Ground Chicken Taco Meat (meal prep favorite)

Name: Ground Chicken Taco Meat
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground chicken, 96/4; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 2 tsp. smoked paprika; 1 Tbsp. chili powder; 1.5 Tbsp. ground cumin; 1/4 cup water; 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

This Ground Chicken Taco Meat is perfect for busy weeknights. With a million ways to serve and ready in about 15 minutes, this flavorful chicken is a great recipe for the whole family to put their own spin on taco night.

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A pan filled with browned ground meat being stirred with a wooden spoon, reminiscent of the savory filling for baked chicken tacos. The yellow pan rests on a marbled countertop, and the meat appears seasoned and cooked, boasting a slightly oily texture.

This ground chicken taco meat is the perfect base for all your favorite Mexican dishes. Made with ground chicken and a simple chicken taco seasoning, this recipe goes with everything. It takes 15 minutes, tops, and makes the most flavorful, delicious chicken.

Keep it simple and add your taco meat to corn tortillas or taco shells and make bake baked chicken tacos with a squeeze of lime and pico de gallo. Or, grab a large flour tortilla and stuff it with meat, Mexican rice, bell peppers, cheddar cheese and refried beans for a hefty chicken burrito.

One of my favorite ways is putting it in a burrito bowl. I add my favorite toppings: a dollop of sour cream, greek yogurt or cottage cheese avocado crema, red onion, fresh cilantro, black beans, cotija cheese and crushed up tortilla chips. I always save the extra ground chicken and add to breakfast burrito bowls the next day.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Made with simple ingredients.
Only a few minutes of prep time.
Great for meal prep.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this ground chicken taco recipe. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions for this recipe.

A plate of ground chicken, destined for baked chicken tacos, sits amidst bowls of cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, chili powder, and water. A garlic press and halved limes rest on the textured surface nearby.

Lean Ground Chicken: ground beef, ground turkey or ground pork taste delicious with these. You can also use rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer bigger chunks of chicken. Cook chicken until an internal temp of 165 degrees F and continue with the recipe.
Homemade Taco Seasoning: grocery stores have nothing on this seasoning! Buy the package, if needed, but this one is inexpensive, easy to make and so dang good.
Fresh Lime Juice: adds flavor and some zest to the taco filling.

Variations

Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes into the taco seasoning mix for some heat.

Dietary Modifications

This easy dinner is both gluten and dairy-free.

How to make these ground chicken taco meat (a visual step-by-step guide):

Step 1: cook and season the chicken

Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and cook (image 1), breaking into small pieces for approximately 5 minutes until no longer pink. While the meat cooks make the taco seasoning. Add the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, water and lime juice to a small mixing bowl and combine (image 2).

Lower the heat to a simmer, add the taco seasoning paste to the chicken (image 3) and stir to combine. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes (image 4).

The four-step process of making taco meat for baked chicken tacos begins with raw ground meat in a skillet. Next, mix taco seasoning in a bowl. Cook the meat while adding seasoning, and finally, blend everything with a wooden spoon for perfectly seasoned taco meat.

Expert Tip!

Have leftover plain chicken? Make the taco seasoning separately, spray a skillet, add the already cooked chicken to warm it a bit and add the taco seasoning and water. Add more or less water depending on the consistency you like.

Recipe FAQs

How do to store your leftover cooked chicken?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Use in tacos, salads, burritos or even with eggs in the morning.

What do you serve with this easy weeknight dinner?

Serve this chicken any way you like to eat tacos. Use your favorite shell, favorite toppings, add to a a taco salad or burrito bowl. Serve with Spanish rice and 5 layer dip.

Check out some of our other easy chicken recipes!

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!