Ground Chicken Tacos
Add Preferred SourceChicken tacos are what taco night looks like on a weeknight when you want all the flavor but something lighter and faster than a beef filling. I keep a pound of ground chicken and a jar of taco seasoning on hand for exactly these nights, and the skillet comes together in about 20 minutes.
The tomato sauce stirred in with the seasoning is what keeps it from drying out, since lean ground chicken loses moisture fast. Set out the toppings, warm the tortillas, and everyone builds their own.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s ready in about 20 minutes start to finish, so it works on a busy weeknight.
- One pound of ground chicken feeds four once the toppings go on.
- It leans on pantry staples like taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and olive oil, so there’s no specialty shopping.
- The seasoned filling freezes well, so a double batch buys you a second taco night with no cooking.
- Everyone builds their own, which settles the picky-eater standoff at the table.
- The filling works past tacos too, spooned over rice or greens as a quick bowl.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
A few notes before you start; the printable card below has the full list with quantities.
- Ground chicken. Lean and mild, it soaks up taco seasoning well. Look for 90 to 93 percent lean rather than the leanest option, so it doesn’t cook up dry.
- Taco seasoning. Three tablespoons flavors the whole pound. Store-bought keeps this fast, and a homemade chicken taco seasoning blend works if you’d rather control the salt.
- Tomato sauce. Just a quarter cup, but it keeps the filling moist and saucy instead of dry. I never skip it, even at that small amount.
- Monterey Jack. It melts soft over the warm filling, and any melting cheese works in its place.
- Salsa verde or roja. Salsa verde is tangier and salsa roja is deeper, so pick by what you like.
- Avocado, lime, sour cream, lettuce, and onion. These fresh toppings balance the seasoned meat, so use whatever you have.
How to Make Ground Chicken Tacos
It comes together in three stages.
Brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and break it into small pieces as it cooks for about 5 minutes.
Because color is not a reliable indicator of doneness for poultry, cook the chicken to 165°F using an instant-read thermometer rather than relying on how brown it looks.
Season and simmer
Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce until the meat is evenly coated.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, so the seasoning soaks in and the sauce clings to the meat.
Build the tacos
Warm the tortillas until they’re soft and foldable. Fill each one with the chicken, then let everyone add cheese, salsa, avocado, onion, lettuce, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- I pull the skillet off the heat the moment the chicken hits 165°F, since a minute too long is what turns lean ground chicken rubbery.
- If the filling looks dry before serving, stir in a splash more tomato sauce or a little broth rather than more oil.
- Warm the tortillas over a dry skillet or a gas flame for a few seconds a side; cold tortillas crack when you fold them.
- Keep the toppings in separate bowls so the meal stays a build-your-own, which keeps younger eaters happy.
Recipe Variations
- Shredded or pulled chicken. Fold about two cups of cooked, shredded chicken into the warmed seasoning and sauce instead of browning it from raw. It changes the method more than the taste, so treat the browning step as skipped. I haven’t tested this exact swap here, though shredded chicken tacos are a standard route.
- More heat. Cook a diced jalapeno with the chicken, or serve a hotter salsa on the side. It works because nothing about the timing or liquid changes, just the spice level.
- Taco bowl. Spoon the filling over rice or shredded lettuce and keep the same toppings. This is a well-supported serving swap that changes nothing about the cooking.
- Ground turkey or a different cheese. Ground turkey stands in for the chicken with no other changes, and cheddar or a Mexican blend can replace the Monterey Jack. Both are tested, everyday substitutions.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 3 to 4 days. Reheat it to 165°F before serving, so it’s heated through and not just warm.
To cook ahead, cool the seasoned filling and freeze it flat in a bag for up to 3 to 4 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. When serving, do not leave the cooked chicken out for longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the kitchen temperature is above 90°F.
What to Serve With Ground Chicken Tacos
These tacos go best with fresh, crunchy sides. A scoop of Mexican rice simmered in broth rounds out the plate, and Mexican street corn brings the char and lime that play off the seasoned chicken. For crunch, pile a red cabbage coleslaw on top or serve it alongside. If you’re feeding a crowd, set out a warm Mexican street corn dip with chips while the skillet finishes.
FAQs
Ground chicken is lean and cooks fast, so it dries out if you cook it past done. Pull it off the heat at 165°F and keep the tomato sauce in the mix, since that bit of liquid holds the moisture.
Yes. Use cooked, shredded chicken breast and stir it through to heat, the same way as the shredded-chicken variation above.
Overstuffed tacos are the ones that tear, so go light on the filling and fold a warm tortilla rather than a cold one.
Freeze the seasoned filling by itself, never tacos already built with fresh toppings. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and bring it back to 165°F before serving.
More Taco-Night Recipes to Try at Home
If tacos are on regular rotation at your place, these keep the same fast, hands-on spirit:
- Ground Beef Tacos, the classic beef version with a homemade seasoning blend for nights you want the original.
- Mini Tacos, bite-size tacos that work as an appetizer or party food.
- Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf, taco flavor in a hands-off loaf the slow cooker handles for you.
- Walking Taco Casserole, a baked beef-and-pasta casserole with black beans, salsa, and cheese, finished with fresh toppings after it comes out of the oven.
- Taco Salad Cups, bite-size crispy tortilla cups you fill with seasoned meat and crunchy veggies.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To serve:
- Tortillas
- 1 cup Monterey Jack shredded
- 1 cup Salsa verde or roja your favorite salsa for tacos
- 1 Avocado sliced
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream
- Romaine lettuce shredded
- Onion sliced
Video
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the ground chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the chicken is fully browned and no longer pink.1 pound ground chicken
- Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly.3 tablespoons taco seasoning, ¼ cup tomato sauce
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend.
- Serve the seasoned chicken in warm tortillas. Top with shredded cheese, salsa, avocado and onion slices, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.Tortillas, 1 cup Monterey Jack, 1 cup Salsa verde or roja, 1 Avocado, Lime wedges, Sour cream, Romaine lettuce, Onion
Notes
- Cook the ground chicken to 165°F on a thermometer; color alone is not a reliable doneness check for poultry.
- Keep the tomato sauce in the mix so the lean chicken does not cook up dry.
- Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 3 to 4 days.
- The seasoned filling freezes for up to three to four months; thaw in the fridge and reheat to 165°F.
