Description
These Once-A-Week Ground Chicken Tacos are a quick, delicious, and versatile meal ready in just 15 minutes. Featuring lean ground chicken cooked with homemade taco seasoning, sautéed onions, and tomato paste, this recipe delivers flavorful taco meat perfect for tacos, nachos, taco salads, or burrito bowls. It's an easy weeknight dinner that’s both satisfying and easy to customize with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
For the Taco Meat:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup water
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- 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
For Serving (as desired):
- Flour tortillas
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or avocado crema
- Salsa of choice
- Guacamole or mashed avocado
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Cook the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the finely diced yellow onion. Season with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and optionally a pinch of garlic powder. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until the onions become golden and release their fragrance. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the paste to darken and deepen in flavor.
- Brown the Ground Chicken: Push the onion mixture to one side of the skillet. Add the ground chicken, pressing it down into a thin, even layer. Cook for about 2 minutes undisturbed until the bottom side is slightly browned. Flip the chicken and cook for another 1-2 minutes. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, use a wooden spoon or meat chopper to break it into fine crumbles and mix it thoroughly with the softened onions.
- Season and Simmer: Sprinkle the homemade taco seasoning evenly over the chicken and onion mixture, stirring to coat well. Pour in ½ cup of water and continue simmering for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and the flavors meld together. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Serve: Spoon the warm taco meat onto flour tortillas or use as a topping for nachos, taco salads, burrito bowls, or tostadas. Add your favorite toppings such as shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream or avocado crema, salsa, guacamole, and fresh cilantro to finish. Enjoy your quick and flavorful ground chicken tacos!
Notes
- For best results, use 93% lean ground chicken to keep the tacos juicy but not greasy.
- The homemade taco seasoning can be made in advance and stored for convenience.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level or omit for mild tacos.
- This recipe is highly versatile and works well as a taco filling or as an ingredient for other Mexican-inspired dishes.
