Creamy Chicken Tacos

Creamy Chicken Tacos are my new favorite chicken taco! Tender pieces of cooked chicken get mixed into a creamy sauce full of Mexican seasonings & spices, tomatoes & chilies, fresh herbs, and cheese. 

Simply pop that delicious chicken mixture into the oven for 20 minutes and it comes out ready to serve, just add some toppings, and warm tortillas. Don’t forget the chips and salsa!

The creamy sauce for the Chicken Tacos is a mix of Greek yogurt, a touch of mayonnaise, and some shredded pepper jack cheese. You will not be standing over the stove making some complicated cream sauce for this recipe. I keep it nice and simple…. and delicious.

3 Great Reasons to Love This Creamy Chicken Taco Recipe

1. It is semi-guilt-free (though I will say my food guilt gauge is pretty low). Since half of the cream sauce is made with Greek yogurt you can eat these with out a ton of guilt! Although they taste like you should be feeling super guilty!
2. This recipe can be made ahead for busy week meal prep. Simply prepare the chicken mixture, place in an oven safe pan covered with foil. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to have Creamy Chicken Tacos for dinner simply grab it out of the fridge and pop it in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. If you buy a rotisserie chicken at the store you can literally have dinner in the oven in minutes. All the other ingredients are easy to find- truly you probably have most of them in your fridge and pantry right now! Which makes it a great option for busy weeknights.

Ok, 4 reasons… these taste completely amazing  ♥

How to Cook Chicken for Creamy Chicken Tacos

My absolute preferred way to prepare chicken for Creamy Chicken Tacos is to not cook the chicken myself! I’ll always take a shortcut, especially if it doesn’t compromise quality! I like to pick up a rotisserie chicken at Costco for $5.00, and I know I am not alone in this. They make a great rotisserie chicken for CHEAP! Thank you, Costco, from all the home cooks across America.

If I do not have time to run to Costco the second best way to prep your chicken is by poaching:

How to Poach Chicken

Simply place 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts in a pot and cover with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch. For this recipe I do not worry about seasoning the water too much, just a teaspoon of salt and some peppercorns is fine. Bring the water to a hard simmer over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer lightly for 15-18 minutes until the chicken reads 165° on a meat thermometer at its thickest point. Remove the chicken from the water and let it cool until you can handle it for chopping. Or you can let it cool and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Tacos

I’m gonna keep this real simple… mix all the ingredients together, place the mixture in an oven safe casserole pan, cover with foil and pop it in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.

That’s it. Say it with me…. “Easy”.

All you have to do now is wrap the warm creamy chicken mixture in a tortilla and pile on your favorite toppings!

Dinner is ready.

Creamy Chicken Taco Variations

This Chicken Taco recipe is a pretty versatile recipe. There are a lot of ingredients you can mix-in to change the flavor profile. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Add a can of drained black beans or pinto beans to the chicken mixture before it goes into the oven. This should also yield 2-3 more tacos.
• ½ cup of Frozen Fire Roasted Corn would also make a great addition. Mix it in with the chicken before it goes in the oven.
• If you like a little heat in your Mexican food add some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce.
• To add a smokey flavor stir in a finely chopped chile in adobo, this will also give you a nice amount of heat. A little goes a long way with chiles in adobo.
• Don’t like any spice or heat? Sub monterey jack, cheddar jack, or cheddar cheese for the pepper jack cheese.
• If you are not a fan of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream can be subbed in its place.
• To add a crunch to your tacos add a 5 ounce can of drained and chopped water chestnuts.

What Tortilla to Use

You can really serve these Creamy Chicken Tacos in whatever tortilla you like, or have on hand. I like to use either a soft taco or fajita sized flour tortilla because they are the perfect hand held size.

You could also use a whole wheat tortilla or corn tortillas. Although I sometimes find that corn tortillas fall apart easily. A flavored wrap would also work (spinach or sun dried tomato).

What Toppings to Use on Creamy Chicken Tacos

When I eat Chicken Tacos I like to pile them high with toppings, until they are practically dripping down my arm. Just make sure you serve these with a lot of napkins!

Here are some great topping ideas for Creamy Chicken Tacos (I put an asterisk next to my favorites):

• Guacamole*
• Sliced Avocado*
• Black Beans or Pinto Beans
• Extra Cheese: Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Cotija, Monterey Jack, just to name a few!
• Pico De Gallo
• Cilantro
• Jarred Banana Pepper Rings*
• Jarred Pickled Jalapenos*
• Diced Red Onion
• Shredded Spinach* (I take a handful of spinach leaves, roll them, then slice them into ribbons)
• Shredded Lettuce
• Roasted & Salted Pepitas

Mexican For Dinner

If you love Mexican food for dinner as much as I do then you might want to check out these other recipes from Mom’s Dinner:

• My Favorite Chicken Enchilada Recipe
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Enchirito
• Mexican Mule Cocktail
• Restaurant Style Salsa
• Cookies & Cream Key Lime Ice Cream
• No Churn Mango Ice Cream

Creamy Chicken Taco Recipe

Originally Posted May 2018 – Copy Updated March 2020