Best 9 Easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos Recipes

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Chipotle chicken tacos are an easy and delicious weeknight meal that can be prepared in under 30 minutes. With a few simple ingredients, you can have a flavorful and satisfying taco that is sure to be a hit with the whole family. The combination of chipotle peppers, tangy lime juice, and aromatic spices creates a unique flavor that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. Whether you're a seasoned taco pro or a novice in the kitchen, this recipe will guide you through the steps to make the perfect easy chipotle chicken tacos.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE



Chicken Tacos With Chipotle image

For good tacos, you need fresh, hot tortillas and a zesty filling. Canned chipotle chiles will do the trick with their smoky heat; it's an easy way to get flavor fast. Look for small cans with "chipotle chiles in adobo" on the label. And Mexican groceries generally have better-quality tortillas than the ones you find in supermarkets; it's worth seeking those out and heating them gently over steam, or by toasting them in a dry cast-iron pan. You can also use this recipe with precooked chicken, which makes this already quite simple recipe as easy as falling out of bed.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     tacos, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

4 large bone-in chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds
3 scallions, left whole
1 bay leaf
1 thyme branch
3 black peppercorns
1 allspice berry
2 cloves
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 or 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from the can
1/2 cup broth (use broth from simmered chicken)
8 fresh corn tortillas
1 small white onion, finely chopped, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes and drained
Thinly sliced serrano chile
Thinly sliced radishes
Sliced avocado
Crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese
Crème fraîche or Mexican crema
Cilantro sprigs
Dried oregano
Lime wedges

Steps:

  • Put chicken thighs in a saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove chicken and cool. Shred chicken with your fingers, discarding chicken skin and bone. Strain broth and reserve. You should have about 2 cups shredded chicken.
  • Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion, season with salt and cook until softened and a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, salt lightly and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened somewhat. Keep warm.
  • Heat the tortillas over steam or by your favorite method, keeping them soft and pliable.
  • Build the tacos quickly: Put a spoonful of the saucy chicken in the center of each tortilla. Top with a teaspoon of chopped white onion, a few slivers of serrano chile, some radish and avocado slices, a teaspoon of queso fresco and a teaspoon of crème fraîche. Add a few cilantro springs and a small pinch of oregano. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

BASIC CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS



Basic Chipotle Chicken Tacos image

This is very basic. My husband isn't a fan of veggies in things, so if you add onions and peppers even better! It can get very spicy so this isn't a dish for bland food lovers - even the 'mild' ways to cook it have a bite.

Provided by Omi Longmire

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 1h35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 5

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (7 ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (10 ounce) package corn tortillas, or as needed

Steps:

  • Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag; add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 1/2 of the beer. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, at least 1 hour.
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; pour chicken and marinade into the hot oil. Cook and stir, adding the remaining beer, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 20 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
  • Shred chicken in the skillet using 2 forks and serve in corn tortillas.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 392.1 calories, Carbohydrate 25.2 g, Cholesterol 117.2 mg, Fat 8.7 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 47 g, SaturatedFat 1.8 g, Sodium 265.5 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

(THE BEST!) EASY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS RECIPE



(The Best!) Easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos Recipe image

This is an adaptation of the Chipotle-Garlic Grilled Chicken recipe in my book, The Food Processor Family Cookbook (Sonoma Press 2016). Canned chipotle peppers and garlic get pureed into a simple but deeply flavorful marinade for chicken (it's delicious on skirt steak!). The spicy chicken is awesome on its own, but we love to shred it and pile it into tortillas with Napa cabbage, avocado slices and a garlicky, mint-spiked lime crema. The recipe makes a big batch of crema, but we end up slathering it over everything on our plates. If you have the time, marinate the chicken in the morning or even the day before for maximum flavor.

Provided by Nicki Sizemore

Categories     Main Course

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 16

5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup sour cream
1 small garlic clove, grated
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of ½ lime
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped mint or cilantro, or a mix of the two
Oil for grill
Warm tortillas
2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage, for serving
Avocado slices, for serving
Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, for serving (optional)
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • Put the garlic cloves in a mini food processor, and process until finely chopped. Add the chipotle peppers with their sauce and season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides occasionally.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl. Add the chipotle marinade, and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 15-45 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • Mix together the sour cream, grated garlic, lime zest, lime juice, scallions, and mint or cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. If the chicken was refrigerated, let it come to room temperature.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, leaving some of the marinade sticking to the meat. Oil the grill grates, then grill the chicken on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes. Using two forks, coarsely shred the chicken.
  • Pile the chicken into warmed corn or flour tortillas and top with napa cabbage, avocado slices and the lime crema. If you'd like, sprinkle with a bit of crumbled Cotija or feta cheese. Serve with hot sauce and the remaining crema at the table.

CHIPOTLE-LIME CHICKEN TACOS



Chipotle-Lime Chicken Tacos image

Provided by Claire Robinson

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h5m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 bone-in, skin-on whole chicken, rinsed and dried
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 lime, zested and juiced (lime halves reserved), plus 1 lime, zested
1/4 cup water
1 cup crema
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely minced into a paste
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Generously season the chicken, on the outside and inside of the cavity, with salt and pepper, to taste. With your fingers, put some of the lime zest under the skin of the chicken. Sprinkle the lime juice over the chicken and put the halves into the cavity. Put the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up, and add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast the chicken until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven to a carving board, let sit until cool enough to handle.
  • In a small bowl, combine the crema, minced chipotles, remaining lime zest, and salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Once the chicken has cooled, pull the meat from bones and shred.
  • Put some of the shredded chicken on each tortilla, top with chipotle crema and garnish with some zest from the remaining lime. Serve with lime wedges.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MEATBALL TACOS



Chipotle Chicken Meatball Tacos image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 50m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 thick slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 large egg
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 pound ground chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
1 14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Hard taco shells and assorted toppings, for serving

Steps:

  • Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tablespoon water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste. Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix with your hands until just combined. Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, the jalapeno, chipotle, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes; season with salt. Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. (Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick.) Remove the bay leaves. Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings. Photograph by Andrew Purcell

EASY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS



Easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos image

Add these Easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos to your recipe book. These tacos can be made in just 20 minutes and have a kick of spice with TACO BELL® ingredients!

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Home

Time 20m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pkg. (4.5 oz.) TACO BELL® Crunchy Taco Shells (12 shells)
1-1/2 cups TACO BELL® Refried Beans
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 pkg. (9 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Bold Chipotle Seasoned Chicken Breast, chopped
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheeses
3/4 cup TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Salsa
1/3 cup sour cream

Steps:

  • Heat taco shells and beans as directed on packages.
  • Spread 2 Tbsp. beans onto bottom of each taco shell; top with lettuce, chicken, olives and cheese.
  • Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Nutrition Facts : Fat 0 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 0 g

EASY SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TACOS



Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos image

So I heard of people making salsa chicken and I thought I would give it a try but add a few of my own twists to it. My whole family, even the 2-year-old, loved the tacos and we ate the leftovers at our very next meal. After the mixture is cooked, fill flour tortillas with it (hard shells are great, too), add shredded Cheddar cheese on the top, and shredded lettuce.

Provided by Lilliansmommy

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 5h10m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 ½ (16 ounce) packages chicken breast tenderloins
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (16 ounce) container mango-peach salsa
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
salt to taste
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
1 medium onion, sliced

Steps:

  • Place chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Mix until coated and transfer into a slow cooker. Add salsa, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt; mix to combine.
  • Cover and cook on Low until chicken is ready to shred, 4 to 5 hours. Remove chicken, shred with 2 forks, and return to the slow cooker.
  • Break up the pineapple chunks and add them to the slow cooker with 1/4 cup of pineapple juice (or more to taste) and onion slices. Cook on Low until sauce is bubbling and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 317.2 calories, Carbohydrate 44.3 g, Cholesterol 47.8 mg, Fat 8.3 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 18.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 941.7 mg, Sugar 11.6 g

SLOW COOKER CHIPOTLE-HONEY CHICKEN TACOS



Slow Cooker Chipotle-Honey Chicken Tacos image

These may be the easiest tacos you ever make, but you'd never know it. The recipe hinges on just two ingredients: canned chipotles and honey, which slowly caramelize together for a glossy and incredibly tasty sauce. You may hesitate because there's so little liquid in the slow cooker with the chicken, but don't worry. That's how it's supposed to be. It allows the sauce to get a little sticky, which is exactly what you want. (Get the pressure cooker version of this recipe here.)

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Categories     dinner, weekday, tacos, main course

Time 5h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 to 4 chipotles from a can of chipotles in adobo, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice of 1 lime
Warmed tortillas, for serving
Pickled onion, for serving (see Tip)
Sliced or cubed avocado, for serving

Steps:

  • Combine the chicken, honey, onion and garlic powders, cumin, salt and chipotle chiles and adobo sauce in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Stir well. Cook for at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours on low. If it's more convenient, you can let the slow cooker switch to warm after 5 hours. The dish will hold on warm for about another 3 hours before the chicken starts to become quite dry.
  • Using two forks, coarsely shred the chicken in the sauce. Stir in the black beans and lime juice. Cover and let the beans warm through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve in tortillas with pickled onion and avocado.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 376, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 37 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 41 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 1167 milligrams, Sugar 16 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CHIPOTLE RANCH CHICKEN TACOS



Chipotle Ranch Chicken Tacos image

Chop, chop...or not. These tacos are easy on the cook with ready-to-use produce, pico, dressing and cheese. Thinly slice the radishes and hot peppers, and your fiesta is ready. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup pico de gallo
8 taco shells, warmed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup coleslaw mix
6 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chipotle ranch salad dressing
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

Steps:

  • Combine the chicken, corn and pico de gallo in a small microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through., Spoon chicken mixture into taco shells. Top with remaining ingredients.

Nutrition Facts :

Tips:

  • To save time, use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
  • For a smokier flavor, grill the chicken instead of cooking it in a skillet.
  • If you don't have chipotle peppers in adobo, you can use 1 tablespoon of chili powder and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
  • To make the tacos more flavorful, use fresh ingredients whenever possible.
  • Top the tacos with your favorite toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

Conclusion:

Chipotle chicken tacos are a delicious and easy-to-make meal that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With their smoky flavor and customizable toppings, these tacos are sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give these chipotle chicken tacos a try!

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