear how they turn out in the lettuce wraps!

          • It was delicious. To make it even more healthy I skipped the salt and did use ground chicken breast (extra lean). So much flavour with the chipotle Chili powder. Kids loved it will definitely make this again

            • — Dawn

  • These tacos are so good! The whole family loved them! I make these once a month.

  • Oh my goodness! I made these tacos for lunch today and they could not have been more delicious. Every recipe I have tried on this site so far has been AMAZING! So glad I found this one.

  • We love these minus the peppers. We add chopped spinach in their place.

  • Made these last night with the mexican rice pilaf and a side of black beans. Very yummy. I used turkey instead of chicken. I will be adding it to my rotation. I do have a question though…it was kind of wet, by this I mean made our taco shells soggy. Am I not reducing enough?

    • Hi Tori, Glad you enjoyed. It might be that the ground turkey released a lot of liquid; next time just pour out (or spoon out) any excess liquid before adding the tomato sauce.

  • AWESOME! Another winner! My husband and I loved the chicken tacos..you are 100% correct..we don’t even miss the beef. Thanks for the truly awesome recipes. We can’t wait to make and try a new one. Please keep them coming!

  • Another winner Jenn! Easy to make and delicious. Didn’t even have to tell Danielle it was chicken because she scarfed it down. Next time would be great for a taco salad.

  • Prepared these chicken tacos for dinner last night, along with your roasted garlic guacamole recipe. Boy were they a hit, even with my picky sister. Definitely will be making these again. Very good!

  • We’ve just had Taco Tuesday (on a Thursday) and got thumbs up from all around the table. We used minced Turkey as we couldn’t find Chicken and it was a little runny. We used Pasata instead of tomato sauce, perhaps that’s why? When you say tomato sauce, do you mean ketchup? Anyhoo, flavour was lovely and the kids all ate peppers, onions and tomatos with no grumbling.

    • Hi Lee, You must be in the UK? I’ve never seen pasata in the States but I believe it is uncooked tomato puree, while the tomato sauce I use is cooked tomato puree (it’s not ketchup). I don’t think that would have made a big difference, though. Sometimes ground meats release a lot of liquid; that was likely the issue. If it happens again, you can always spoon some of the excess liquid out before adding the tomato sauce. Hope that helps!

  • Hi! I’m making these with ground turkey for a new mom. How long can I freeze it for? Thanks!

    • I was browsing recipes…am making another recipe of Jenn’s, and noticed this question from Sam.
      Meats can be frozen up to six months.
      Also,

      Thanks Jenn, for this site. I have browsed many and yours is a ‘step above’ others I have read.

      Take care!

  • Made these tonight as well as the roasted salsa. I made the tacos with ground chuck and they were terrific! I wanted to try the chicken but knew my brother would be happier with beef. Next time I’m trying the chicken! So delicious!

  • These are SO good! Also, I love the spice mixture! I’ve begun making a big batch every time I make this dish. It’s great in chili too.

  • Is there a way of printing out the recipe without all the photos…other websites have a spot where you can hit “printable recipe”.

    • Hi James, Yes…for newer recipes, there is a “print recipe” button to the right of each recipe at the bottom of the post (alternatively, there is a pop-up box to the left of the screen with several options, including “print recipe.”) For my older recipes, there is a “printable recipe” option underneath the recipe title at the bottom of the post.

  • This is my go-to Sunday night family dinner. I serve it with shredded Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce. It’s a little labor-intensive, but worth it!!!!

  • I actually use the extra lean turkey when I make these, and they are not the least bit dry- still extremely tasty! I also substituted smoked paprika for the regular (because that’s what was in the cabinet and I wasn’t about to run to the store). The hint of smoke was actually a *really* nice addition! I’m about to make another batch for a “Taco Box” since my best friend just haad a baby. I always include the recipe when I do such a thing, because inevitably someone always asks for the recipe!!

  • Yummy! I accidentally used ground lean breast meat and it still came out moist and delicious. I didn’t have ancho chili powder so I ground dried ancho peppers and it worked great! Low fat, delicious and simple-a perfect trifecta!

  • I actually made this with super lean ground turkey, and it wasn’t dry at all! The flavor was still excellent, and of course, I looked like a cooking ninja to the boyfriend for making delicious tacos *with NO packet*! These tacos rock! (Plus, I really love that I can control the amount of sodium in them, unlike the packet…) Yay Tacos!

  • I have made these several times, love the addition of the extra veggies in them! Thanks!

  • Soooooo delicious.

  • These were absolutely delicious & oh so healthy!. I like the chicken to have as few chunks as possible, so toward the end of cooking time I used a potato masher on them over & over. I will definitely make these again!

  • Mom and I made the chicken tacos last night. Never used paprika in it. They were good. For the non meat eaters, she used beans. I ate one of each. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂

  • I made this recipe for the first time the other night and this one will replace all my other taco recipes. It was easy and delicious and had all the spices on hand already. I did saute my veggies separately and kept them separate including putting the cilantro in with the veggies as my son does not like many of the veggies. I also used a red onion for more color. This also means I can pile on more veggies! I used ground beef instead of the chicken too. It was good, easy and will definitely be a repeater…maybe not every Tuesday, but more often than I make it now. Thanks!

  • Just tried this last night and the tacos were delicious. Loved it! The seasoning was perfect, as I have come to expect from all your recipes! Thank you, Jenn!

  • Love different types of tacos! Will try this week!

  • This recipe has become a family favorite! My kids insist on ‘taco tuesdays’ now every week. I found that you can throw in any kind of vegetable that you have on hand. I have diced up zucchini, carrots, different types of peppers (among other things) along with the onion and it tasted great. Nice, easy way to get the kids to eat lots of veggies.

  • This is one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes. The kids love it almost as much as we do. Given the outstanding flavor, it’s hard to believe how healthy it is. We include it in our weeknight rotation, but have also made it for company. We’ve paired it with your Black Bean Avocado Salad with the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette and margaritas. Delicious!

  • Yum!

  • These chicken tacos are delicious and so easy! While chicken is a great alternative to the staple ground beef tacos, either meat works great with this recipe! I used to buy a seasoning packet, but after finding this recipe, I make my own taco seasoning and it is much healthier! I can control the amount of sodium in my tacos.

    A great recipe that can be used for a variety of “Taco Tuesdays” and a staple in my house now!

  • Tastiest chicken tacos ever!

  • I’ve made these a couple times now. Super good and really easy to make!

  • This is one of my “go-to” meals on weeknights. Nice and quick and delicious! I usually use ground turkey though because we buy it in bulk.

  • These look fantastic! I have this recipe on next week’s menu. Can’t wait!

  • Because of your blog, we’ve also instituted a “taco Tuesday” in my household. Your chicken tacos are simply fabulous. I usually use turkey (our store doesn’t stock ground chicken) but the turkey makes them so yummy! I like that there are the chopped veggies in there too; my kids get a little extra boost! Thanks for all your fantastic recipes!

  • I made these last night with turkey and they are very good.

  • Another terrific recipe from this site! I made it for my in-laws’ family, two of whom are Mexican, and they all loved it! It was so flavorful! I forgot to add in the garlic until the very end and forgot to add in the cilantro at all because I was in a time crunch (although I did have cilantro on the side for the tacos), it still turned out wonderfully. My son who normally loves beef said this was his favorite of the night. The ground chicken made it healthier without compromising the taste. I can’t wait to try more recipes from this site. Thank you!

  • These were a big hit tonight and will be a family staple! My kids loved them! Thanks!

  • This has become a new family favorite. Better than meat tacos! Thank you!

  • I had been wanting to make these tacos since the moment I read your post. Finally got around to it earlier today. They were amazing. Even my “would rather eat beef” boyfriend loved them, as did his mother. All around fantastic! Thank you!!

  • I particularly love the hint about putting the meat in the shells before warming the shells to soften the ‘hinge’! Thanks!

    • — ieatdarkchocolateeveryday
    • Reply

  • These are so yummy!! And I love that they’re so healthy. It makes a lot…we enjoyed the leftovers in a taco salad.

  • I just made these for dinner and they were a huge hit. Thanks also for all the tips on getting it right! I really love love love your blog; I’m not a natural and it gives me the motivation and confidence to get myself in the kitchen. Suzanne

  • I am loving your chicken tacos. I always use ground beef..dont know why..but I am going to have to switch things up a bit

  • Looks delicious! I love all of the wonderful pictures.

  • Looks amazing! It must be fate. I have ground turkey defrosting for shepard’s pie, but I’ll be making this instead tonight. Taco’s are D’s favorite meal…

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