These shredded chicken tacos are made with a zesty cilantro lime slaw and topped with the most delicious avocado cream. Naturally gluten-free, they're easy to make, especially with leftover or rotisserie chicken! An easy 30-minute meal.
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❤️Why this recipe works
Any night is a good night for tacos. And if you happen to have leftover chicken, these shredded chicken tacos with cilantro lime slaw and avocado cream are the best way to use it!
Of course, you can quickly cook up a chicken breast or two to make these tacos. Using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, however, makes this a quick and easy meal to put together.
And that avocado cream? Not only is it smooth and buttery, it holds all those other healthy ingredients together inside your tortilla!
Lately I've been making lots of casual meals, and tacos have been happening more than usual. I've made these shrimp tacos and halibut tacos and grilled fish tacos on repeat during the last month or two.
But today, with leftover chicken in the fridge, these easy chicken tacos won out. Let's make a batch for Taco Night. Here's what you'll need.
🛒 Ingredients
chicken: use leftover cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken, or freshly cooked chicken.
taco seasoning: adds lots of Tex-Mex flavour to the chicken. Use my easy Taco Seasoning Mix instead of running to the store.
tortillas: use 100% corn tortillas to keep these gluten-free.
for the slaw: cabbage, carrots, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, mayo.
for the avocado cream: avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, garlic, lime juice
🔪 How to make shredded chicken tacos
Here's an overview of this 3-part chicken taco recipe. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.
Shred the cabbage and carrots. A food processor makes this fast, but you can use a box grater. Add sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño and garlic. Combine mayonnaise with lime juice, toss it all together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Shred the chicken, either with two forks or with an electric mixer. Season with taco seasoning mix.
To make the avocado cream, either mash an avocado and combine it with yogurt or sour cream, garlic, lime, and a little water, or add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
When you're ready to eat, heat tortillas on a lightly oiled grill, or wrap in a tea towel and heat in the microwave, or wrap in foil and heat in the oven. Fill with a generous spoonful of coleslaw, add shredded chicken and top with avocado cream. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro leaves and serve with quartered limes.
🔁 Possible Variations
Guacamole: If you have guacamole on hand, you can use that instead of making the avocado cream. (Not quite as delicious, but still good!)
Make them spicier: top with extra sliced jalapeños or Quick Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños or add some Easy Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions.
Use a different protein: substitute shrimp, salmon or fish for the shredded chicken.
Double up on the avocado cream! Make extra if you love to slather your tacos with extra yumminess.
⏱Can I make these ahead of time?
You can prepare the three components for these tacos up to a day in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
The cilantro lime slaw will last in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you have leftovers, repurpose them into a power bowl for your lunch the following day.
📖 Recipe Card
Shredded Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Slaw
- 1 cup green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 med jalapeño, minced
Avocado Cream
- 1 large avocado
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- pinch sea salt and pepper
- water to thin, if necessary
Chicken
- 1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded * see note below
- 2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
- 4 corn tortillas, 6 - inch
Garnish
- ½ med avocado sliced, optional
- 1 med lime quartered
- cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage and carrots. A food processor makes this fast, but you can use a box grater. Add sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño and garlic. Combine mayonnaise with lime juice, toss it all together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Shred the chicken, either with two forks or with an electric mixer. Season with taco seasoning mix, a little at a time. You may want to moisten the chicken with a teaspoon or so of olive oil to help the seasoning mix to stick to the chicken. Set aside.
- To make the avocado cream, either mash an avocado with a fork and combine it with yogurt or sour cream, garlic, lime, and a little water, OR add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- When ready to serve, heat tortillas on a lightly oiled grill, or wrap in a tea towel and heat in the microwave or wrap in foil and heat in the oven. Fill warm tortillas with a generous spoonful of coleslaw, add shredded chicken and top with avocado cream. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro leaves and serve with quartered limes.
- Fill with a generous spoonful of coleslaw, add shredded chicken and top with avocado cream. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro leaves and serve with quartered limes.
Paula
I'll be making that avocado cream again and again! It was so good on those tacos, but I can see me putting it on salads too! 5 stars!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Paula, Agreed! I love that avocado cream, too!
Anne
Just thought I'd let you know that I made these last week and my family loved them. I used rotisserie chicken. Thanks for a great family recipe!
Flavour & Savour
You're welcome! Glad you liked them. Great idea to use rotisserie chicken--makes these tacos quick and easy.