It's so easy to make homemade chicken taco seasoning! Classic latin spices like cumin, chili, and garlic are the base of the mix. It takes less than 5 minutes to make!
It's nice to have a pre-made seasoning mix on hand, we use this for tacos, grilled chicken, fajitas, and even on steak or shrimp for delicious burritos. Usually served with a side of Cilantro Lime Brown Rice or super easy no soak Instant Pot Black Beans.
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This recipe was tested until the balance of spices was just right (for us!). Everyone has different tastes. We like to be able to taste the salt, but you can start with less and sample the spice mix until you like it. It's actually great to boost flavors in things like healthy taco soup or slow cooker turkey chili!
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What To Expect
- Taste: Well rounded balance of chili, cumin, garlic, onion, and salt. The pepper is there, but it's not as prominent.
- Ease: Beginner recipe! Just mix the spices together.
- Time: A minute or two to measure everything out. Another 15 minutes to cook chicken for tacos with it!
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Chili powder - a classic for homemade chicken taco seasoning and fajita seasoning. A little spicy, mostly flavor.
- Cumin- has a distinct flavor that's strong, so a little goes a long way.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Ground Pepper - can be swapped out with cayenne pepper for more color.
- Add red pepper flakes for a more spicy seasoning.
- Half the salt for a lower sodium spice mix.
- Add paprika to the mix for even more flavor.
🧑🍳 Instructions
Mixing up spices really doesn't take much as far as instructions go, so I'm going to include how to make chicken with homemade taco seasoning.
- Step 1. In a small bowl or jar, combine all spices.
- Step 2. Heat a skillet over high heat with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. If the chicken is more than an inch thick, pound it with a rolling pin to tenderize it and thin it out so it cooks more evenly. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with Mexican chicken seasoning.
- Step 3. Place chicken in hot frying pan, and sear chicken on both sides for 3 minutes, until browned.Turn heat to low and cover, cooking for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reads 165 ℉.
- Step 4. Remove from heat and rest on plate covered in foil for 5 minutes to soak up those lovely juices and relax the meat.
- Step 5. Slice into thin strips and use as filling for tacos, burritos with homemade tortillas, or in a Mexican style salad. Enjoy!
📌 Top Tips & Hacks
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked properly.
- If using chicken breasts, make sure to pound it so they are an even thickness, it makes it easier to cook evenly and more quickly! If you're using ground chicken or turkey it's not an issue.
- Resting the meat after cooking helps to make it more juicy by relaxing the meat and allowing any juices to soak back up into the meat.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken taco seasoning is usually more mild. It's easy to overpower the taste of chicken with bolder flavors like chili, paprika, and cumin, so it's a little lighter on those seasonings.
If you already have the spices, yes. I can make taco seasoning with what I already have in my cabinet! Not to mention there are no extra preservatives or dyes.
They're very similar. Taco seasoning can have added paprika, while fajita seasoning can have more of spices like cumin, oregano, and garlic.
Yes! Chicken and turkey tend to have a little more liquid in them when cooking, so make sure to at least partially drain the liquid before adding the seasoning so you don't lose it in all the liquid.
1-3 years if stored in a cool, dry space in an airtight container.
What To Serve With Chicken Tacos
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📝 Printable Recipe
Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 lb chicken about 3 medium breasts
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, combine all spices.
For chicken:
- Season chicken breasts on both sides.
- Heat a skillet over high heat with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Place chicken in hot frying pan, and sear chicken on both sides for 3 minutes, until browned. Turn heat to low and cover, cooking for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reads 165 ℉.
- Remove from heat and rest on plate covered in foil for 5 minutes.
- Slice into thin strips and use as filing for tacos, burritos, or in a Mexican style salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
I’ve used this on steak for steak tacos too. Awesome for breakfast burritos!