Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos with pickled veggies are one of my favorite go-to meals for a delicious family dinner. They’re easy to make and so flavorful too! Save the recipe so you can make this amazing dinner for your family! 

For a long time Kevin and I debated what makes a taco truly delicious. Mexican restaurants are almost always our default place to eat when we go out and clearly some are better than others. It’s hard to beat chips and salsa, guacamole and some truly amazing tacos. But when it comes right down to it, it really seems to be the meat inside a taco that makes one stand out from another. Flavorful shredded chicken or pork tacos are our favorites, so I came up with these Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos that boast that incredible flavor right at home. 

Flavoring the chicken

My Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos are made with 1- 1 1/4 lbs. of chicken breasts and flavoring the chicken properly is the key to getting good tacos. You don’t need to use a packet of store bought seasoning. I promise, you and I can make it better. My seasoning for the Shredded Chicken Tacos includes chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, lime, tajin and regular salt. Salting the chicken appropriately is important and so is using fresh lime juice. You can also use fresh cracked pepper as desired.

I know that the idea of using chili powder may make you think the chicken will come out spicy, but it won’t. I promise. Kevin is not a huge fan of spicy. While this may use spicy ingredients, the other flavors and the amount of chicken will balance it out. 

Making the shredded chicken

I always make my shredded chicken in my Pressure Cooker. The Pressure Cooker takes 22 minutes to get the chicken cooked so it is shreddable. It allows the chicken to maintain all of the flavor and juiciness that is vital to having amazing Shredded Chicken Tacos. If you don’t have one, I recommend getting one because they are worth the money! I use my pressure cooker once a week (at least) and it is the fastest way to get shedded chicken for any dish. The one I have is {HERE} and I’ve had it for 6 years. It’s a staple appliance in our house. 

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can also make the shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Set it on low for 8-10 hours to make certain it shreds properly. If you need a slow cooker, I suggest this one {HERE}. My slow cooker is pretty old, but if I was going to buy a new one that is the one I would get because it is large and the lid locks shut, which makes it easy to bring places for a pot luck. 

You can also make shredded chicken in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees and cook for 35-40 minutes. This is not my favorite way to make it because unless you’re braising chicken (this isn’t braising) I feel like the oven will dry it out a bit. But it can be done. 

Pickled Veggies and Avocado Crema

You can make these Shredded Chicken Tacos with my basic recipe, but I love to add on quick pickled veggies and an avocado crema to these tacos. The quick pickled veggies are some of my favorite Mexican inspired ingredients, in fact. I always order them out at restaurants just to eat. All you do is pick out your veggies, usually radishes, carrots, onions and jalapeno and cover them in a bowl with vinegar while you work on the rest of this recipe. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I usually just use plain white vinegar. After I’m done cooking the tacos, I open them up and shove a few pickled veggies inside. 

To save the pickled veggies, add them to a jar with an airtight lid and use half the vinegar and half water. You can also add a tablespoon of sugar if you would like them sweeter. Shake to dissolve and use within two weeks. 

The crema is made with a large avocado, sour cream, mayo, lime juice and some salt and pepper. I whip it up in my small food processor {HERE} and then pop it in the fridge until I’m ready. However, this is the one thing you can’t make too far in advance because it has avocado in it. I would make it no more than 2 hours prior to using it. Crema is delicious on almost everything. I love all version of it like the the one I made for these Grilled Sweet Potatoes {HERE} too!

Cheese for the Shredded Chicken Tacos

I’m a big cheese lover and I have several types of cheese that I like on my tacos and Mexican inspired meals. My favorite cheese to use for these is Supremo Chihuahua® Brand Authentic Mexican Style Melting Quesadilla cheese. This is not sponsored. This is just the cheese I prefer for flavor and because it melts very well. You can see what it looks like {HERE} and can find it in most grocery stores. 

Making them crispy

When it comes to the tortillas for my Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos, I like to use corn. You can use flour if you like though. To make them crispy I will lay the tortillas flat and then pile them with the chicken mix (includes onion), cheese and cilantro. Then I lay them in a hot pan that’s lightly coated with olive oil. You can use a spray oil if you like or you can brush olive oil on the pan with a basting brush between each taco. The oil will help to give them that golden color and cook up crispy.

Once they have been in the pan flat for a minute, I will fold them over. Corn taco shells are really susceptible to breaking where they are folded when unheated. Hearting the whole tortilla flat prior to folding it into the taco shape helps to make them more pliable. 

You want to cook them on each side over a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Some positions in the pan will heat faster than others. 

Can you just use soft shell tacos?

Yes! If you prefer soft shelled tacos, you can make the chicken for this recipe and every other component for it exactly the same. Just then skip the making-them-crispy step.

Tips for making my Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe

• Make sure to use fresh lime juice and sea salt. The lime juice and salting appropriately are two huge components when getting the flavor correct for my Shredded Chicken Tacos. 
• You will more than likely have to work in batches to cook the tacos. In between each batch, make sure to add a little more olive oil to the pan to ensure the nice golden color and crispy shell. 
• Keep an eye on the heat while making the tacos crispy. “Medium” is a general term and one person’s medium heat may not mean the same thing. Don’t walk away from the stove while cooking these and make sure to check them if you are unfamiliar with how your stove heats. 
• You can open the tacos after cooking to add the pickled veggies and crema if you like. This is the way I do it. Or you can put them on top and dunk in the Avocado Crema.

Can I make these in advance?

• You can make the chicken in advance and you can make the pickled veggies and crema about 1-2 hours in advance. However, I don’t recommend putting the whole taco together until you are ready to eat them. 
• This recipe will make about 12 Shredded Chicken Tacos. If you have leftovers, keep the elements separate until you want to use them. The chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can also use it to make shredded Chicken Taco bowls after too! 
• These would be perfect to cook up as an appetizer or finger food for a game too! 

Looking for more Mexican inspired recipes?

If you’re looking for more Mexican inspired recipes, try some of these!

• Creamy Poblano Cheesy Enchiladas {HERE}
• Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa {HERE}
• Tequila Lime Flank Steak {HERE}
• Chicken Tortilla Soup {HERE}

Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope that you love these Crispy Shedded Chicken Tacos. You can find the full, printable recipe below. Happy eating!
 

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos with pickled veggies are one of my favorite go-to meals for a delicious family dinner. They're easy to make and so flavorful too! Save the recipe so you can make this amazing dinner for your family! 

5 from 1 vote

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Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex Mex

Keyword: Crispy Chicken Tacos, Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos, Shredded Chicken Tacos

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chicken Cook Time: 22 minutes

Servings: 8 - 12 tacos

Author: Rachel

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker
• Large frying pan

Ingredients

Ingredients for the chicken

• 1 - 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 2 tsp. tajin
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• Optional for spicy: 1-2 Jalapeños, sliced

Ingredients for the Shredded Chicken Tacos

• 8-12 small corn or flour taco shells
• Spray olive oil or regular liquid olive oil and a basting brush
• 1 - 1 1/4 lbs. Shredded Chicken This included the diced onions that are cooked with the chicken and/or the jalapeños you might have used if you want it spicy.
• 1 cup Supremo Chihuahua® Brand Authentic Mexican Style Melting Quesadilla cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Ingredients for the Avocado Crema

• 1 large avocado
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Ingredients for the pickled veggies

• 5 large radishes
• 1 carrot
• Optional: Jalapeno
• White vinegar - enough to cover the veggies in a bowl

Instructions

To make the shredded chicken

• Add the chicken broth to the pressure cooker or the slow cooker. Then add the chicken and all the seasoning.
• Set the pressure cooker to 22 minutes and then release the pressure manually when ready to use the chicken.
• Set the slow cooker to low for 8-10 hours.
• Shred the chicken with a fork and then set aside.

To make the Avocado Crema

• Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired.

To make the pickled veggies.

• Slice the veggies of your choice thin and add them to a bowl. Cover them with vinegar for 20-30 minutes while working on the rest of the meal components.
• *** If you want to save these, add them to a jar with an airtight lid and use half the vinegar mix and half water.

To make the Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

• Lay the tortilla shell flat and on one side add the chicken and onion mix, the cheese and the cilantro.
• In a large pan over medium heat, spray or brush the surface with olive oil. Then lay the tortilla with all the ingredients flat. Cook for one minute and then fold one side over.
• Cook on each side for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• *** More than likely you will have to make these in batches. In between each batch add a little more olive oil to the pan to make sure to get the crispy, golden color.
• Serve immediately with avocado crema and pickled veggies.