Chicken Tacos

Juicy, spiced chicken tacos with crispy tortillas, fresh pico de gallo, and all your favorite toppings.

By Cressio Rinaldi

A good chicken taco is easy to make and easy to get a little wrong. The usual problems are dry, bland chicken and cold, stiff tortillas. This recipe takes care of both with a simple spice rub, a hot pan and a short rest for the chicken, and the tortillas are warmed properly.

The rub is a mix of pantry spices: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. It forms a crust on the chicken as it sears, which gives you flavor in every bite. After cooking, the chicken rests for 5 minutes before slicing, so the juices stay in the meat.

The rest is assembly. Set out the toppings and let everyone build their own. It serves four, with three tacos each.

Read this first

1. Pat the chicken dry before you rub it with the spices.
2. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Warm the tortillas. Cold ones crack and taste dull.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 15 mins · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Chicken breasts or thighs
• 12 Small flour or corn tortillas
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1.5 tsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
• to taste Salt and black pepper
• for serving Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, shredded cheese, lime

Instructions

1. Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub all over chicken. Look for: Chicken coated in a thin, even, red-orange layer of spices, with no bare patches.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice or chop. Look for: A deep brown crust, white inside with no pink, and juices that stay in the meat when you slice.
3. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame for 30 seconds per side. Look for: Soft, warm tortillas with a few toasted spots, which bend without cracking.
4. Fill each tortilla with chicken and your desired toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and cheese. Look for: Tacos piled with colorful toppings, with the chicken in the center.
5. Squeeze fresh lime juice over each taco and serve immediately. Look for: A bright squeeze of lime over a hot, juicy taco.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 490
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 7g
• Sugar: 2g
• Protein: 28g
• Sodium: 90mg
• Cholesterol: 60mg

Notes

• Storage: Store the cooked chicken separately from the tortillas and toppings in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: The cooked, seasoned chicken freezes well for up to 2 months.
• Warm the Tortillas: Warming the tortillas just before serving keeps them pliable and adds a little char flavor.

Cook It With Me

Season

Mix the 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pat the 1 1/2 lbs of chicken dry and rub the spices all over it. If the chicken breasts are thick, pound or butterfly them so they are an even thickness.

Cook

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until it is cooked through (165 F) and has a deep brown crust. Move it to a board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice or chop into small pieces.

Warm the tortillas

Warm the 12 tortillas in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side, or hold them directly over a gas flame with tongs. Keep them wrapped in a clean towel so they stay soft.

Fill

Fill each tortilla with some chicken, and top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Finish

Squeeze fresh lime juice over each taco, and serve at once.

The Ingredients, One by One

Chicken breasts or thighs

Thighs are juicier and more forgiving. Breasts are leaner and need careful timing. Either way, make the thickness even.

Tortillas

Small tortillas, about 6 inches, work best. Corn gives more flavor and is gluten free. Flour is softer.

Olive oil

For searing the chicken.

Chili powder and cumin

The base of the taco spices. They are warm and earthy.

Garlic powder and smoked paprika

They add savory depth and a smoky note.

Toppings

Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream and cheese. Add salsa, avocado or pickled onions if you like.

Lime

The finishing squeeze brightens the whole taco.

The Technique Behind It

Why pat the chicken dry

A dry surface sears and forms a crust. A wet one steams, and the spices wash off.

Why rest the chicken

As it rests, the juices settle back into the meat. Slicing early lets them run onto the board.

Why warm the tortillas

Heat makes tortillas soft and flexible, and brings out the toasted corn or wheat flavor.

How Do You Know the Chicken Is Done?

Even thickness helps it cook evenly.

Check	What you see	Notes
Temperature	165 F	The USDA safe temperature for chicken.
Color	White inside, no pink	The simplest check.
Juices	Run clear	A good sign.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Wet chicken The spices wash off and no crust forms.
• Uneven thickness The thin end dries out.
• Cutting too soon The juices run out.
• Cold tortillas They crack.
• Too many toppings The taco falls apart.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Chicken is dry	Overcooked	Pound it evenly, and check at 6 minutes.
Chicken is bland	Not enough seasoning	Add salt, and a squeeze of lime.
Tortillas crack	Cold	Warm them and keep them wrapped.
Spices burned	Heat too high	Lower to medium.
Tacos are soggy	Wet toppings	Drain tomatoes.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Chicken	Protein	Shrimp, steak or tofu work.
Tortillas	Wrap	Lettuce leaves work.
Chili powder	Heat	Taco seasoning works.
Sour cream	Creamy	Greek yogurt works.
Lettuce	Crunch	Cabbage works.

Plan Ahead

• Prep ahead: Season the chicken a day ahead.
• Fridge: Chicken keeps for 3 days.
• Reheat: In a skillet.
• Freezer: Cooked chicken freezes for 2 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve with guacamole, salsa, rice and beans. A squeeze of lime and a few pickled red onions finish it.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.