Craving something flavorful and easy to make? Shredded Chicken Tacos with Pico de Gallo are the answer! These chicken tacos with shredded chicken are quick to prepare and bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors. Ideal for easy weeknight dinners!
🥰 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make in the Oven: In just a few steps, you'll have perfectly seasoned shredded chicken filling ready.
- 30 Minutes: From prep to plate, this recipe is a true time-saver, ideal for nights when you need a quick dinner recipe.
- Fresh Flavors: The combination of homemade taco seasoning, pico de gallo, and creamy avocado ensures every bite is flavorful.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Taco Seasoning: We're using a homemade spice blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
This blend gives your chicken a punch of flavor that store-bought mixes just can't match. If you're in a pinch, a store-bought taco seasoning mix will work, but trust me, homemade is 10x better!
Chicken Breast: The star of our Mexican chicken tacos, chicken breast is lean and shreds beautifully after baking.
Olive Oil: Helps the spices stick to the chicken and prevents it from drying out. You can substitute with avocado oil or even melted butter.
Pico de Gallo: For homemade pico de gallo, you'll need tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and lime. This adds a refreshing crunch and tang to your tacos.
Avocado: Adds creaminess and balances the spices. If you don't have avocado, sour cream is a great substitute.
Tortillas: Both flour and corn tortillas work well for shredded chicken tacos. Flour tortillas are softer and more flexible, while corn tortillas offer a more traditional flavor and texture.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make Shredded Chicken for Tacos
1. Prep the Chicken: Mix all the spices. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and coat them in the seasoning, rubbing it in to ensure they are well-coated.
2. Bake: Bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a large plate or cutting board and shred with two forks.
3. Prepare the Toppings: While the chicken cooks, make the pico de gallo and smash the avocado.
4. Assemble the Tacos: Warm your tortillas and assemble the tacos with the shredded chicken, pico de gallo, avocado, and any other desired toppings.
Tips
Common Mistakes: Overcooking the chicken can make it dry. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your shredded chicken for tacos is cooked to 165F.
Save Time: If you're in a hurry, use pre-shredded rotisserie chicken. Mix it with the seasoning and a splash of water and warm it up.
Important Notes: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding to keep it juicy.
Other Ways to Make Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos: Place chicken and seasoning in a slow cooker with a bit of broth. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, then shred.
- Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos: After shredding, place the chicken in tortillas, add cheese, and bake until crispy.
- Spicy Buffalo Chicken Tacos: Mix the shredded chicken with buffalo sauce for a spicy kick.
Other Toppings
- Salsa: Adds an extra layer of flavor.
- Mago Salsa: Swap out the pico de gallo with mango salsa for a different flavor.
- Sour Cream: a good substitute for the avocado.
- Shredded Lettuce: Adds crunch and freshness.
- Cheese: You can use Cotija or Monterey jack cheese.
Sides
- Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice
- Refried Beans
- Black Bean & Corn Salad
30 Minute Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
Taco Mix
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Shredded Chicken Tacos
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound finely chopped tomatoes seeds removed (about 4 small or 2 large), chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped white onion about ½ small onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 finely chopped jalapeño ribs and seeds removed
- juice from one lime divided
- table salt to taste
- 2 avocados
- 10-12 flour tortillas
See it. Make it. Eat it!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Mix together all the taco mix spices together in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, then sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken breasts. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
- Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a large plate or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken is baking, combine the finely chopped tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and juice from half a lime in a bowl. Add salt to taste and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, smash your avocados and mix in salt and juice from the other half of the lime.
- Heat the tortillas until they are warm and pliable.
- Place some shredded chicken on each tortilla. Top with pico de gallo and a dollop of smashed avocado.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
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