Authentic Mexican Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe

I’ve been on a bit of a shredded chicken tacos binge lately. I can’t help myself—they’re colorful, healthy, and endlessly adaptable, which makes them one of those dinners I never seem to get tired of.

Tacos also happen to solve one of my recurring dinner problems: feeding everyone the same meal that we all can get excited about. At our house, these chicken tacos with their tender shredded chicken, warm tortillas, and sweet and spicy mango salsa are universally loved.

This recipe makes a ton, which I love because it gives me lots of leftovers or I can freeze half for a later meal. This is also a wonderful party recipe.

I often make it when feeding a crowd then set up a taco bar with the shredded chicken, a tall stack of corn tortillas, the mango pico de gallo, Mexican street corn dip, and our family’s favorite lime shortbread bars for dessert.

Why This Authentic Mexican Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe Works

• Juicy chicken: Gentle simmering keeps it tender and makes flavorful chicken stock.
• Smoky flavor: Inspired by the flavors of chicken tinga, chipotle peppers and onion add depth and heat.
• Fresh contrast: Mango pico de gallo brings sweetness, lime, and crunch.
• Balanced bites: Smoky, sweet, spicy, and bright all at once.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Shredded Chicken

• Whole chicken: Simmering a whole chicken gives you juicy chicken for the tacos while simultaneously making homemade chicken stock.
• Onions: Used both in the stock and the finished taco filling for layers of savory sweetness.
• Garlic: Adds depth to the chicken as it cooks.
• Dried ancho chile: Gives the stock a mellow, earthy chile flavor without adding any heat.
• Kosher salt: Seasons the chicken from the beginning. Morton kosher salt is my go-to.
• Whole black peppercorns: Add gentle peppery flavor to the cooking liquid.
• Cumin seeds: Bring warm, earthy flavor. I prefer whole cumin here because the cooking liquid will eventually be strained.

For the Mango Pico de Gallo

• Ripe mangos: Look for mangos that give slightly when gently pressed.
• Lime juice: Keeps the salsa fresh and balances the sweetness of the mango.
• Jalapeño: Seed it for less heat or leave some seeds and ribs intact if you like things spicier.
• Fresh cilantro: Adds the fresh herbal flavor that makes pico de gallo taste complete.
• Red onion: Gives the salsa crunch and a little bite.
• Kosher salt: Makes the mango, lime, and chile flavors pop.

For the Tacos

• Oil: A neutral cooking oil works well for sautéing the onion.
• Onion: Cooking it until lightly browned brings sweetness to the smoky chicken filling.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo: The key flavor in these tacos. You get heat from the peppers and an extra dose of smoke from the adobo sauce clinging to them.
• Chicken stock: Reserved from cooking the chicken and added back to keep the shredded meat juicy.
• Lime: Added at the end so the citrus flavor stays bright.
• Corn tortillas: Their toasted corn flavor is especially good with the smoky chicken and sweet salsa.

How to Make Authentic Mexican Shredded Chicken Tacos

1. Cook the chicken. Add the chicken, onions, garlic, ancho chile, salt, peppercorns, and cumin seeds to a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

2. Strain the stock. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid, discard the solids, and reserve some of the chicken stock for the taco filling. Save the remaining stock and use to make sopa de conchitas or my quick cheater’s pozole.

3. Make the mango pico de gallo. While the chicken is cooling, combine the diced mango, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, red onion, and salt. Taste and adjust with more lime or salt if needed. Set aside or cover and refrigerate for later, pico de gallo can be made up to a day in advance.

4. Shred the chicken. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

5. Cook the onion. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until it begins to soften and brown.

7. Finish the chicken filling. Add the chipotles, reserved chicken stock, and shredded chicken. Cook until the chicken is heated through and coated in the smoky sauce.

8. Add the lime. Stir in the lime juice and season with additional salt if needed.

9. Assemble the tacos. Spoon the shredded chicken into warm corn tortillas and top with the mango pico de gallo.

Can I Freeze Cooked Shredded Chicken?

Yes, cooked shredded chicken freezes extremely well and retains its texture and flavor for 3 to 4 months.

Let the shredded chicken cool completely then toss with a little bit of the chicken broth. Divide into freezer bags or airtight container and press as much air out of the bags as possible.

To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then warm in skillet over low heat with more broth or additional to sauces or soups.

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Don’t Throw Away the Chicken Stock

One of the best parts about cooking the chicken this way is that you’re making dinner and homemade chicken stock at the same time. After removing the chicken, strain the cooking liquid and reserve 1/2 cup for the taco filling.

The remaining stock can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. Use it anywhere you’d normally use chicken broth—soups, beans, Mexican rice, sauces, or another batch of your favorite Mexican chicken recipes.

A Few Tips for the Best Tacos

• Keep the chicken at a gentle simmer: Lower heat means more tender, juicy chicken.
• Taste after adding lime: Adjust the salt after adding the lime juice.
• Don’t skip the mango pico: Its sweetness and acidity balance the smoky adobo sauce.
• Let everyone add their favorite toppings: Avocado, crema or sour cream, cheese, and extra cilantro are all good choices.

Ways to Switch Up These Shredded Chicken Tacos

• Use chicken thighs: If you don’t want to cook a whole chicken, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs like I do with my chili-lime chicken tacos. They stay juicy and shred well.
• Try the slow cooker: For a more hands-off slow cooker recipe, cook chicken with onion, garlic, chipotles, and a little chicken broth until tender, then shred. It gives you a shortcut inspired by these slow cooker chicken tacos, although the flavor will be different from the original whole-chicken method.
• Use a pressure cooker: A pressure cooker is another option when you have less time, especially for boneless chicken thighs. See my Instant Pot chicken carnitas for inspiration.
• Make salsa chicken: Skip the chipotle and simmer shredded chicken with your favorite salsa for a simple salsa chicken variation.
• Add cheese: Finish the tacos with shredded cheese, queso fresco, or another Mexican cheese you love.
• Use soft tortillas: Both corn and flour tortillas work, so choose whichever soft tortillas your family prefers.

What Else Can I Make with the Leftover Chicken?

• Make burrito bowls: Turn the chicken into burrito bowls inspired by Smoky Chile Relleno Rice Bowls with Chicken, adding rice, avocado, greens, beans, and mango salsa.
• Turn it into chicken tostadas: Spoon the smoky chicken over crisp tostadas and finish with mango pico, shredded lettuce, and Mexican crema.
• Make chicken quesadillas: Tuck leftover chicken and plenty of cheese into an authentic Mexican chicken quesadilla.
• Pile it onto nachos: Swap the chicken into these Chicken Fajita Nachos with black beans, cheese, avocado, and fresh cilantro.
• Make chimichangas: Use the chicken as the starting point for homemade chicken chimichangas with pico de gallo and crema.

Storage and Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Store the chicken taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the mango pico de gallo in a separate container so the tortillas and chicken don’t get soggy.
• Freeze: The shredded chicken freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.
• Reheat: Warm the chicken gently on the stove top over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken stock to keep it juicy.

Kate Ramos

Shredded Chicken Tacos with Mango Pico de Gallo

If you're looking for an authentic Mexican shredded chicken tacos recipe with a smoky, slightly modern twist, these tacos combine tender shredded chicken with chipotle peppers, and topped sweet and spicy mango pico de gallo.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 -10 servings

Course: tacos

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories: 375

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

For the Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 white onions quartered
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 dried Ancho chiles
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

For the Pico de Gallo:

• 2 ripe mangos peeled and diced
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup diced red or white onion
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Tacos:

• 2 tablespoons avocado or other neutral-flavored oil
• 1 white onion thinly sliced
• 3 chipotles en adobo chopped
• 1/2 cup reserved chicken stock
• 2 limes juiced
• 16-20 corn tortillas warmed
• avocado sour cream, cotija cheese, for serving

Method

 

For the Chicken

1. Cook the chicken. Place 1 whole chicken, 2 quartered onions, 4 cloves garlic, 3 dried ancho chiles, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds in a large stockpot. Add enough water to cover the chicken by about 2 inches.
2. Simmer. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat until the liquid is barely simmering. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 1 hour.
3. Cool the chicken. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Strain the stock. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof container and discard the solids. Reserve 1/2 cup chicken stock for the taco filling. Let the remaining stock cool, then refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months for another use.
5. Shred the chicken. Remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the chicken into large pieces.

For the Mango Pico de Gallo

1. Make the pico de gallo. Combine 2 diced ripe mangos, the juice of 1 lime, 1 seeded and diced jalapeño, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup diced red onion, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Taste and add more lime juice or salt as needed.

For the Tacos

1. Cook the onion. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 thinly sliced onion and season to taste with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Finish the chicken filling. Add 3 chopped chipotles in adobo, the reserved chicken stock, and the shredded chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is well combined and the chicken is heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the lime. Stir in the juice of 2 limes and season to taste with salt if needed.
4. Serve. Divide the chicken among 16–20 warmed corn tortillas and top with the mango pico de gallo and any additional toppings like sour cream, avocados, and/or cotija cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 221mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8g

Notes

1. Pico timing: Prepare the mango pico de gallo up to 4 hours in advance. Keeping it chilled allows the flavors to meld, but adding the salt too early can release excess juices; drain any extra liquid before serving.
2. Control the spice: Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Use 1–2 chipotles for mild heat, or include a spoonful of adobo sauce from the can alongside the 3 peppers for extra smoky kick.
3. Tortilla care: Double up on corn tortillas per taco to prevent tears, and warm them in a dry skillet or over an open gas flame for a slight char.
4. Shortcut option: In a pinch, replace the whole poached chicken with a store-bought rotisserie chicken and use 1/2 cup of low-sodium chicken broth.

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