Easy rotisserie chicken tacos with simple taco seasoned meat, crispy corn tortilla shells, and all your favorite taco toppings!
Using rotisserie chicken makes these tacos come together in a flash; in about 30 minutes or less! Pair these tacos with this Italian salad or this easy cucumber salad.
It’s no secret how much we love tacos — chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, and beef tacos rank among our favorites. But as easy as tacos CAN be, they can also sometimes be time consuming to make.
And that’s why I’m sharing these lifesaver rotisserie chicken tacos. The meat portion takes mere minutes to whip together thanks to already cooked and deliciously seasoned chicken. We add a few spices and ingredients to jazz up the chicken a bit more, but it truly comes together so quickly.
Can you buy pre shredded chicken?
Speaking of a quick prep time, did you know you can buy rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded? I’ve seen it at Costco, Smith’s (Kroger), Trader Joes, and Walmart. It’s a little bit more spendy, but if you’re in a real hurry, this saves even more time!
More easy chicken dinners:
- Chicken Stir Fry in 30 minutes or less!
- Crispy Chicken Salad with a 5-ingredient honey BBQ dressing
- Pesto Chicken Tortellini reader favorite recipe
- Greek Chicken with a simple Tzatziki sauce
- Chicken Chow Mein in 30 minutes or less!
Easy rotisserie chicken tacos with simple taco seasoned meat, crispy corn tortilla shells, and all your favorite taco toppings!
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder and garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder Note 1
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup hot water
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon white sugar, optional
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 12 stand-up crispy corn tortillas
- Freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (~ 2 cups)
- Toppings: shredded lettuce (iceburg or romaine), pico de gallo or chopped cherry tomatoes, cilantro, fresh lime, avocado, sour cream, etc. (whatever you love on your chicken tacos!)
SEASONINGS: Add all the seasonings to a small bowl and stir together: the ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt ( I start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more at the end if needed) and pepper ((I add 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Add in the chicken bouillon powder and stir. Set aside.
CHICKEN TACO MEAT: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add in all of the seasonings and stir around for 1 minute. Reduce the heat as needed, we don't want to burn anything but just get the spices fragrant. Add in the tomato paste and 1 cup hot water. Stir until combined and smooth. Reduce the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add prepared and shredded rotisserie chicken, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, adding additional salt (up to 1/2 teaspoon more) as needed. And sugar if needed. Add lime juice to desired preference (we add 2 tablespoons). Remove from the heat.
ASSEMBLE: If you like melted cheese, add a few tablespoons cheese to the shells and broil for 1-2 minutes to melt. Add the chicken right on top and another tablespoon of cheese on top of that (it will slightly melt because the chicken is hot).
Add favorite taco toppings (we like lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime over everything. Enjoy immediately!
Recipe Video
Note 1:Â I use Knorr Seasoning Granulated Chicken Bouillon. You can use chicken stock or broth (low sodium) in place of the water and bouillon granules.
Beks says
These are so easy and need to go into the regular rotation. A great use for left over chicken.
Chelsea Lords says
So happy to hear it! 🙂
Lori says
I love this! It’s easy & bursting with flavor. Everybody should try it.
Chelsea Lords says
Thanks Lori!!
MaryKay says
OMG….these are great, so easy and will definitely go into our menu rotation. They are a wonderful way to use up that last bit of rotisserie chicken!
Chelsea Lords says
YAYY!! I am seriously soo happy to hear this! Thanks! 🙂