Ancho Chicken Tacos

tacos with ancho flavored chicken and salsa.

5 from 5 votes

These Ancho Chicken Tacos are easy to make and have the perfect sweet and spicy combo with some smokiness. These are delicious tacos to make for taco night.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Entrees, Tacos

Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 225.04kcal

Author: Tracey Gene

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast
pinch of salt to salt the chicken
2 ½ tsp ancho chile seasoning
½ tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 ⅛ tsp garlic powder
2-3 tbsp olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan
juice of lime 1 large or 2 small (about 2-3 tbsp)

Tacos

flour or corn tortillas
sour cream
lettuce
hot sauce
cilantro
shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

Salt the Chicken. Generously season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt either the night before or for at least 30 minutes so the salt can diffuse throughout the chicken.
Refrigerate the chicken if salting more than an hour in advance; otherwise, leave it on the counter while you prep the remaining ingredients.
If you are making fresh salsa, make it now and let it marinate in the juices until it’s time to serve the tacos.
1 lb chicken breast, pinch of salt
Make Spice Blend. Add the ancho chile powder to a small bowl with the sweet paprika, oregano, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Toss to combine.
2 1/2 tsp ancho chile seasoning, 1/2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 1/8 tsp garlic powder
Cook Chicken. Before you preheat the skillet, season the chicken with ancho chili spice blend on both sides.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil (2-3 tablespoons) to coat the pan.
Place chicken on the skillet, and sear the chicken for 4-7 minutes (check at the 4-minute mark to see if the skin is brown). Flip the chicken over and reduce heat to medium to continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, flipping the chicken to coat the crispy skin. Remove from the pan, and either shred the chicken or cut it into pieces.
2-3 tbsp olive oil, juice of lime
Assemble Taco & Enjoy. Heat a flour tortilla, add some sour cream and shredded romaine lettuce, and layer with chicken pieces, hot sauce, cilantro, and cheese before serving.

Nutrition