These easy soft chicken tacos are so perfect for taco Tuesday! Quick and easy to prep and cook, chicken breast is seasoned with Mexican spices for a taco full of flavor.
Easy Chicken Tacos
When it comes to tacos I’m generally a soft shell kind of a girl. Wrapped in flour tortillas, these easy chicken tacos are loaded with flavor.
Chicken breast is marinated in Mexican spices and quickly cooked on the stovetop for a delicious and easy family meal.
If you are a taco lover, be sure to check out my Blackened Chicken Tacos and Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos.
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download nowWhy you will love these soft chicken tacos!
- Flavorful: The chicken pieces are marinated in a blend of spices for a taco full of bold flavors.
- Easy: It takes 10 minutes to prep these tacos and 10 minutes to cook. Perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry.
- Customizable: This chicken is a great base for your tacos and can be topped with all of your favorite Mexican ingredients.
How to make these easy chicken tacos
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Marinate: Combine the marinade ingredients and add the chicken. Marinate for up to 1 hour.
- Cook: Cook the chicken in a hot skillet until cooked through.
- Warm the tortillas.
- Serve: Add the chicken filling to each tortilla and finish with toppings.
What toppings do you put on chicken tacos?
I love tacos because they are so easy to customize to your tastes. I like to make a taco bar with lots of different toppings so everyone can help themselves. Try topping these tacos with any combination of:
- Sour cream
- Pico de gallo
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Jalapeno
- Shredded lettuce
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Shredded cheese
Can you use chicken thighs for this recipe?
Absolutely! Just cut the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and follow the recipe. They will require a little extra cooking time but will be just as tasty!
Can you make chicken tacos ahead of time?
These tacos are best served as soon as they are made. The chicken pieces are so quick to cook, you can pretty much make them on a whim! The chicken can be marinaded for up to an hour before you want to cook it.
Any leftover chicken can be kept covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and make a great addition to a salad the next day!
Adjust to your taste
Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
Recipe Notes and tips
- Warm the tortillas before adding the chicken so that they are soft and pliable.
- If you prefer hard taco shells, you can use those instead.
Easy Soft Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
Chicken marinade
- 2 chicken breast cut into 1” pieces
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes depending on spice preference
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice ~1 lime
Taco Filling:
- 12 small street tacos or 4” tortillas
- ¼ cup sour cream or Crema Mexicana
- ¼ cup pico de gallo pre-prepared
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 avocados diced
- 1 fresh jalepenos or red chiles optional
Instructions
- For the chicken, combine all the marinade ingredients into a medium sized bowl or ziplock bag and then add the chicken, making sure the chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 mins to 1 hour (depending on the time you have).
- Heat a skillet/griddle pan over medium heat with oil and add the chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken has been cooked through.Remove from heat and place onto a plate.
- Warm the tortillas and serve by adding in chicken filling and then any of the other toppings you fancy.
Notes
- Warm the tortillas before adding the chicken so that they are soft and pliable.
- If you prefer hard taco shells, you can use those instead.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
Jessica Marie says
I made this recipe yesterday and it turned out absolutely AMAZING!! I followed exactly step by step but decided to add Lawry’s Seasoning with the additional spices. Very yummy will def make this again
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Jessica!