The Best Pulled Chicken Tacos You Can Make at Home
Learn how to make pulled chicken tacos with juicy, flavorful chicken using basic spices you already have at home; no taco seasoning needed!
If there’s one cuisine I can never resist, it’s Mexican. My family loves to tease me about it, every time I make some fajitas or tacos (which happens more often than I’d like to admit), they laugh and say, “Do you know how to cook anything else?”; But honestly, can you blame me? Mexican cuisine is so good!
If you’re like me, or even less obsessed with Mexican food, you need to try these chicken tacos with shredded chicken; this recipe requires easy ingredients (which is always a must in my recipes), and although you can use ready made taco seasonings, I just use the most common spices you have at home.
What you need to make Pulled Chicken Tacos:
Chicken Breasts
Bell Peppers (colors of your choice)
Onion
Tomato Sauce
Salt & black pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Fresh Cilantro
Tortilla Bread
Shredded Cheese
Measurements are posted in the recipe card below the instructions.
Steps to Make Chicken Tacos
Start by generously coating your chicken breasts with the spices. Sprinkle each spice evenly on both sides, making sure to massage it into the meat before flipping it over. I’m using thin chicken breasts because that’s what I had on hand, but whole chicken breasts work even better since they’re easier to shred later.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add the seasoned chicken directly to the pan—no oil needed. If you’re using a stainless steel pan, add a splash of oil or butter and let it heat up before placing the chicken in. This helps prevent it from sticking.
Let the chicken cook undisturbed on the first side for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until it develops a nice golden-brown sear. Then, flip it over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes on the other side.
Once done, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside to rest.
Slice your bell peppers and onion into long strips.
Add them to the same pan you used for the chicken. You can add a small piece of butter (or olive oil) before adding the veggies.
Keep the heat on medium and let the peppers and onions cook, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and slightly caramelized. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, shred the chicken. You can use two forks, which is what I did. If you have a sturdy hand mixer, you can use that instead for quicker shredding.
Now that the veggies are ready, add the shredded chicken.
This is where you need to add more seasoning (of course this is optinal but recommended). I sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Mix everything together.
Add tomato sauce. If you’re using a tomato sauce that is slightly thick, add the tomato sauce to the pan, then fill 1/3 of the bottle with water, shake, and add it to the pan (I used 500ml of tomato sauce and added 200ml of water for a total of 700ml).
Mix everything together and cover (tomato sauce splashes everywhere so make sure you cover the pan)
Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Turn the heat off.
Wash your cilantro (I used abut a handful).
Shop about a handful of fresh cilantro, add it to the pan, and mix to combine everything.
Take a tortilla and gently press one side into the pan, to coat one side with the sauce.
Once coated, transfer the tortilla to a plate. Add your toppings starting with shredded cheese, followed by the chicken mixture. The amount depends on the size of your tortilla, I used 2 large spoons for a medium tortilla.
Close your taco and place it in a clean pan over medium heat. Let the first side cook until it becomes slightly crispy and golden. This takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Then, carefully flip it over and let the other side crisp up as well.
Once both sides are perfectly crispy, remove the taco from the pan and serve immediately.
I served my tacos with a creamy and tangy mix of Greek yogurt, a pinch of salt, lime juice, and a dash of hot sauce. It was a really good dipping sauce that complemented the tacos! I also added lime slices to the plate to squeeze over the taco before dipping it in the sauce.
Guacamole is always a winner with anything Mexican, and of course, you can never go wrong with classic sour cream!
Can I make pulled chicken tacos in the oven?
I tried to layer a few tacos on a baking tray and placed it in the oven, unfortunately, even after flipping the tacos twice, the side facing down would always become soggy again because of the sauce. These are better made in the pan.
Pulled Chicken Tacos Recipe
Pulled Chicken Tacos
Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Yields: 14 tacos
Ingredients
- 0.5 kg chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 14 tortilla breads
- 2 tbsp shredded cheese per taco
- 700 ml tomato sauce (or 500 ml + 200 ml water)
Instructions
- Coat the chicken breasts with spices, massaging both sides before flipping.
- Add chicken to a hot non-stick pan on medium heat and cook 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Slice peppers and onion, then cook them in the same pan on medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Shred the cooked chicken using two forks or a hand mixer.
- Add shredded chicken to the veggies and sprinkle additional seasoning if desired. Mix everything well.
- Add tomato sauce. If you’re using a tomato sauce that is slightly thick, add the tomato sauce to the pan, then fill 1/3 of the bottle with water, shake, and add it to the pan, mix, and simmer for 5-10 minutes, covered to prevent splashing.
- Turn off the heat, chop fresh cilantro, and mix it into the pan.
- Press a tortilla into the sauce, add shredded cheese and chicken mixture, and fold the taco.
- Grill each taco in a clean pan on medium heat until crispy on both sides. Serve hot.
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