Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with taco-seasoned chicken, crispy shells, and your favorite toppings—ready in just 30 minutes!
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
I love tacos—Chicken, Shrimp, and Beef are my top picks. But sometimes, making tacos can take longer than I want.
That’s why I created these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos. With pre-cooked, seasoned chicken, the filling is ready in minutes. Just add a few spices, scoop the meat into crispy shells, top with cheese, and dinner’s ready!
Quick Tip
To save even more time, grab pre-shredded chicken. Mainstream grocery stores often have it ready to go. It’s a bit more expensive but perfect when you’re in a hurry!
Rotisserie Chicken Taco Ingredients
- Chicken: Use a fresh, warm chicken. Remove bones and shred or slice thinly.
- Spices: Cumin, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chicken bouillon bring the flavor! Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Tomato Paste: Adds rich, deep flavor.
Rotisserie Chicken Taco Toppings to Pick From
- Cheese: Grate fresh cheese for better melting. Sharp cheddar is my favorite.
- Lettuce: Shred finely for a crisp, light topping. Romaine or Iceberg works great.
- Avocado: Pick ripe, soft avocados. Slice, dice, or use guacamole as a tasty topping.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Chop up small.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat or light, or swap with plain Greek yogurt.
- Cilantro-Lime Sauce: The best taco sauce!
How Much Chicken You Need for Tacos
For these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos, you’ll need 3 cups of shredded chicken. A standard rotisserie chicken typically yields about 4 cups of meat. Use the extra chicken in this Chicken Pot Pie recipe!
What to Serve On The Side
- Rice: Serve cilantro-lime rice or baked Mexican rice.
- Beans: Refried beans, black beans, or pinto beans are great sides.
- Salad: A simple Mexican salad or corn salad adds freshness.
- Chips and Dip: Serve with guac, salsa, or queso.
Storage
- Chicken: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Toppings: Store lettuce, avocado, and sour cream separately to keep them fresh.
- Taco Shells: Leave in their original packaging to stay crisp.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Chicken Stir Fry ready in 30 minutes or less
- Crispy Chicken Salad with a five-ingredient honey BBQ dressing
- Pesto Chicken Tortellini with sun-dried tomatoes
- Greek Chicken with a simple sauce
- Chicken Chow Mein in 30 minutes or less!
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
Whip up these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos for a quick, flavorful dinner! Tender chicken, crispy tortillas, and all your favorite toppings.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder see note 1
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup hot water
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 lime
- 12 stand-up crispy corn tortillas
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese divided
- Toppings as desired see note 2
Instructions
- Combine cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and chicken bouillon powder in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste (I start with 1/2 teaspoon of each). Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and hot water, stirring until smooth. Simmer over medium heat for 2–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning to taste with more salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if needed. Squeeze in fresh lime juice (I add 1-2 tablespoons). Remove from heat.
- If desired, divide 1 cup of cheese among the bottoms of the taco shells and broil for 1–2 minutes until melted (watch closely to avoid burning!). Fill the shells with chicken and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top—it will melt from the warm chicken. Add your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and sour cream. Serve immediately!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I use Knorr® Seasoning Granulated Chicken Bouillon. You can use chicken broth in place of the water and bouillon.
Note 2: Toppings: shredded lettuce (iceberg or romaine), pico de gallo or chopped cherry tomatoes, cilantro, fresh lime, avocado, sour cream, etc. (whatever you love on your chicken tacos!)
Storage: Store leftover Rotisserie Chicken Tacos by keeping each part separate. Refrigerate chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.8g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 37.1mg | Sodium: 114.3mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 0.7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is now my go to taco seasoning recipe, whether they’re chicken or beef. Just made it last night with ground beef and it was the chef’s kiss! Will never buy another packet of taco seasoning ever again!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Rachael! 🙂
Amazing… easy and sooo delicious! next time we will make sure to have an avocado as a
topper!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
Yummy! I made the meat mixture as per your recipe, but then used it for nachos! I layered chips, cheese, black beans and the meat mixture in a casserole dish with more cheese on top and baked in the oven to melt the cheese. We topped everything with guacamole, olives, fresh tomatoes etc. it was fast and easy and delicious! I will be making this again!
Delish! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Karen! 🙂
Really tasty and super easy!
Thanks so much Tara! 🙂
If I could give this recipe more than five stars I would. I made it for my family and we ALL loved it! I added a little more water just to make it more saucy. We also used flour tortillas. Thank you for this recipe. I will DEFINITELY be doing this again.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thank you so much Cheryl! 🙂
Finally a wonderful, juicy recipe for leftover chicken. Delicious all around. I would stick to the recipe as written.
Yay! So happy to hear this! Thanks so much Marie! 🙂
Awesome recipe. I was in a jam last night and wanted to make tacos with a rotisserie chicken I had. This was an awesome recipe that was kid approved and will now be in regular rotation! Thank you!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂