I love to make my own seasoning! Those store-bought packets have so many filler ingredients and artificial flavors. This chicken taco seasoning is all you need to make the best tacos on busy weeknights!

The spice blend is a zesty blend of authentic Mexican seasonings that you must have in your spice cabinet to turn ordinary chicken into a delicious meal.

This recipe is a small batch, so it makes just one serving. But you can easily double or triple the recipe, so you can use this homemade seasoning whenever you want to have taco night.

This seasoning blend recipe is so easy and has a delicious flavor. Just combine all the spices and cook in a cast-iron skillet! The best part is that you will have these chicken tacos on the table in less than 30 minutes! No marinade ingredients – just a delicious rub with lots of flavors!

 

 

You can make this dinner on your outdoor grill if you like grilling chicken or make it indoors in a frying pan or cast-iron skillet.

We have eaten a lot of chicken tacos at our house. Some are authentic from recipes I learned while living in Mexico; others are very Tex-Mex style tacos.

This recipe uses a few spices and creates an amazing chicken taco. And I can find all the ingredients at my local grocery store.

 

One of the spices is smoked paprika. I bought it to use as a run for a brisket recipe, and it has become one of my favorite spices! You could use regular paprika – but it would have the flavor that the smoky flavor adds to the recipe

Let’s talk a little about the tacos…..In Mexico, they do not put shredded cheese and sour cream on their tacos. So for this recipe, I prefer just some pico de Gallo, cilantro, and some avocados. But my kids wanted to add cheese and sour cream.

I also prefer this chicken recipe with corn tortillas warmed in a skillet until they are a little browned. But you could also enjoy these chicken tacos with flour tortillas. It’s really good with some lime juice squirted over the taco. 

 

 

 

What do I top my chicken street tacos with?

There are so many options. If you want to eat them like an American taco, you will add some lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado, Pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream. 

But if you want to enjoy these tacos like they do in Mexico – do not use the lettuce! Place chicken in a warm corn tortilla and top with some queso fresco crumbling cheese and some Mexican creama. Top with a squirt of lime juice and maybe some diced-up tomatoes or your favorite salsa or hot sauce!

Or you could mix it all in a large bowl and add some refried beans, black beans, and cilantro lime rice for a chicken taco bowl!

 

What kind of chicken should I use for pollo asado street tacos?

I always have boneless skinless chicken breasts in my freezer, so I normally use it. But if you can find a good sale on boneless skinless chicken thighs, it’s another good option!

I love this recipe because my whole family loves it and I can quickly throw it together. It is the best chicken taco recipe! It’s great for those busy nights when we must eat and run! You mix together a spice rub and cook! No need to think about marinating it all day. 

 

 

If you have time to marinate some beef, you can make my carne asada street taco recipe It uses orange juice in the recipe to give it some extra zing! Or try this Easy Carne Picada Recipe. All my Mexican recipes have a fiesta of flavor! These are some of my favorite recipes!

 

Grab your favorite taco toppings and have a taco night with your family! It’s a quick and easy dinner! 

 

Check out this list of 35+ Recipes To Make with Tacos! So many delicious recipes!

 

 

Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning Recipe

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or chipotle pepper)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (regular is good if it’s all you have)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for extra heat!

 

 

Optional toppings – my favorite fresh toppings

• Pico de Gallo
• Avocados
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream

 

• Make the spice mix by mixing the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle the taco mix over a variety of meats to have ground chicken tacos, turkey tacos, and more! You could even add it to shredded chicken!

Pick your favorite taco shells: flour tortilla, corn tortillas, or a crunchy taco shell! You can use corn or flour tortillas for this recipe, which will taste delicious! 

Note- if you are using it on 1 pound of ground meat –  after the meat is cooked completely, add a 1/2 cup of water and let simmer until the water is evaporated. 

If you double the recipe, store it in an airtight container in a cool dark place. I have a mini mason jar collection for all my homemade seasonings. Use about 2 Tablespoons of the seasoning per 1 – 1.5 pounds of meat. 

You can also use this recipe to make ground beef or ground turkey taco meat. Check out this recipe for my homemade taco seasoning mix to make family-friendly tacos. I love homemade seasoning mixes.

 

 

Chicken Taco Seasoning Recipe

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Just sprinkle the seasoning over the diced chicken and you can whip up this easy chicken taco recipe!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Chicken Taco Seasoning Toppings

• Tortillas - Corn or flour
• Pico de gallo
• Avocados
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Limes
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream

Instructions

• Make the spice mix by mixing the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle the taco mix over a variety of meats to have ground chicken tacos, turkey tacos, and more! You could even add it to shredded chicken!

Pick your favorite taco shells: flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or a crunchy taco shell! You can use corn or flour tortillas for this recipe, which will taste delicious! 

Note- if you are using it on 1 pound of ground meat -  after the meat is cooked completely, add a 1/2 cup of water and let simmer until the water is evaporated. 

Notes

If you double, or triple this recipe - use about 2 Tablespoons of the seasoning per 1 - 1.5 pounds of meat. 

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

 

Bonus Recipe –  How to make them into Chicken tacos or use them in taco salads. 

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• Seasoning mix

Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season the chicken with a spice mixture.

Sauté chicken over medium heat in a large skillet. I like to use my cast-iron skillet. Add some olive or vegetable oil and then the chicken. You may have to do it in batches not to crowd the pan. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a bowl and cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

This could be a low carb recipe if you used low carb tortillas or on a salad.

 

 

Cook until brown and cooked through. Let it cook for about 5 minutes per side. It should cook quickly, but you can cut the chicken in half with a metal spatula to cook faster and have more chicken pieces for your family.

Or you could grill chicken on your outdoor grill/charcoal grill- just let it rest on a cutting board and dice up the meat before serving. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165* on an instant-read thermometer.

 

 

 

 When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and serve it in a soft corn tortilla with your favorite ingredients!

This is a simple spice rub – mix chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and garlic powder, and the chicken will be perfectly seasoned! Thrown it in the skillet and cook through completely.

Tip – While the chicken is cooking, you can warm tortillas:

• Warm corn tortillas over medium-high heat in a saute pan. I flip it after about a minute and place it in my tortilla warmer with a towel inside to keep them warm. I can usually put 2-3 tortillas in my pan. Place tortillas in a tortilla warmer or a dishtowel.
• Or you can wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave them. This works, but I love the charred, smokey pieces on my tortillas when I heat them up on the stovetop. 

Serve and enjoy!

These are the best chicken tacos! What’s your favorite way to enjoy Mexican street tacos? Throw away that packet of taco seasoning and make your own taco seasoning!

If you love Mexican cuisine as much as we do, you can check out my favorite recipe for Tacos Al Pastor – Our Favorite Tacos From Mexico. It’s made with pork and topped with cilantro, onions, and pineapples!