Easy Chicken Tacos

Easy Chicken Tacos

Whenever I have leftover chicken in the refrigerator, Easy Chicken Tacos are one of the first meals that comes to mind. They’re fast, endlessly customizable, and everyone can build exactly the tacos they love.

This recipe is a perfect example of my One Meat, Three Meals approach. Instead of cooking from scratch every night, I intentionally make extra chicken earlier in the week so dinner practically makes itself later on. Whether you’re starting with Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Chicken, or Salsa Shredded Chicken, these chicken tacos come together in about 20 minutes.

One of my favorite things about chicken tacos is that there really isn’t a wrong way to make them. Some nights I pile on every topping in the refrigerator and serve homemade sides. Other nights, when life is busy, we eat nothing but tacos and call it dinner. Both are wins in my book.

If you’re looking for a quick, family-friendly dinner that makes the most of leftover chicken, these Easy Chicken Tacos deserve a regular spot in your meal rotation.

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Why You’ll Love These Easy Chicken Tacos

• A delicious way to use leftover chicken.
• Ready in about 20 minutes.
• Perfect for busy weeknights.
• Easy for everyone to customize.
• Fits perfectly into my One Meat, Three Meals method.
• Uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Cooked chicken: Any leftover cooked chicken works beautifully. I use leftover Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Chicken, or Salsa Shredded Chicken.
• Siete almond flour tortillas: Our favorite tortillas. We always warm them on a cast iron griddle until they’re soft and lightly browned.
• Shredded cheese: We usually use raw cheddar, but use whatever your family enjoys.
• Black beans: An easy way to add extra protein and stretch the meal. I often warm canned black beans with a little salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt, just like I do for my Chicken Burrito Bowls.
• Sauteed sweet bell peppers and onions: These add wonderful flavor and make the tacos even more filling.
• Crunchy chopped lettuce: Adds freshness and texture.
• Pickled banana peppers: One of our favorite toppings for a little tang and crunch. I make easy fermented pickled peppers myself, from our homegrown peppers.
• Diced avocado or homemade guacamole: Adds creamy richness.
• Sour cream: A must-have topping at our house. Full-fat, of course!
• Salsa: Homemade is always wonderful, but use your favorite. Here’s my favorite salsa recipe.
• Homemade sriracha sauce: For anyone who enjoys a little heat. Get my sriracha recipe here.

How to Make Easy Chicken Tacos

1. Warm the leftover chicken until heated through.
2. If using black beans, warm them with a little salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt.
3. Saute sliced sweet bell peppers and onions until tender.
4. Heat the tortillas on a cast iron griddle until warm and lightly browned.
5. Set everything out buffet-style so everyone can build their own tacos.
6. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

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Make Them Your Own

One of the reasons we never get tired of Chicken Tacos is that they’re different every time.

Some nights they’re loaded with black beans, peppers, onions, lettuce, avocado, and plenty of cheese. Other nights we keep them simple with just chicken, salsa, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Use whatever you have in the refrigerator. That’s part of what makes this recipe so practical.

What to Serve with Easy Chicken Tacos

If I have a little extra time, I love serving Chicken Tacos with one or two simple sides.

Some of our favorites include:

• Sweet Potato Fries (the same ones from my Burger Wraps recipe)
• Coconut oil roasted sweet potatoes
• Healthy Refried Beans
• Mexican Rice (recipe coming soon)

And honestly? Sometimes we skip the sides altogether. If dinner needs to happen fast, just the tacos are plenty.

One Meat, Three Meals

Whenever I cook chicken, I almost always make extra.

That first meal might be Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Chicken, or Salsa Shredded Chicken. Then later in the week, those leftovers become Easy Chicken Tacos, Chicken Burrito Bowls, Chicken Tortilla Soup, salad, or another quick dinner.

Cooking once and enjoying multiple meals has been one of the biggest time-saving habits in my kitchen. It helps us eat homemade meals even on our busiest days.

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Tips for the Best Chicken Tacos

• Warm the tortillas before serving. It makes a huge difference. I stack warm tortillas on a small dinner plate, topped with a glass lid to keep in the heat.
• Set everything out buffet-style so everyone can customize their own meal.
• Cook extra chicken earlier in the week for an almost effortless dinner.
• Keep pantry staples like black beans and salsa on hand so you’re always ready to throw together tacos.

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re looking for more easy ways to use leftover chicken, be sure to check out:

• Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Easy Chicken Quesadillas
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie

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Easy Chicken Tacos

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• Author: Kathleen | Roots & Boots
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-5 servings 1x

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Description

These easy Chicken Tacos are one of our favorite ways to use leftover chicken. They’re quick, customizable, and perfect for busy weeknights. Set out everyone’s favorite toppings and let each person build their own tacos.

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Ingredients

Cooked chicken: Leftover Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Salsa Shredded Chicken, or any cooked chicken.

Siete almond flour tortillas: Warmed on a cast iron griddle.

Black beans: Optional, warmed with salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt.

Sweet bell peppers: Thinly sliced and sauteed.

Onion: Thinly sliced and sauteed.

Shredded cheese: We usually use raw cheddar.

Crunchy lettuce: Chopped.

Pickled banana peppers: Optional but highly recommended.

Diced avocado or guacamole: For creamy richness.

Sour cream: Adds cool, creamy flavor.

Salsa: Homemade or your favorite store-bought.

Homemade sriracha sauce: Optional for a little heat.

Instructions

1. Warm the cooked chicken until heated through.
2. Warm the black beans with salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt, if using.
3. Saute the peppers and onions until tender.
4. Heat the tortillas on a cast iron griddle until soft and lightly browned.
5. Fill each tortilla with chicken and your favorite toppings.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Chicken Tacos are one of my favorite One Meat, Three Meals recipes.
• Any leftover cooked chicken works beautifully.
• Customize the toppings based on what your family enjoys and what you already have on hand.
• Don’t feel like you need lots of side dishes. Sometimes we enjoy just the tacos, and that’s more than enough for a satisfying dinner.

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Instructions

• Cooked chicken: Leftover Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Salsa Shredded Chicken, or any cooked chicken.
• Tortillas, 1-2 per person: Warmed on a cast iron griddle. We love Siete almond flour tortillas.
• Black beans, 1 can: Optional, warmed with a little salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt.
• 1-2 sweet bell peppers: Thinly sliced and sauteed.
• 1 onion: Thinly sliced and sauteed with the peppers.
• Shredded cheese: We usually use raw cheddar.
• Crunchy lettuce: Chopped.
• Pickled banana peppers: Optional but highly recommended.
• Diced avocado or guacamole: For creamy richness.
• Sour cream: Adds cool, creamy flavor.
• Salsa: Homemade or your favorite store-bought.
• Homemade sriracha sauce: Optional for a little heat.

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Notes

1. Warm the cooked chicken until heated through.
2. Warm the black beans with salsa, cumin, and unrefined sea salt, if using.
3. Saute the peppers and onions until tender.
4. Heat the tortillas on a cast iron griddle until soft and lightly browned.
5. Fill each tortilla with chicken and your favorite toppings.
6. Serve immediately.

• Save