This easy Chicken Taco Recipe is a family favorite. Shredded chicken mixed with flavorful taco seasonings and your favorite toppings, this dinner is super easy to put together for busy weeknight dinners.
Serve with a simple side of rice and beans for a tasty dinner your whole family will love.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken.
This post was originally published on October 17, 2016 and has now been updated with more tips to make these shredded chicken tacos perfectly every time.
For years I made our tacos with ground beef and the kids tolerated them but didn’t really love them. One busy evening, I decided to shred some chicken and let family members make their own chicken tacos.
I sort of felt like I was phoning it in in the dinner department. But my family LOVED their tacos and ask for this meal every week.
This chicken taco recipe has become comfort food to my family. And it just so happens that it is one of the easiest meals to make!
Why This Recipe Works
Shredded chicken is easy to make and it crave-worthy thanks to some simple seasoning. (If you’re looking for more of a salsa chicken, check out my Walking Tacos recipe).
With shredded lettuce, cheese, and the rest of the taco toppings, you’ve got a dinner that each member of the family can build just the way they like it.
Boiling the chicken or making shredded chicken in the instant pot is super easy and helps you to get this meal made quickly. It’s a tasty dinner that won’t keep you stuck in the kitchen all night.
A simple side of black beans and rice rounds out the meal and hits all the right flavors.
Need more easy dinner ideas? Try these Sheet Pan Dinner Recipes, Baked Bruschetta Chicken or White Chicken Enchilada Casserole.
Ingredient Notes
Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken is a premium ingredient that is free of antibiotics, American Humane Certified and no added hormones or steroids.
Since this simple shredded chicken is the centerpiece of the tacos, I feel good knowing I’m feeding my family a high-quality product. It’s locally grown on the West Coast so I know I’m getting a fresh product from my local grocer.
Seasoned with garlic salt and chili powder, the chicken is crazy tasty but so simple!
- Corn and/or flour tortillas
- fresh lime
- cilantro
- cheddar cheese
- taco sauce
While I serve these chicken tacos with beans and rice, you can serve them with any side dish you’d like. Chips, guacamole and salsa are a given. My family can’t have tacos without them.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest a margarita on the rocks…
Instructions
The preparation of these chicken tacos is stupidly easy. And there are two ways I make shredded chicken depending on timing.
Boiling the Chicken
Place a few chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with at least an inch of water. They will cook faster the more the chicken can spread out.
Once the water is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending upon the size and number of chicken breasts you are cooking.
Be sure to check for doneness. It should reach 160 degrees. (I’m an overcooker because I worry about the salmonella, so be sure to watch the chicken near the end to ensure it’s not too tough).
Use two forks to shred the chicken. It’s easiest to do while it’s really warm. Some people use a hand mixer to tear it up. But I hate cleaning my hand mixer so it’s just not happening like that in my house.
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
A quicker way to make shredded chicken is in the Instant Pot. I add the chicken breasts and at least a cup of water.
Since I add the seasoning at the end, I don’t worry too much about the cooking. But sometimes I will toss in some tajin or garlic powder.
I set the pot to cook for 10 minutes. I allow 5 minutes or natural release and then do a quick release. If you don’t know what I am talking about, boil your chicken. Or look for a better tutorial on Instant Pot cooking. It has a huge learning curve.
But once you know how to use it you can make my Taco Cup Appetizer!
Shred the chicken the same way as above.
My kids go crazy for these tacos! And they are so easy!
I let the family guide what condiments I put out for this chicken taco recipe. We pretty much eat them like street tacos so prep is minimal.
We love to squeeze a bit of fresh lime on the chicken. And we use the salsa mostly on the side with a few chips. I noticed that when we used to eat beef tacos, the kids would fill up on chips and salsa.
But with these, they hardly touch the chips.
I give the kids an option of flour or corn tortillas as the base of their taco. The prep on the tortillas is to bring them to room temperature. Simple.
It’s awesome that I can create a new, healthier version of comfort food for my family on a weeknight!
Definitely give this recipe a try to see if your family loves it just as much as mine! Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken is the perfect base for a meal that I feel really great about serving my family.
I like my tacos with chicken, a squeeze of lime and tons of fresh cilantro! What’s even better is that there are always leftovers. Either the boys will pack them up for lunch the next day or I get to eat it for lunch.
This is even a super easy meal to make when you are having guests over. People love a “make your own” situation and this chicken is a crowd-pleaser.
You are definitely going to want to add this easy Chicken Taco Recipe to your weekly meal plan!
Related Recipes
Easy Chicken Taco Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- Corn and flour tortillas
- Any or all of these toppings:
- Cilantro limes, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, red onion, lettuce
- Serve with simple black beans and rice.
Instructions
- Add chicken to a large saucepot.
- Cover with water and bring to a boil, over medium high heat.
- Boil for about 20 minutes until tender and easy to shred.
- Use two forks to shred chicken.
- Add garlic salt and chili powder to the chicken and mix well.
- Have each family member make their own taco starting with a tortilla and some shredded chicken.
Alex says
Boil chicken for 55 minutes??
Sharon Garofalow says
HA! Clearly my fear of food born illness is showing. :) I find that the longer I cook it, the more tender the chicken is. 55 minutes might be overkill but I tend to overcook all my meat.
Lori Felix says
We are loving this Foster Farms chicken. I am going to try your tacos, they look so good!
Sharon Garofalow says
Thank you, Lori! They are so easy!
Tori says
Tacos are always a win in my house. This recipe looks so yummy!
Sharon Garofalow says
It’s so good and the kids love it!