These easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos feature tender shredded chicken cooked in a smoky, lightly spicy chipotle tomato sauce, then loaded into soft tortillas with jalapeños and plenty of cheese. Pan-fry them until golden and you get the best combination of juicy pulled chicken, gooey melted cheese and lightly crisp tortillas.
The chipotle chicken is incredibly versatile and can be prepared ahead of time, making these tacos great for Taco Tuesday, weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd. Adjust the jalapeños to your preferred spice level and serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream or your favourite taco sides. Better yet, make an extra batch of the shredded chipotle chicken because the leftovers are perfect for quesadillas, burrito bowls, etc.
Why You’ll Love These Chipotle Chicken Tacos
These chipotle chicken tacos are irresistibly piquant and smoky to taste, while the melted cheese balances the spice and adds a luscious gooey cheesy texture to them. They are always a hit on our dining table. The tacos are filled with tender shredded chicken that has been gently simmered in tomato and stock, topped with jalapenos, pickled onions, and lots of shredded cheese. After assembling, the tacos are pan-fried till golden and crispy outside, creating a contrasting texture to the tender and juicy filling inside. My favourite part about this recipe is that you can totally make ahead and prepare a big batch of the chipotle chicken, which you can use for the tacos, or for many other dinner dishes!
How to make Chipotle Pulled Chicken Cheese Tacos
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken – breast / thigh
- Garlic, Onion – the aromatics
- Chipotle Paste – the key to giving that distinctive smoky flavour and chilli heat
- Cumin Powder, Paprika – the spices. Cumin adds earthiness while paprika reinforces the smoky, warming flavours of the chipotle.
- Salt & Black Pepper – to season & to taste
- Chicken Stock – from bouillon cube. Adds savouriness and enough liquid for the chicken to gently simmer until tender.
- Tomato Passata (strained tomatoes) – creates a smooth tomato base for the pulled chicken sauce. You can substitute canned crushed or chopped tomatoes if needed.
- Jalapenos
- Lime – A squeeze of fresh lime cuts through the richness of the cheese and wakes up the chicken filling.
- Fresh Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
- Grated Cheese – I used a blend of Cheddar & Mozzarella
- Tortilla Wraps – I used Gran Luchito’s soft taco wraps
- Cooking Oil
Tips for the Best Chicken Tacos
- Tomato passata is strained tomatoes and, therefore, give a smoother texture and a slightly richer flavour. But if you don’t have any, you can substitute with the same amount of tinned chopped tomatoes.
- The longer you cook the chicken, the more tender the meat gets and easier to shred.
- I use flour tortillas for these tacos as they are generally softer to manage and easier to fold on the pan. However, if you prefer, you can use corn tortillas.
- Don’t overfill the tortillas. Overstuffed tacos are much harder to flip and the filling can escape into the pan.
- Use medium heat when frying – you want enough time for the cheese to melt while the tortilla gradually becomes golden rather than burning before the centre is hot.
- Feel free to also include some guacamole or cantina beans as the taco filling. Or you can also serve them separately as side dishes to serve!
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Easy Chipotle Chicken Cheese Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil plus more for cooking the tacos later
- 2 large Chicken breast or thigh
- 4-5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 2 Red Chillies chopped (optional)
- 1 Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp Chipotle Paste
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ¾ tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Tomato Passata (strained tomatoes)
- 1 Lime
- 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) chopped
- 12 Small Tortilla Wraps
- Jalapenos sliced
- Grated Cheese
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook garlic for 1-2 minutes until golden and fragrant.1 tbsp Cooking Oil, 4-5 cloves Garlic
- Then add the chopped onions and red chillies (if using). Saute for 5 minutes until golden in colour.1 Onion, 2 Red Chillies
- Season with salt, black pepper, cumin powder, and paprika. Then stir in chipotle paste.2 tbsp Chipotle Paste, ½ tsp Cumin Powder, ¾ tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Salt, ½ tsp Black Pepper
- Add chicken and stir until coated. Stir in the tomato passata and chicken broth.2 large Chicken, 1 cup Tomato Passata (strained tomatoes), 1 cup Chicken Broth
- Simmer and cover to cook for 40 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- The chicken should be super tender at this point and easy to break into shreds. If not, leave to cook longer. The longer you cook, the more tender the chicken gets.
- Shred the chicken, add a squeeze of lime juice and toss with chopped coriander leaves.1 Lime, 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
- Heat a little bit of oil on a frying pan over medium heat. Lay down a tortilla wrap and top one side of it with the pulled chicken.12 Small Tortilla Wraps
- Add sliced jalapenos and grated cheese on top of the chicken. Fold the empty side of the tortilla over the filled side and gently press it down.Jalapenos, Grated Cheese
- Fry till the cheese starts to melt and the taco is golden in colour on both sides. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining tacos. Serve warm.
Notes
- Tomato passata is strained tomatoes and, therefore, give a smoother texture and a slightly richer flavour. But if you don’t have any, you can substitute with the same amount of tinned chopped tomatoes.
- The longer you cook the chicken, the more tender the meat gets and easier to shred.
- I use flour tortillas for these tacos as they are generally softer to manage and easier to fold on the pan. However, if you prefer, you can use corn tortillas. I use Gran Luchito’s soft taco wraps.
- Feel free to also include some guacamole or cantina beans as the taco filling. Or you can also serve them separately as side dishes to serve!
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