Chipotle Chicken Street Tacos

I’m always looking for ways to make the week run smoothly. If you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, these chicken street tacos are the answer!

One of the tools in my bag is easy weeknight meals, along with ways to prep larger quantities of meat that can be used for other meals later in the week.

This recipe for chipotle chicken tacos does just that. The best part is that it is like two recipes in one.

What are street tacos?

Street tacos are more authentic than regular “tacos” because they are how tacos are traditionally made in Mexico.

Many Americans know tacos by their hard shell, taco seasoning packets and ground beef, but the humble taco can be so much more than that.

Give this recipe for shredded chicken street tacos a try, and you’ll know what I mean. Join the club. 

How to make chicken for street tacos

This recipe is like two recipes in one. The first step calls for making a whole chicken in the dutch oven.

Not only will it give you deliciously tender chicken to work with, but it will also provide leftover meat, perfect to throw in another meal later in the week. Chicken pot pie, anyone?

We’re going to take a whole chicken and drizzle avocado oil all over it. Then, plop it in a dutch oven with the lid on into a 350ºF oven, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Time will vary based on the weight of the chicken you purchase, so be sure to use a good meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. 

Once the chicken is fully cooked, let it cool, then remove and discard the skin. The white meat is what we’ll use for the chicken street tacos.

Remove the breasts and tenderloins and shred the chicken with a fork. Set this meat aside for the rest of the recipe. 

Now is an excellent time to handle the rest of the chicken as well. Remove the dark meat from the legs and tenderloins and pull apart with your hands.

The fork does not work as well here, so your hands are recommended. 

Use the remaining carcass and bones for a hearty bone broth, and you’re really prepared for the week. 

How to make chipotle sauce

While the chicken is cooking, make the chipotle sauce and dice the avocados, tomatoes, and onion for later in the recipe.

The sauce is quick and easy and makes these chipotle chicken street tacos extra satisfying. 

What you will need:

• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream (or plain yogurt)
• Chipotle peppers and sauce from the can
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin

For the chipotle sauce, chop up the chipotle peppers and add to a ramekin with the chipotle sauce, mayonnaise, sour cream, and spices. Mix well. That’s it!

Try our tacos with black bean & corn salsa next!

How to make chipotle chicken tacos

Let’s go back a few steps. We have our sauce prepped, and our shredded white chicken meat prepped for our chipotle chicken taco recipe.

All it takes is a little seasoning and assembly now, so let’s dig in.

Note: This recipe can easily be made using just 2 or 3 chicken breasts following the same cooking instructions.

You can also substitute chicken thighs if you prefer that cut of meat as well. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. 

And, I guess while we are on the topic of substituting, you can also make this with chicken tenders too!

What you will need:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Avocados, diced
• Tomatoes, diced
• Red onions, diced
• Lime juice
• Flour or corn tortillas

Take the white shredded chicken meat that you set aside and add to a bowl. Throw in the seasonings and toss to season the meat.

The meat should still be a little warm here, but if it’s not, feel free to reheat it in a cast iron pan for a few minutes.

It can add extra crispiness, which will be worth the extra step if you’re feeling up to it. But, of course, you can also cook the chicken earlier in the day, so reheating would be necessary then.

If you haven’t diced your avocados, tomatoes and red onions yet, do that now. Toss them together in a bowl with the lime juice. 

Now comes the fun part, and it’s a good idea to get the whole family involved. So grab the tortillas and assemble your tacos, your way.

That way, your pickier eaters can take some toppings or leave some.

That’s why tacos are such a great family recipe, and I promise these are much better than the American standard crunchy shell tacos you may be accustomed to.

And once you make this recipe, come back and leave a rating and a comment below! I love to hear from you!

Here are a few more recipes that may interest you

• Southwest Chicken Casserole
• Make-ahead Fajitas
• BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
• One Pan Mexican Chicken Skillet