These rotisserie chicken tacos are easy to throw together and requires no cooking! Warmed corn tortillas are loaded with juicy, shredded rotisserie chicken and then topped with Mexican slaw. This easy dinner recipe is made with only 7 ingredients and is perfect when you have no time to prepare dinner!
We all have those days when we're too tired to make dinner. When those times hit, I typically run to my 30-minute or less dinner recipes and make this Easy Penne Pasta Bake or these Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
But when I don't want to cook at all, I make these rotisserie chicken tacos. They are topped with a simple Mexican slaw and is ready and on the table in 15 minutes! This easy chicken taco recipe is a huge hit in our house and pairs really well with these crock pot pinto beans, Mexican rice, and this elote Mexican corn recipe.
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Why This Recipe Works
1. It requires no cooking and comes together quickly!
2. A light dinner that will leave you full, but is not overly heavy.
3. Perfect for leftovers.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Rotisserie chicken - use a pre-cooked store bought rotisserie chicken. It can easily and quickly be shredded.
- Salsa - provides a lot of flavor and adds moisture to the these rotisserie chicken tacos. Use either mild, medium, or hot. Picante sauce also works well.
- Corn tortillas - use soft shell tortillas.
- Olive oil - avoid using extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is lighter and is added to the Mexican slaw to provide moisture and flavor.
- Shredded cabbage - instead of lettuce, use shredded green cabbage. This will give light and refreshing flavor.
- Lime juice - used in the Mexican slaw, freshly squeezed limes produce the best juice and will provide the best flavor.
- Cilantro - mixed into the Mexican slaw, this adds a fresh flavor.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
📋 Variations
- Salsa - use either salsa or picante sauce. Mild, medium, or hot all taste great on these rotisserie chicken tacos. A flavored salsa also pairs well.
- Cabbage - try incorporating purple cabbage in with the green cabbage. Napa cabbage also works well and brings out a lot of flavor.
- Oil - try substituting avocado oil. Avoid flavored olive oils since they tend to overpower the natural flavors in the Mexican slaw.
- Taco Shells and wraps - crunchy corn tacos or soft flour tortillas are also a great substitution to the soft corn taco shells.
- Meat substitutions - chicken thighs, chicken breasts, shredded pork, ground beef, and ground turkey taste great and make for a good substitution.
🔪 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Shred the rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add ½ cup of salsa and stir well.
Step 2: Place the bowl of chicken in the microwave and heat for 1-2 minutes, until warm. Mix to combine and set aside.
Step 3: To make the Mexican slaw, use a separate large bowl and combine the shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, olive oil, and fresh lime juice. Mix well and set aside.
Step 4: Now it's time to start putting the tacos together. Start by placing the shredded chicken taco meat in a corn tortilla shell and then top it with the Mexican slaw.
Finish these rotisserie chicken tacos off with some of your favorite toppings such as feta cheese, guacamole, Mexican street corn, or black bean salsa.
From start to finish, these tacos are ready to eat in 15 minutes total! It really doesn't get any easier than this!
🌮 Toppings
When it comes to taco topping, the options are endless. Here's some ideas:
- Cheese - adding Cotija cheese provides a creamy and velvety texture that softens even more when placed on the warm chicken. Feta cheese is also a good choice, providing a salty and tangy flavor that pairs well with the fresh lime.
- Fresh Avocado - an alternative to cheese that provides a fresh creamy flavor.
- Fresh Tomatoes -adds fresh flavor and amazing texture to every bite.
- Jalapeños - adds an extra layer of hot and spicy.
- Sour Cream - the perfect creamy topping for any taco!
- Black Olives - adds a lot of flavor and texture.
- Onions - both red, yellow and sweet onions taste great.
🙋 Recipe FAQs
The key to the tortillas not breaking is to warm them. Try some of these effective methods to warm soft corn tortillas:
Open Flame On A Gas Stove - If you have a gas burner, light the flame and char the taco shell flipping it over with a pair of tongs. The goal is to warm the tortilla so it is pliable.
Grill - Using the same concept as above, light the grill and char the tortillas until slightly warm.
Microwave - grab 3-5 tortillas and wrap them in a damp paper towel. Place them in the microwave and heat for 20-30 seconds until each tortilla is warm.
Oven - this is how restaurants typically warm tortillas. Wrap 3-5 tortillas in a piece of aluminum foil. Set the oven to 350°F and bake the stacks of tortillas for 15-20 minutes until the tortillas are warm.
Skillet - Add a little bit of olive oil in the skillet and swirl the tortilla around until its well coated. Heat each side for 20-30 seconds and then start making the tacos.
Yes! A lot of grocery stores will sell freshly shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken. Ask the butcher to see if they have an in stock.
💭 Expert Tips
- Quality Tortillas - using a good quality tortilla will not only enhance the taste, but will make the tacos more durable. Using a good quality tortilla shell is a game changer. In this Best Corn Tortillas article, you'll learn about 8 brands that are worth trying out. I use Guerrero White Corn Tortillas and have no problems with breakage after warming.
- Meal Prep - this is the perfect recipe to use when meal prepping! You can easily double this recipe to eat on all week for lunches. Portion out the chicken into individual containers for perfect portion control.
- Canned Chicken - avoid using canned chicken. It throws off the flavor and the texture.
- Storage: if there is any leftover chicken, store it in a container with a lid. Store the Mexican slaw in a separate container with a lid. It should last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
🌮 More Mexican Inspired Recipes
If you tried making these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Mexican Slaw or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Rotisserie Chicken Tacos With Mexican Slaw
Ingredients
Taco Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- ½ cup salsa
- 8 corn tortilla, warmed
Mexican Slaw
- 4 cups shredded cabbage, raw
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of shredded cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Mix to combine and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the shredded chicken and ½ cup of salsa. Warm it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave, oven, grill, or stove top.
- To assemble the tacos, top each tortilla with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of chicken and a spoonful of Mexican slaw.
- Add any additional toppings and serve.
Notes
- Quality Tortillas - using a good quality tortilla will not only enhance the taste, but will make the tacos more durable.
- Meal Prep - this is the perfect recipe to use when meal prepping! You can easily double this recipe to eat on all week for lunches. Portion out the chicken into individual containers for perfect portion control.
- Canned Chicken - avoid using canned chicken. It throws off the flavor and the texture.
- Storage: if there is any leftover chicken, store it in a container with a lid. Store the Mexican slaw in a separate container with a lid. It should last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Erin
We LOVE shredded chicken tacos. The recipe for the cilantro slaw with lime juice is so simple and genius. I might just make that to eat all by itself.
Amanda Mason
It's delicious, right!? I'm so glad you loved it!
Amanda Mason
Yes, the Rotisserie chicken makes this such an easy meal!! Enjoy!! It's delish!
Heather
This is my kind of chicken taco! Love how easy and quick this is to pull together and the ingredient list is super simple and made with things everyone already usually has on hand. Gorgeous!
Amanda Mason
So simple and super delish! I made this one again tonight and the family just loves it!!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
I just made tacos a few days ago and the hubs is already asking me for more! With all the shells we have leftover, this recipe will def go into the rotation this week!
Amanda Mason
I'm excited to hear how he likes it!!