Ready in 15 minutes or less, these Ground Chicken Tacos are a once-a-week staple here at the PWWB House!
Simmer lean ground chicken with onion, tomato paste, and a homemade taco spice blend, creating juicy taco meat with a bold punch of flavor. Serve it in tortillas with your favorite toppings for a fast, feel-good, and fuss-free weeknight dinner that always hits the spot!
1 pound 93% lean ground chicken (see Recipe Notes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely diced
kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
1 tablespoon tomato paste
homemade taco seasoning (below, see Recipe Notes)
½ cup water
for serving, as desired: flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream or avocado crema, salsa of choice, guacamole or mashed avocado, cilantro, etc.
1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
2 heaping teaspoons ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
optional: up to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Categories
Tacos
Cuisine
Mexican & Tex-Mex-Inspired
Steps
Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the onion. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt (a pinch of garlic powder is also delicious!) and ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, until the tomato paste is darkened in color.
Push the onion mixture to the side of the skillet. Place the ground chicken in the skillet and press it down into a thin, flat layer. Cook 2 minutes, until slightly browned, then flip and cook 1-2 minutes longer. Once the chicken is nearly cooked through, use a wooden spoon or a meat chopper to break it into fine crumbles and mix with the onions.
Add the taco seasoning to the skillet, stirring to evenly coat the chicken mixture. Pour in the water and simmer until thickened slightly, 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
the chicken taco meat as desired. We love making ground chicken tacos with warm flour tortillas, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, and sour cream, though the seasoned taco meat is also great on nachos, taco salads, burrito bowls, and tostadas. Enjoy!
Nutitrion
Calories: 237 calories
Carbohydrates: 3.6 g
Protein: 20.2 g
Fat: 16.2 g
Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 97.5 mg
Sodium: 226.5 mg
Sugar: 2.1 g
Reviews
Stacy on 2025-01-22 (5 stars): So easy, so nostalgic, so comforting!! This recipe was a hit with my kids too - they rated it 10 billion out of ten 😄
Kelly D. on 2025-09-05 (5 stars): The taco seasoning is so good! I forgot to get tomato paste - I bet it's even better with it. I'll try it next time. Thanks for a great meal!
Karen Lutz on 2025-12-27 (5 stars): I really enjoyed this dish. It was so quick and easy! The taco season is a keeper for sure. I added more tomato paste and more water while heating to keep the meat mixture from drying out. My picky husband even enjoyed it. I will be putting this one into the rotation.
Kama Hayes on 2026-01-05 (5 stars): Just delicious. Taste like the old school taco mix tacos without having the red meat.
Maggie Shaffer on 2026-03-28 (5 stars): I wondered the same thing, but just went for it with all the seasoning and it was delicious!! Adding to my regular rotation.
Sonja on 2026-04-18 (5 stars): I’ve made this recipe multiple times. It’s delicious! I doubt I’ll ever need another taco recipe. Thank you!
Harold on 2026-08-02 (4 stars): Has anyone tried this with ground beef? If so, how was it?
