Best Chicken Chipotle Tacos Recipes

SLOW COOKER CHIPOTLE-HONEY CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Combine the chicken, honey, onion and garlic powders, cumin, salt and chipotle chiles and adobo sauce in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Stir well. Cook for at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours on low. If it's more convenient, you can let the slow cooker switch to warm after 5 hours. The dish will hold on warm for about another 3 hours before the chicken starts to become quite dry.
• Using two forks, coarsely shred the chicken in the sauce. Stir in the black beans and lime juice. Cover and let the beans warm through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve in tortillas with pickled onion and avocado.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE

Steps:

• Put chicken thighs in a saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove chicken and cool. Shred chicken with your fingers, discarding chicken skin and bone. Strain broth and reserve. You should have about 2 cups shredded chicken.
• Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion, season with salt and cook until softened and a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, salt lightly and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened somewhat. Keep warm.
• Heat the tortillas over steam or by your favorite method, keeping them soft and pliable.
• Build the tacos quickly: Put a spoonful of the saucy chicken in the center of each tortilla. Top with a teaspoon of chopped white onion, a few slivers of serrano chile, some radish and avocado slices, a teaspoon of queso fresco and a teaspoon of crème fraîche. Add a few cilantro springs and a small pinch of oregano. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

Steps:

• In a food processor, roughly blitz the chicken thighs into chunky mince. Alternatively, chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add half the onion and the chicken mince. Season well and cook for about 5 mins on a high heat to brown, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Add the spices, vinegar, chipotle paste, passata and sugar. Cook for another 5 mins, then remove from the heat.
• In a small bowl, mix the remaining onion, the pineapple and coriander. Serve the chicken and the pineapple salsa with warm tortillas and hot sauce.

CHIPOTLE RANCH CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Combine the chicken, corn and pico de gallo in a small microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through., Spoon chicken mixture into taco shells. Top with remaining ingredients.

PRESSURE COOKER CHIPOTLE-HONEY CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Combine the chicken, chipotles and adobo sauce, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cumin in an electric pressure cooker. Stir well. Cover and set steam valve to sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes; then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid.
• Remove the chicken to a bowl or cutting board using tongs. Shred the chicken with two forks. If you'd like to reduce the sauce, set to sauté and simmer, 5 minutes. Add the chicken back into the pot.
• Stir in the black beans and a squeeze of lime juice, set to sauté and let the beans warm through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve in tortillas with pickled onions and avocado.

SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE TACOS WITH CILANTRO SLAW AND CHIPOTLE CREAM

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Whisk sour cream and chipotle chiles in small bowl; season with salt. Whisk brown sugar and next 5 ingredients in another small bowl to blend for spice rub.
• Place zucchini and bell pepper on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with canola oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle spice rub over both sides of vegetables and chicken.
• Place chicken and vegetables on barbecue. Grill until vegetables are tender and browned in spots and chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to work surface; cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Cut vegetables crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Place chicken and vegetables in large bowl; toss to blend.
• Place chicken and vegetables, chipotle cream, tortillas, slaw, and lime wedges on table. Allow guests to assemble their own soft tacos.
• *Chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, which is sometimes called adobo, are available at some supermarkets, at Latin markets, and at specialty foods stores.
• **Available at specialty foods stores and from tienda.com.

BITE-SIZE CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOFT TACOS (TINGA DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Combine chicken with water, half of onion, whole garlic clove, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium (3- to 4- quart) saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. Cover and let sit until chicken is just cooked through (165°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Strain and reserve 1 cup of broth for tinga and save remaining broth for another use.
• When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding skin and bones.
• Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato. Blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of ice water. Peel and core, then finely chop.
• Cook remaining chopped onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crumble in oregano, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still saucy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (a toaster oven works fine, too).
• Add chicken, 3/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid, and chipotle to the tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and excess liquid is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool to warm and moisten with additional cooking liquid if mixture looks dry.
• Meanwhile, using cookie cutter, cut out a circle from each tortilla, stacking 12 in each of two folded sheets of foil (reserve remaining tortilla scraps for chilaquiles). Wrap each stack in foil and warm through in oven, 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, arrange warm tortillas on a heated platter and divide chicken mixture among them (about 1 rounded tablespoon per tortilla), spooning it onto center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and top each taco with a cilantro sprig.

CHIPOTLE-BRAISED CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cilantro-lime cream: In a bowl, combine the sour cream, honey, lime juice, cilantro, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk together. Refrigerate until using.
• For the braised chicken: Heat a saute pan over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the kosher salt and pepper. Add the grapeseed oil to the pan and sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pan; sear the chicken in batches if needed. Remove the chicken from the pan and hold in an oven-safe casserole dish for further cooking.
• Add the onions and peppers to the saute pan and cook until tender. Add the paprika, smoked paprika and chipotle peppers and saute with the peppers and onions for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and ketchup, stir and bring to a simmer. Pour the braising liquid over the chicken and cover the casserole dish with foil. Cook in the oven until the chicken is tender and falls apart, 45 minutes.
• While the chicken is still hot, shred it and return it to the braising liquid. If you are using it right away, keep the chicken hot in the braising liquid for plating. (If you are refrigerating the chicken to use later, cool it down and store it in the braising liquid. Reheat it as needed for plating.)
• For the guacamole: Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. With a spoon, scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the red onions, tomatoes and cilantro and mash the ingredients together. Season with salt and lime juice.
• Divide the lettuce among the taco shells. Spoon about 2 ounces of the braised chicken into each shell. Top with guacamole, a tablespoon of cilantro-lime cream and 2 sprigs cilantro.

BASIC CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag; add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 1/2 of the beer. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, at least 1 hour.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; pour chicken and marinade into the hot oil. Cook and stir, adding the remaining beer, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 20 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Shred chicken in the skillet using 2 forks and serve in corn tortillas.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs and chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Whisk red wine vinegar, green onions, lime juice, and garlic together in a bowl; pour over chicken.
• Cook on High for 4 hours.
• Blend sour cream, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a food processor until sauce is smooth; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place chicken on a work surface and shred into bite-size chunks; season with salt and pepper. Measure 1/2 cup cooking liquid in slow cooker and discard the rest. Return shredded chicken and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to slow cooker and add cilantro; cook and stir until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon chicken into tortillas and top with chipotle cream sauce.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS WITH POTATOES AND GUACAMOLE

Steps:

• Begin filling:
• Preheat broiler.
• Soak ancho chiles in boiling water (1 cup), 5 minutes.
• While chiles soak, broil tomatoes, onion slice, and garlic on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet 3"-4" from heat, turning once, until lightly charred, 5-7 minutes.
• Drain chiles, discarding soaking liquid, and add to blender with tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cold water (2 tablespoons). Purée until smooth.
• Heat tortillas:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap 2 stacks of tortillas in foil; warm in oven while finishing filling.
• Boil potatoes:
• Cook potatoes in a 3- to 4-quart pot of well-salted boiling water until just tender but not falling apart, 5-7 minutes. Drain.
• Finish filling:
• Coarsely grind chicken in a meat grinder or food processor (or use pre-ground meat).
• Heat oil in a 12" heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add chile purée (it will splatter) and cook, stirring, 4 minutes (sauce will thicken).
• Add ground chicken and cook, stirring and breaking up clumps, 1 minute. Cover skillet and reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
• Gently stir in potatoes and reheat.
• Serve chicken and potatoes with warm tortillas and accompaniments.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS WITH RADISH SALAD

Steps:

• Stir together chipotles with cumin and salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. In another bowl, toss together sliced radishes and scallion greens. Dress with olive oil and lime juice; season. Grill chicken, then slice and serve on tortillas, topped with avocado and radish salad. Garnish with radish greens.

CHIPOTLE BBQ CHICKEN TINGA TACOS

Steps:

• Put chicken, 1/2 of the onion, and 6 garlic cloves in a pot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove chicken from the pot. Discard garlic and cooking water. Shred chicken when cool enough to handle.
• Combine ketchup, beer, vinegar, jalapeno pepper, brown sugar, ground chili pepper, mustard, cumin, paprika, and salt in a bowl for sauce.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining onion and minced garlic; cook until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over the chicken and stir until well mixed and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve chicken mixture in tortillas.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MEATBALL TACOS

Steps:

• Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tablespoon water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste. Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix with your hands until just combined. Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, the jalapeno, chipotle, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes; season with salt. Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. (Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick.) Remove the bay leaves. Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings. Photograph by Andrew Purcell

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN AND CAULIFLOWER TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 oven trays with non-stick baking paper.
• Place the chopped chillies and reserved adobo sauce in a large bowl. Add the maple syrup, garlic and oil and mix to combine.
• Place the chicken in a separate large bowl and top with half the chipotle mixture. Toss to coat. Add the cauliflower to the remaining chipotle mixture and toss to coat.
• Transfer the chicken and cauliflower to the trays and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is just charred on the edges, the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
• To make the lime dressing, place the yogurt, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine.
• Fill the warm tortillas with the cabbage, chicken, cauliflower and coriander. Drizzle with the lime dressing and serve with pickled onion and lime wedges.

CHIPOTLE-LIME CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Generously season the chicken, on the outside and inside of the cavity, with salt and pepper, to taste. With your fingers, put some of the lime zest under the skin of the chicken. Sprinkle the lime juice over the chicken and put the halves into the cavity. Put the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up, and add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast the chicken until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Remove the chicken from the oven to a carving board, let sit until cool enough to handle.
• In a small bowl, combine the crema, minced chipotles, remaining lime zest, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Once the chicken has cooled, pull the meat from bones and shred.
• Put some of the shredded chicken on each tortilla, top with chipotle crema and garnish with some zest from the remaining lime. Serve with lime wedges.

CHIPOTLE ROAST CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Using fork, mix butter, all chopped herbs, chipotle chiles, and crushed coriander in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Place chicken, breast side up, in large roasting pan; place reserved neck, heart, and gizzard alongside. Starting at neck end of chicken, slide fingers under skin to loosen, being careful to avoid tearing. Spread all but 1 tablespoon seasoned butter over breast meat and thigh meat under skin.Rub any butter remaining on fingers over outside of chicken. Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; place all herb sprigs in cavity. Tie legs together loosely.
• Place onion wedges in large bowl. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon seasoned butter in small saucepan over low heat; pour over onion wedges and toss to coat. Arrange onions around chicken. Sprinkle onions and chicken with salt and pepper.
• Roast chicken and onions 30 minutes. Scatter garlic cloves around chicken; add 1/4 cup broth to roasting pan. Continue to roast chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, basting occasionally with pan juices and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed to maintain juices in roasting pan, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove roasting pan from oven. Tilt chicken, draining juices from cavity into pan. Transfer chicken, onions, and garlic to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1/4 cup broth and wine to pan. Place over 2 burners and bring juices to boil, scraping up browned bits. Strain juices into bowl. Discard fat from top of juices.
• Cut meat from chicken (reserve 1 1/3 cups for tostadas). Serve, making tacos with warm tortillas, chicken, onions, garlic, and avocado. Drizzle tacos with pan juices.
• Dried smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN PUFFY TACOS

Steps:

• In medium bowl, make guacamole by mixing avocados, green chiles, lime juice, red onion and cilantro, mashing slightly; set aside.
• Plate Chipotle Sauce ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Pour half of sauce in 10-inch skillet over medium heat with chicken, reserving 1/2 cup for topping. Cover skillet; heat chicken and sauce until warm.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla. Cook until starting to puff up, then turn over. Once second side is puffed up, remove from skillet; drain on paper towels.
• Fold each tortilla in half, and top with slightly less than 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Top with guacamole, a drizzle of reserved sauce, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SALAD TACOS

Steps:

• The Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and chipotles.
• Season generously with salt, usually about a generous 1/4 teaspoon.
• Add the cabbage, carrot, onion, cilantro and chicken.
• Toss everything together and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
• Finishing The Dish: Scoop the filling into a wide shallow serving bowl, dot with the cubed avocado and dust generously with the cheese.
• Serve with warm tortillas.

CHICKEN NOPALES TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Stir in nopales, chicken, salsa and adobo sauce. Cook and stir about 3 minutes or until mixture is hot. Stir in cilantro.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up tortillas.