Ground Chicken Tacos

These ground chicken tacos are packed with flavor from three types of chili, chorizo, and garlic. Ready in under 20 minutes, these easy, healthy chicken tacos are a delicious family meal.

Topped with creamy avocado, black beans, fresh cilantro, and tangy Greek yogurt, these ground chicken tacos are balanced and delicious. Spice up taco night with this flavorful spice blend and chipotles in adobo!

In our house we have Taco Monday instead of Taco Tuesdays, and I often make these ground chicken tacos, chicken tacos seasoned with my taco seasoning mix, these chipotle chorizo tacos or, my husband’s favorite, a taco bake!

Professional tips for making ground chicken tacos

• Blooming the spices in oil. Cooking the spices in a little extra oil with the onions  and garlic will bloom the spices and make them more flavorful. .
• Watch your chicken. Make sure to take your ground chicken mixture off of the heat once it is cooked through to keep it moist.
• Adjust the spice level to your taste. This recipe is easily customizable to your preferences. If you like your tacos mild, use 2 chipotles and 1 teaspoon of spice mix. Add more as needed to reach your desired level of spiciness. You could also add cayenne pepper or my homemade taco seasoning if you’re feeling bold!

Ingredients

• Salt & Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Paprika: Choose either sweet, smoked, or hot paprika for this recipe depending on your taste. Each adds a delicious bit of earthiness to the recipe. This is also my secret ingredient in my Sweet and Spicy Wings recipe (Baked)!
• Garlic Powder
• Cumin: Cumin is a smoky spice that adds earthy flavor to the dish. Use it sparingly as it has a very strong flavor.
• Oil: I recommend using canola oil or vegetable oil for cooking the chicken. It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, making it a good choice for medium-high heat cooking.
• Onion
• Garlic: I recommend using lots of garlic in this recipe for a bold, savory flavor. If you can’t find fresh garlic, you can also use chopped, jarred garlic.
• Chipotle Peppers: Use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for this dish and for my Chipotle Chili! You will want to mince them so that they incorporate well into the meat mixture.
• Chorizo: You’ll need about 3 chorizo sausages. Remove the casings before cooking the chorizo so that it mixes well with the ground chicken.
• Ground Chicken: Just like in my Ground Chicken Burgers, I like to use ground chicken that has an adequate amount of fat to prevent it from becoming dry during cooking. Try to find an 85/15 or even 80/20 blend for this recipe.
• Tomato Paste: Adding a bit of tomato paste to the ground chicken gives it a concentrated savory and sweet flavor. Save some of the can for a batch of Healthy Beef Stroganoff or homemade chicken shepherd’s pie!
• Water: You can use water for this recipe or a bit of low-sodium chicken broth.
• Spice Mixture: You’ll use 2-3 teaspoons of the spice mixture above to season the ground meat, or your favorite store-bought taco seasoning.
• Black Beans
• Avocado: Using avocado will add creaminess and richness to the dish. If you’d like, you can replace it with guacamole.
• Greek Yogurt: You can replace the Greek yogurt with sour cream if you prefer the taste.
• Tortillas: I like using whole wheat tortillas in this recipe, but feel free to use the tortillas you like best. You can use corn tortilla, flour tortillas, or hard tortilla shells.
• Cilantro: Adding cilantro to this recipe imparts a bright, fresh flavor to the tacos. As does a hint of fresh lime juice if you have it!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Ground Turkey: You can use ground turkey in place of the ground chicken. It is also a lean ground meat, so I recommend using a blend with at least 10% fat.
• Taco Salad: Turn these delicious tacos into a taco salad by serving the taco filling over lettuce with some bell pepper, and adding your favorite taco toppings, like cheese or salsa.
• Ground Beef: You can also swap the chicken for ground beef this Tuesday! Because ground beef is naturally higher in fat, you may want to use a lean blend, like 97/3.

How to make chicken tacos

Use these instructions to make the perfect tacos every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Pour black beans and their juice into a small saucepot over medium heat. Cover and simmer until hot. You can also heat them in the microwave. 

Step 2: In a large cast iron skillet (or any other non-nonstick skillet), sauté onions in 1-2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until they release their juices and begin to turn translucent. Add the spices and a little more oil if needed. Cook while stirring with a wooden spoon until fragrant. About 1 minute. 

Step 3: Add garlic and chipotle peppers  and continue to cook over medium heat until the onions are almost translucent, stirring frequently. Remove onion mixture from the skillet to a small bowl and set aside. 

Step 4: In the same large skillet, brown the ground chicken until completely cooked. Drain off any excess fat. Add the onion mixture back into the pan, stirring to mix. Add ½ cup water or broth and tomato paste. Stir to evenly coat the meat with the tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes until most of the water has evaporated. Taste for seasoning. 

Step 5: Remove the taco filling from the heat. Toast the tortillas directly on the hot burner or in a flat-bottomed pan until each side has crisped and begun to bubble. 

Step 6: Assemble and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef-tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed chicken recipes, such as chicken with shallots and healthy flavorful ground chicken burgers!