The Best Chicken Taco Seasoning

Chicken taco seasoning can be made at home in minutes and is so much tastier than a packaged mix. All you need are a few spices to make this delicious spice blend perfect for chicken tacos, nachos, quesadillas and more.

Homemade seasoning mixes like sloppy joe mix and chili seasoning, are super simple to make at home. The advantage of making the blends yourself is that you are in control of the ingredients so you don’t have to worry about any crazy additives.

This homemade chicken seasoning for tacos doesn’t disappoint. A wonderful blend that really brings delicious Mexican flavors to many dishes. Perfect to have on hand for taco night to make some of the tastiest chicken tacos you’ve tasted.

Why this works

Easy – Just combine the spices to make the mix and then store until ready to use.

Budget friendly – This recipe costs pennies to make compared to a pre-packaged mix from the store.

Delicious – There are no unnecessary additives in this homemade blend. It’s also easy to adjust the sodium and other spices to your taste.

Ingredients needed

Mexican chicken seasoning calls for a few common spices you might already have in your spice cabinet. Keep in mind that the age of your spices could effect the taste so try to use spices that aren’t getting close to their expiration date.

• Chili powder
• Ground coriander
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Cumin
• Oregano
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper

How to make chicken taco seasoning

Taco Spice Mix: This recipe couldn’t be easier and the balanced blend comes together for some seriously amazing chicken tacos. Place the spices in a bowl and stir together until they are combined. Store the mix in a cool dark place, like a spice cabinet, until ready to use.

Chicken: You can use this spice mix for chicken thighs, breast or ground chicken. It makes enough for one pound of meat.

If you would like to leave the chicken whole, rub the spice mix on the chicken with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for an hour and then cook on grill, skillet or oven.

My favorite way is to dice chicken breast or thighs into small, bite size pieces. Place a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the diced chicken and cook until it starts to slightly brown. Add 1/4 cup of water and the spice mix and cook another 1-2 minutes.

How to use the seasoning

This taco seasoning for chicken is enough to season one pound of meat. Don’t restrict yourself to just using it for tacos. Here are a few other ideas to use this Mexican chicken seasoning:

• Use for shredded chicken in the crockpot. Add chicken, spice mix and either a can of Ro-Tel or chicken broth to slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours.
• Use the taco chicken for chicken quesadillas.
• Use as a topping for nachos.
• Slice up the seasoned chicken for delicious fajitas.
• Use to season sautéed vegetables.

How to store

Store this chicken taco seasoning in a jar or airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dark place out of the sun. The shelf life will depend on how old the spices are that you are using. If you are using new spices, this blend should last about one year.

Recipe tips

If you would like a milder mix, don’t use the cayenne pepper. If you want it spicier, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne.

You can add 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken the spice sauce.

Want to add a tomato flavor? Stir in 1/2 cup tomato sauce, salsa or Ro-Tel after the diced chicken has cooked.

This chicken taco seasoning also can be used with ground beef and ground turkey.

This recipe can be multiplied to save for later. I like to make extra so that it will be ready the next time I want to use if for a recipe.

More homemade spice mixes

• Jamaican jerk seasoning
• Steak seasoning
• Chicken seasoning
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Apple pie spice

Let me know if you made this seasoning in the comments below. Enjoy!