Healthy Tacos with Chicken

These healthy chicken tacos are quick, easy and so full of flavour. Warmed tortillas are loaded with juicy, seasoned chicken, fresh tomato salsa and creamy avocado sauce for the perfect balance of flavour and texture. They are the ultimate fresh and healthy weeknight dinner!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – the salsa and sauce are prepared while the chicken cooks, meaning everything comes together in less than 25 minutes.
• Healthy – made with lean chicken and loaded with fresh, colourful ingredients. These tacos can also be adapted to add any of your favourite veggies, Mexican-inspired taco toppings and salads.
• Customisable – the chicken is coated in a homemade seasoning blend which can be adjusted to control the salt (and heat) levels.
• Meal-prep friendly – the chicken and salad can be prepped ahead for a quick weeknight dinner. They are also perfect for an easy packed lunch!
• Stores well – the chicken keeps well in the fridge or freezer. And they reheat beautifully, so you can enjoy some healthy tacos at a moment’s notice.

If you love these flavours, you’ll also love these homemade beef tacos and Mexican chicken soup!

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken breast is recommended. But chicken thighs will work too. In this recipe, the chicken breasts are cooked whole, keeping them juicy and tender on the inside. You can also use leftover chicken or a BBQ rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, for an even faster dinner!
• Tortillas – use your favourite flour or corn tortillas, or swap for low-carb wraps, if preferred. Look for tortillas that are low in sodium and saturated fats. Alternatively, you can make your own at home so you know exactly what’s in them.
• Chipotle sauce – a rich and smoky tomato-based sauce that is used to add flavour and warmth to Mexican dishes. In Australia, I recommend La Costena or La Morena chipotle sauce, which can be found in most supermarkets in the international foods section (near the taco kits). I don’t recommend skipping this ingredient, as it adds so much flavour to the dish. But you can swap for tomato paste, mild salsa or taco sauce, if required.
• Avocado – for the creamy avocado sauce. Make sure the avocado is ripe and soft. Hard/underripe avocados won’t mash properly and will affect the taste and texture of the sauce. Mash the avocado before blending, for a smooth sauce.
• Mexican spices – made in just minutes with a combination of garlic, ground cumin, chilli, lime, paprika, salt, pepper and Chipotle sauce. Use sweet Hungarian paprika, rather than hot or smoked paprika for best results.
• Lime – fresh lime juice is used to coat the chicken and flavour the salsa and avocado sauce. I recommend using fresh limes for best results. And serve the tacos with some additional lime wedges for extra freshness.
• Sour cream – for the avocado sauce. Either regular or light/low fat sour cream will work, depending on preference. Alternatively, natural unsweetened yoghurt can be used in equal quantities.

Step by step instructions

Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below. But here is a brief overview of what you can expect;

1. Coat the chicken. Place the chicken into a Ziploc bag (or bowl) and add the chicken coating ingredients. Massage the chicken until completely covered. This step can be prepared ahead of time and the chicken kept in the fridge until ready to cook.
2. Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken breasts and cook 5-6 minutes each side, or until completely cooked through. Rest the chicken on a board for 5 minutes before dicing into bite-sized pieces.
3. Make the salsa – while the chicken is cooking, mix the chopped tomatoes, onion, coriander, jalapenos and lime juice together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Blend the sauce – place the mashed avocado, sour cream and lime juice into a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Season with salt, to taste.
5. Assemble – serve the chicken in warm tortillas, topped with the salsa, avocado sauce and your choice of additional toppings.

Tip: Cooking the chicken breasts whole keeps them deliciously moist and tender on the inside. Wait until after they are cooked through to chop into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Chicken breasts that are on the larger side can be sliced in half before coating in the marinade, to ensure they cook through easily.

Expert tips

• The chicken can be marinated ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a day, ready to cook.
• Cook the chicken fillets whole and then dice them into bite-sized pieces when you are ready to serve. Preparing them this way keeps them nice and tender. I recommend using 3-4 small chicken breasts so that they cook through evenly.
• If your chicken fillets are on the larger side, I recommend slicing them in half lengthways before coating them in the marinade, so that they cook through in the middle without overcooking the outside.
• For an easy and casual dinner, make a taco bar! Cook the chicken and place the salsa, sauces and a platter of your favourite salads and sides to the table. That way, everyone can build their own tacos to their liking.
• Add more heat by adding adjusting the chilli powder or adding Cayenne powder or chilli flakes to taste. To keep it mild, leave the chilli powder out entirely.
• If you don’t have a food processor, the avocado sauce can be made by thoroughly mashing the avocado and then mixing in the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. The sauce will have a slightly different consistency, but will taste the same.
• Add your favourite veggies. While the salsa and sauce make deliciously fresh toppings, you can also add any fresh sides that you love. Try some char-grilled zucchini slices, grilled corn, spinach leaves, freshly sliced chillies, black beans or some crumbled feta.
• For extra smoky flavour and texture, toast your tortillas! Simply heat the tortillas according to the package instructions before adding them to a frying pan. Heat them in the pan coated with light oil spray over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds per side. Alternatively, the tortillas can be charred directly over an open flame on a gas stovetop. Carefully move them over the flame for a few seconds, until char marks appear on the edges.
• For a lower-carb version; use low-carb tortillas or wraps. Or swap the tortillas for large iceberg lettuce leaves. Alternatively, skip the wraps and make taco bowls with the diced chicken, salsa, sauce and your favourite salads.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in May 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in September 2023.