The best Homemade chicken taco seasoning is this one. It tastes amazing and is quite simple to make. For tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or fajitas, use this seasoning on chicken. The dish can even be tripled or doubled and kept in your pantry.
Taco night is one of the easiest meals you'll ever find, as anyone who knows me will attest. While I occasionally use store-bought packets of taco seasoning, creating your own homemade chicken taco seasoning is a really simple process that gives your favorite taco meals a true Mexican flair.
I prefer to make a large batch of this seasoning so that I have it on hand for anytime I need it! This taco spice blend is the key to a fantastic taco night, whether you're making ground chicken, turkey, or beef tacos!
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works
- Main Ingredients
- How To Make Chicken Taco Seasoning
- Variations And Substitutions
- How Do I Use This Chicken Taco Seasoning
- What To Serve With Chicken Tacos
- What type of Chicken is best for Chicken Tacos?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Try These Easy Dishes!
- Recipe
- The Best Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why This Recipe Works
This simple chicken taco seasoning is fantastic for so many reasons.
- Total command. You may have total control over the ingredients when you make your own taco seasoning at home, so no artificial flavors will seep into your meal.
- Quick and simple. It takes five minutes to prepare this recipe. Simply take the spices out of your cabinet, combine them in a bowl, and presto! You have the perfect combination for some scrumptious chicken tacos!
- Excellent for large-scale cooking. To ensure that I always have chicken taco seasoning on hand, I like to prepare a double or even a triple batch of it. It's one of those go-to dishes that will never let you down and always makes a tasty, simple dinner.
- Delectable! With a zesty blend of real Mexican seasonings and the ideal ratio of smokey taste, gentle heat, and Mexican flavors, this chicken taco seasoning recipe offers the greatest flavor.
- Adaptable. I adore this mixture on chicken tacos, but it works well with any taco meat, including turkey, chicken, or beef, so it's ideal for any taco night.
- Not limited to tacos! This seasoning blend is my go-to for tacos, but it works well for any Mexican chicken dish you're preparing, such chicken and rice, enchiladas, tamales, or even chicken stuffed peppers.
Main Ingredients
With just a few basic items, you can make the greatest taco seasoning available—far superior than anything you can buy at the grocery store! What you'll need is as follows:
- Smoked paprika with chili powder. The foundation of the mixture is provided by these spices, which have a smokey flavor that is typical of Mexican food.
- Ground oregano and cumin from Mexico. for the rich, earthy taste found in many Mexican cuisines.
- Onion and garlic powders. gives a delicate, fragrant background that doesn't compete with the other flavors.
- Cayenne spice. adds a hint of heat that you can customize to your desired level of spice.
- Black pepper and sea salt. vital to bringing out the flavors of every combination.
How To Make Chicken Taco Seasoning
This tasty spice blend only requires a few simple steps to prepare.
Place everything in a bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 3 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoons of onion and garlic powder, ½ teaspoons of cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano in a small serving bowl.
Toss to blend. Using a spoon, stir until thoroughly mixed.
Store. Pour the mixture into a mason jar or other airtight jar and place it somewhere cool and dark to keep it fresh.
Variations And Substitutions
Making your own seasoning allows you to customize it to your taste and preferences, which is the greatest part! Here are some suggestions.
- Softer alternative. For milder heat, cut back on or omit the cayenne pepper.
- Additional heat. Either add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. ground curry powder. gives the mixture a floral, citrus note.
- Standard paprika. Can be used to get a less smokey flavor in place of smoked paprika.
How Do I Use This Chicken Taco Seasoning
Add this flavorful spice blend to any dish calling for Mexican chicken!
To make quick and simple chicken tacos, season one pound of chicken with two to three tablespoons. (You can use other chicken products, but for my chicken tacos, I like to use skinless, boneless chicken breast.) In a large skillet, add the seasoned chicken and approximately 2 tablespoons of water. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
After taking the chicken out of the skillet, chop or shred it, sprinkle some lime juice over it, and then stuff the meat into flour, corn, or taco shells. Top with your preferred toppings and enjoy!
What To Serve With Chicken Tacos
This tasty meal pairs well with a variety of sides. Try these with chicken tacos:
- Mexican rice
- Refried beans
- Dark beans
- Green salad
- Corn salsa
What type of Chicken is best for Chicken Tacos?
I'm a huge fan of chicken tacos. They make such a tasty and quick lunch, and I feel like they can be tweaked so easily. Chopped up chicken breast or ground chicken are my two favorite forms of chicken to use for tacos. The advantages of ground chicken stem from its incredibly simple cooking method. Because ground beef is split up into little bits and is therefore quite easy to check to see if it is done, most people are fairly familiar with how to prepare it.
I prefer to season thinly cut chicken breasts with the spice blend below, cook them, allow them to rest so that all the liquids stay within, and then shred them up for a fancier taco. This is by far my favorite technique to cook meat for tacos since it produces such juicy, wonderful results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! On ground beef, beef, chicken, or even ground turkey, this seasonings combination tastes fantastic. I usually use it and prefer it on chicken. I love cubed chicken as a usage for it. Cutting the chicken into small pieces offers you so much surface area to coat with spice, and it produces the end result so flavorful!
This is the situation. You can use taco seasoning for more than simply tacos and taco chicken recipes. Not only does it go well with meat and taco shells, but it also works well with your other favorite quesadilla, burrito, and nacho recipes, as well as in taco bowls, taco salads, and any other dish where you want to incorporate some Mexican flavor and taste.
For every pound of chicken, use roughly two tablespoons of chicken taco seasoning. You can use as much or as little as you choose. Once the ground chicken and seasoning are cooked, brown them together and ladle the mixture onto charred corn tortillas or use to make chicken burrito bowls.
Of course! Just make two or three times as much, and keep your homemade seasonings in a larger, airtight jar. It's one of my go-to meal tips and a terrific spice to keep on hand for hectic weeknights!
It works with any airtight container. To keep the flavors of the spice blend intact, it must be kept in a cool, dark place. It keeps fine even when I store it in a ziplock bag.
If you tried this Chicken Taco Seasoning or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!
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Recipe
The Best Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked or regular
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for heat
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for extra spice
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a bowl, combine all the spices; stir with a spoon until thoroughly blended.
- Spoon into an airtight jar or container.
- Stow in a cold, dry environment for up to six months.
NOTES
- Keep the spice for chicken tacos sealed in a container.
- If taco seasoning is kept in a dry, cold place, it can last up to six months.
- The kind of chili powder found in Europe is somewhat different from that found in America. The American version is a blend of spices with very little dried ground chile powder. Just dried and powdered chilies make up European chili powder. This would be far too spicy if you made it with the European type of chili powder.
- This recipe's salt content actually depends on your own taste. I usually add a good bit more, but a good place to start is ¼ teaspoon and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Amanda Bennett says
Yum, homemade seasoning is where it's at! 🙌 I really appreciate the detailed instructions; it makes it seem so approachable. Can't wait to impress my friends with these tacos!
Destiny Black says
This looks super easy and delicious! 😍 I love that it works with any meat; versatility is key in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing such an awesome recipe!
Giselle Rivera says
Wow, I love that this seasoning works for so many dishes! It sounds delicious on chicken tacos, but I can totally see it jazzing up burritos and enchiladas too. Yum!
Allison Cooper says
I’m all about taco night too! 🎉 The idea of making a big batch of seasoning is genius—no more last-minute runs to the store. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe for my next taco feast!
Felicity Parker says
Oh wow, the idea of making a large batch is brilliant! I’m always scrambling at dinner time, so having this ready to go will make life so much easier. Thank you for sharing!
Laila James says
Yum! Homemade taco seasoning is such a game-changer for taco night. I love how you can control the spice level to fit your taste—perfect for me and my friends who prefer milder flavors!
Nina Foster says
'Total command' over ingredients? Count me in! I love knowing what goes into my meals. This recipe seems perfect for someone like me who enjoys cooking from scratch.
Carly Morris says
'Delectable' is right! 😋 This blend sounds absolutely divine, and I'm here for the smokiness you mentioned. Definitely adding this to my go-to recipes!
Courtney Ford says
I’m all about that homemade touch! It’s so satisfying knowing exactly what’s in your seasoning. Can't wait to try this on my next taco night with some fresh toppings!
Bethany Hughes says
'Quick and simple' is music to my ears! With how busy life gets, having easy recipes like this one makes weeknight dinners so much more manageable. Taco night just got easier!
Chelsea Stewart says
'Delectable' is right! The flavor profile you've created sounds incredible. Can’t wait to impress my family with some flavorful chicken tacos using this spice mix!
Maya Morgan says
I love how simple yet flavorful this seasoning is! 💖 It’s great that you can customize the spice level too—perfect for all my friends who have different tastes. Can't wait to get cooking!
Jenna Taylor says
'Not limited to tacos'—that’s exactly what I need in my kitchen arsenal! I'm definitely going to try this seasoning on some chicken and rice too, sounds delicious!
Jordan Howard says
'Not limited to tacos'—music to my ears! 🎶 I can already see myself using this in burritos and enchiladas too. Thanks for sharing such a versatile recipe!
Eleanor Harvey says
@Destiny Black, right? It's perfect for any meal needing that Mexican flair! 🌼 I'm thinking taco salad will be on the menu soon thanks to this recipe.
Shelby Howard says
I'm so excited to try this! 🌶️ Taco night just got an upgrade. Plus, storing a big batch sounds perfect for those busy weeknights when I need something quick and tasty.
Emily Thompson says
This seasoning mix was a game-changer! So much better than store-bought, and I love that I can control the salt level.
Sophia Martinez says
Made this last night for taco night, and wow! The flavors were spot on. My family couldn't stop raving about it.
Jessica Lee says
I never realized how easy it was to make taco seasoning at home. This is my new go-to recipe!
Gianna Fox says
This seasoning sounds amazing! I appreciate how simple it is to whip up a big batch and have it on hand. Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot better with this recipe!
Bailey Scott says
Wow, this homemade taco seasoning sounds like a game-changer! 🌮 I love how you can control the ingredients, making it so much healthier and tastier. Can't wait to whip up some tacos with this blend!
Hannah says
This taco seasoning recipe is so easy! I can't wait to try it!
Melissa says
I love making my own spices! This will make taco night even better!
Brianna says
Yum! I never thought making taco seasoning could be this simple!
Lauren says
Wow, I want to make a big batch of this! Taco night is going to be awesome!
Emily says
I really like that I can control the spice level. Thanks for sharing!
Lindsey says
This sounds delicious! Can't wait to use it for my chicken tacos.
Samantha says
I love how adaptable this seasoning is. Perfect for any Mexican dish!
Julia says
'Delectable' is right! I'm excited to try this spice blend at home.