In Good FlavorThese Leftover Chicken Tacos are deliciously simple and can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or Taco Tuesday! They are cheesy with a spicy kick that you can adjust to your taste. Make them with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken for an easy meal.
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If you need to use leftover chicken, making tacos is an ideal way to do so. I like store-bought rotisserie chicken, but I always seem to have some unused portions. This easy taco recipe is the perfect way to make them disappear! They are so good!!
These tacos consist of corn tortillas filled with seasoned chicken in enchilada sauce, cheese, and jalapeño peppers. They are brushed with enchilada sauce and browned in a skillet until hot to maximize flavor. Serve simply with enchilada sauce or your choice of toppings.
Ingredients needed:
- Leftover chicken—use whatever you have on hand with the skin off and shredded or diced.
- Enchilada sauce—any store-bought brand you like. Choose mild or hot to suit your taste.
- Jalapeño peppers—I like jarred versions because of the pickled flavor, but you can also use fresh.
- Cheese—any Mexican cheese that melts well. Monterey Jack, Manchego, or a prepackaged shredded Mexican blend are great options.
- Spices for seasoning—chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Neutral or olive oil— for cooking the tacos.
- Corn tortillas—you can also use flour tortillas if you prefer.
Recipe highlights:
- Combine the chicken with the dry seasonings and some enchilada sauce.
- Brush additional enchilada sauce onto a tortilla.
- Place it, sauce side down, in a hot skillet. Add some chicken, jalapeño slices, and cheese to one side of the tortilla.
- Fold the tortilla to form a taco. Cook for 4 minutes or until browned and the cheese is melted, flipping halfway through.
- Continue making the remaining tacos.
- Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
Shortcut for the seasoning:
I use some simple dry seasonings to infuse extra flavor into the chicken. To make this leftover chicken recipe even easier, reduce the number of ingredients by substituting the dry seasonings with store-bought taco seasoning. You’ll need to rely on your best judgment regarding the amount to use since different brands have different flavors and saltiness levels.
Use a good non-stick pan:
Cooking the taco in the skillet produces nice caramelization and infuses more of the enchilada sauce flavor into the taco shells. It creates a greater depth of flavor and crisps up the taco shells.
To prevent sticking, you need a good nonstick skillet or stovetop griddle. If you don’t have a nonstick skillet, use more oil. Remember that the larger the pan, the more tacos you can cook at once.
Topping options:
While these tacos are fantastic as they are or with the enchilada sauce for dipping, additional toppings never hurt! Adding one or a combination of the following will make them even tastier!
- Sour cream or crema
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Squeeze of lime
- Pico de Gallo
- Cilantro
How to store:
Store the tacos in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to to four days.
To freeze, allow the tacos to cool completely. Place them on a tray and freeze until solid for about two hours. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap, then freeze and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months.
How reheat:
For the best result, reheat in the oven. Microwave only in a pinch, but the tacos might become soggy.
To reheat in the oven, place the tacos on a greased baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 7-9 minutes or until heated through, turning over halfway. If you’re reheating from frozen, 10-13 minutes or until heated through, turning over halfway.
Recommended supplies:
(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)
- I recommend using a nonstick pan. This 12-inch Circulon skillet has ScratchDefense technology. This stovetop griddle is nonstick and large enough to cook multiple tacos simultaneously.
- Small saucepan—this Cuisinart 1-quart stainless steel saucepan has a cool grip handle and a cover.
- Pastry brush—for brushing the enchilada sauce onto the tortillas.
- Spatula—this set of 2 spatulas is heat resistant up to 500°F.
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Leftover Chicken Tacos
Description
These Leftover Chicken Tacos are deliciously simple and can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or Taco Tuesday! They are cheesy with a spicy kick that you can adjust to your taste. Make them with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken for an easy meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the dry seasoning and mix it into the chicken. Then, add 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce and mix until well combined. (See Note Below.)
- Heat the remaining enchilada sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat and keep warm.
- Add a drizzle of oil to a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush a light coating of enchilada sauce onto a tortilla, then place it, sauce side down, in the preheated skillet.
- Add chicken, jalapeño slices, and cheese to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 2 minutes or until the bottom is seared and the cheese is melted. Flip and cook the second side. Transfer to a platter.
- Continue making the remaining tacos. If you have a large skillet/griddle, you can cook 2 to 3 tortillas at a time.
- Serve the tacos with the enchilada sauce for dipping. Other toppings, such as sour cream, crema, guacamole, pico de gallo, cilantro, and lime wedge, are optional.
- Makes 8 tacos.
Notes
- *If necessary, reseason to taste after adding the enchilada sauce to the chicken. Depending on how the leftover chicken was prepared initially, you might need to add more seasoning.
- If you’re not using a nonstick skillet, you will need to add more oil to the pan to avoid sticking.
- Choose a mild pepper, such as poblano peppers, which are milder than jalapeños, if you want to reduce the spiciness. You may also use bell peppers or omit peppers altogether.
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