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Let’s Taco ‘Bout How Good These Rotisserie Chicken Tacos Are

• A time-saving shortcut. Rotisserie chicken tacos are ready to enjoy with our favorite toppings in under 20 minutes. You only need 3 ingredients to make the chicken!
• Minimal cooking. Shred and heat the chicken in a skillet with salsa and seasonings. You could even use the microwave.
• Customize the toppings. Once you’ve prepped the chicken, the toppings are completely up to you. We love ours with crunchy coleslaw, tomato, and avocado.
• Family and kid-friendly. Choose a mild salsa for a kid-friendly dinner. I’ll often set up a taco bar with a big bowl of taco-seasoned shredded chicken, tortillas, and all the fixings so everyone can build their own taco.

What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

The ingredient list might be short, but these zesty chicken tacos are anything but short on flavor. I’ve included notes on the recipe below. You’ll find the printable ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below the post.

• Rotisserie Chicken – Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store. These easy chicken tacos are also the perfect way to use leftover whole chicken. Shred it using two forks, or you can use your stand mixer with a paddle attachment to easily shred the chicken.
• Taco Seasoning – If you don’t have homemade taco seasoning in the pantry, choose your favorite blend from the store. Fajita seasoning works well, too.
• Salsa – This can be mild or spicy depending on preference. I have an easy restaurant-style salsa recipe as well as this Chili’s copycat salsa that tastes great here. You could also make salsa verde chicken tacos with homemade salsa verde.
• Tortillas – For serving. Since using a rotisserie chicken saves so much time, I’ll sometimes make a fresh batch of homemade flour tortillas or corn tortillas. You can use hard taco shells if you prefer.
• Toppings – Any of your favorite taco toppings. I will include ours later on!

Can I Use Leftover Chicken Instead?

Yes! These tacos turn out great with leftover grilled chicken or smoked chicken. Feel free to use any cooked, shreddable chicken you have in the fridge.

How to Make Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

There’s very little effort involved here (busy home cooks, I see you!). This quick chicken taco recipe comes together in three steps:

• Combine. First, add shredded chicken to a skillet with taco seasoning and salsa.
• Cook. Sauté the chicken for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring until it’s warmed through.
• Serve. Assemble the chicken tacos in tortillas with any toppings you’d like.

Taco Topping Ideas

• Diced tomatoes and onions
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Shredded cheese (I like Monterey Jack or a Mexican cheese blend)
• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced avocado
• Mexican coleslaw
• Spicy jalapeños, chipotle peppers, or hot sauce

Recipe Tips

• Choosing the right size chicken. I make this recipe with ½ of a Costco rotisserie chicken, which equals about 1 pound when shredded. If you’re using a rotisserie chicken from another store, like Target or Kroger, you may need more or less than half, depending on the size of the chicken.
• Warm the tortillas. While the chicken warms in one skillet, take out a second skillet and place it over the heat. Toast the tortillas in the dry skillet until they’re soft and pliable. Afterward, transfer the tortillas to a plate covered with foil to keep warm.
• More ways to use it. You can use your juicy rotisserie salsa chicken in place of taco meat in loads of recipes! Try it in chicken tostadas or chicken enchiladas, or use it as a topping for chicken nachos.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover salsa chicken separately from the tortillas and toppings. It lasts for up to 3 days when kept airtight in the fridge.
• Reheat. Warm the chicken in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave.
• Freeze. The shredded chicken freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.

More Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken