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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Dinner

    Creamy Chicken Tacos

    Published: Mar 23, 2020 by Susie Weinrich · This post may contain affiliate links. 22 Comments

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    Creamy Chicken Tacos recipe. All the ingredients get mixed together and baked in the oven in 20 minutes. Put the filling in a soft taco shell and fill with your favorite toppings. Perfect FAST dinner, especially if you pick up a rotisserie chicken! via momsdinner.net #tacos #chicken #easydinner #mexican #dinnertonight

    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. 

    2 creamy chicken tacos on a wooden cutting board

    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  ♥

    Creamy Chicken Taco on a flour tortilla, glass baking dish full of chicken taco meat in the background

    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.

    Creamy Chicken tacos in flour tortillas

    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”.

    Creamy Chicken Taco filling ingredients all separate in a glass mixing bowl

    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 mixture in a glass mixing bowl with a wooden spoon

    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:

    Creamy Chicken Taco mixture on a wooden spoon
    • 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.
    Creamy Chicken Taco mixture in a glass baking dish

    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).

    Creamy Chicken Tacos in flour tortillas

    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!

    A flour tortilla laid out with creamy chicken taco filling, pepperoncinis and cilantro

    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
    three chicken tacos in flour tortillas garnished with pepperoncinis and cilantro

    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

    two chicken tacos in flour tortillas

    Creamy Chicken Tacos

    A creamy chicken taco filling that is baked in the oven. Wrap the baked filling in a flour tortilla and garnish with all your favorite taco toppings.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved to Grow
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 8 tacos
    Author: Susie Weinrich

    Ingredients

    • 2.5-3 cups cooked and chopped chicken, 2 chicken breasts I like to use rotisserie chicken or poached chicken
    • 1 -10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained well (I use Original Rotel Tomatoes)
    • ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
    • ½ cup plain greek yogurt
    • ⅓ cup cup mayonnaise
    • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro, loosley packed
    • 3 green onions, white and light green parts chopped
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 ½ tsp chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you are cooking!

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350.
    • Mix all the ingredients together until they are well combined, place in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

    Serving:

    • Spoon the desired amount of Creamy Chicken Taco filling into warmed flour tortillas (soft taco or fajita size). Top with your desired taco toppings. I like pickled jalapenos, banana pepper rings, sliced avocado, and shredded lettuce or spinach.

    To Make Ahead:

    • Combine all the ingredients and place in an oven safe dish. Cover with foil and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to have Creamy Chicken Tacos for dinner pull it out of the fridge and pop it in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. 
    Did you try this recipe? Connect with me & let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
    Jump to Comments

    If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.

    Originally Posted May 2018 – Copy Updated March 2020

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    About Susie Weinrich

    Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

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    1. Natalie

      June 23, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      I’ve made these before, and they are absolutely in my KEEPER file! I was wondering what you thought about freezing it, thawing, then baking it when needed.

      Reply
      • Susie Weinrich

        June 23, 2022 at 4:21 pm

        The only part I would be worried about is the dairy content not thawing right?

        Reply
    2. Carol

      January 01, 2020 at 10:52 am

      Could you leave out the green chili’s and just use regular canned tomatoes?

      Reply
      • Susie

        January 01, 2020 at 11:46 am

        Absolutely!! Just make sure to drain them really well.

        Reply
    3. Cindy

      February 19, 2019 at 2:52 pm

      Could this be done in a slow cooker instead of the oven? Thinking of taking this to a school banquet.

      Reply
      • Susie

        February 20, 2019 at 8:29 am

        I think you could definitely make these in the slow cooker. I would cook on low for 1 hour, BUT I would leave the shredded cheese out and then add it and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Also, make sure you use already cooked chicken, not sure how this would do with raw chicken?!

        Reply
      • Kiley

        September 04, 2022 at 10:22 am

        What can I sub for Mayo? We have an egg allergy in the house. Would vegan Mayo work the same way?

        Reply
        • Susie Weinrich

          September 04, 2022 at 2:13 pm

          From my quick research it looks like you can bake with the vegan mayo. Give that a try or go with all greek yogurt or sour cream.

    4. Karly

      May 18, 2018 at 11:20 am

      This would be a good chip dip too! Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 18, 2018 at 11:54 am

        Definitely… I may have eaten it that way for lunch a few times : )

        Reply
    5. Leslie

      May 17, 2018 at 9:13 am

      5 stars
      Taco night is a favorite for our kids. But I usually hate it because it can make such a mess. I love that this chicken mixture can be made in advance, so there’s practically no mess on busy weeknights! My kids will be so excited when I try it out! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:49 am

        I agree… traditional tacos can be such a mess. And then one of my kids will bite into the hard taco shell and start crying because the shell cracked in half… dinner time with kids is fun, isn’t it!? HA!
        This is definitely a winner, winner, chicken dinner!

        Reply
    6. Tara

      May 17, 2018 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      Yum! I can see why this is your new favorite dinner. It sounds incredible. I love the list of possible toppings you included.

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:47 am

        I truly want to eat them every night… and leftovers make a great lunch. I love jarred banana pepper rings, avocado or guac, and spinach. YUM. my mouth is watering

        Reply
    7. Claudia Lamascolo

      May 17, 2018 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      Creamy chicken sounds perfect in a taco I love sauces and this one looks really delicious I would eat these right now if I had it for lunch or even breakfast wow!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:46 am

        They are sooo delicious and easy to make! The leftovers are excellent for lunch. I just put a few tablespoons in a tortilla and warm it up in the microwave…..40 seconds to lunch!

        Reply
    8. Courtney

      May 17, 2018 at 8:43 am

      5 stars
      I’m loving how you’ve used Greek yogurt here! Creamy tacos sound delicious!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:45 am

        It makes them a smidge guilt free (at least for me…but I have a very low food guilt gauge. LOL)

        Reply
    9. Priya Shiva

      May 17, 2018 at 8:31 am

      5 stars
      OMG! These tacos are super delicious! I’m glad it has a nice garlic flavor too!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:40 am

        They are SO good! You could certainly add some fresh minced garlic too, for a little stronger garlic flavor.

        Reply
    10. Danielle

      May 17, 2018 at 7:55 am

      5 stars
      I absolutely love the idea of creamy chicken tacos! Anything creamy is good in my book. And this is so easy, I love it!

      Reply
      • Susie

        May 17, 2018 at 9:40 am

        It is a great twist on traditional hard shell tacos with ground beef…and crazy easy to make!

        Reply

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