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.
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
It’s no secret how much we love tacos — Chicken Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, and Beef Ttacos rank among our favorites. But as easy as tacos can be, they can also be time consuming to make.
And that’s why I’m sharing lifesaving 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, so it truly comes together 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 Joe’s, 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 five-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!
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 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!)
Instructions
- SEASONINGS: Place all the seasonings in 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). Stir in the chicken bouillon powder and 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 for 1 minute. Reduce the heat as needed, to avoid burning as the spices get fragrant. Mix in the tomato paste and 1 cup hot water. Stir until combined and smooth. Reduce the heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the shredded chicken and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference, adding additional salt (up to 1/2 teaspoon more)or sugar as needed. Season with lime juice to desired preference (we add 2 tablespoons). Remove from the heat.
- ASSEMBLE: If you like melted cheese, add a few tablespoons of 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 melt slightly 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!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is delicious! Was so happy to find this recipe… it has the same spices I use in my homemade chili gravy for enchiladas, without making the roux first!!! Excellent taste and easy! I use it for tostadas Compuestas and it’s fabulous
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Randa! 🙂
I made the chicken taco recipe and it was delicious! I used the rotisserie from the night before and shredded and made as leftovers and it was a big hit with the family. I’ll be using this recipe again and again!
Delicious!!
So happy to hear this! Thanks Liza! 🙂
I PREPARED THIS FOR MY FAMILY AND EVERYONE LOVED IT. I LIKED THE COMBINATION OF SPICES THAT YOU USED. IT GAVE IT A SPECIAL TASTE.
I am so thrilled to hear how much you loved! Thanks Jenna! 🙂
I only changed 1 thing – I did not have tomatoes paste on hand so I used sugar free ketchup instead (Hunts) I added 3 Tablespoons instead of 2.
Hubby ate 4 Tacos in record time! He says they are definitely a chicken taco winner!
Thank you for sharing this fantabulous recipe! 🌮
Delish! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Kerri! 🙂
I got an enthusiastic fist-bump from my husband for this meal! Perfectly delicious! Thanks for another great recipe, Chelsea!
Haha yay! I am so happy to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
I followed this recipe but change it @ the end I warmed corn tortillas and filled 1/2 way, used toothpicks to close then I fried them in vegetable oil. They were a HIT! my boyfriend Loved them …plus my son saw them on the stove when he got home from work and just confessed to me he couldn’t resist and ate one last night then said they were delicious!
What a great idea! I love it 🙂
Oops, its a 5 star recipe!!!
Forgot to mark the stars :/
Thank you so much Christina 🙂 I appreciate the comment and review!!
Made these for dinner last night, so yummy!
I always struggled to figure out a way to make a rotisserie “Mexican” style. This nailed it. Easy and delicious. My husband ate FIVE!
Thanks for the brilliant recipe!
Is there are follow along video for this recipe?
Yes, under the “Rotisserie Chicken Tacos Video” title 🙂
What if u have no skillet to prepare rhe shredded chicken in? I only have an air fryer bake convection oven to work qith.