This Chicken Taco Skillet is a fast, flavor-packed dinner made for busy weeknights. Juicy chicken is coated in homemade seasoning, sautéed until tender, and finished with a sticky, smoky sauce, all ready in about 30 minutes.
"Made this chicken taco skillet with chopped spinach as suggested, and it added a nice pop of color and flavor! The bacon pieces added a nice crunch and smoky flavor, it was really really good!" -Gwen
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 35 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 462 kcals and 40 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, BBQ sauce, cherry tomatoes, bacon, seasonings, broth.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This easy chicken skillet dinner is packed with bold flavor, cooks in one pan, and comes together in under 40 minutes. It’s hearty, customizable, and perfect for busy weeknights when you want something comforting without a lot of cleanup.
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If you’re stuck in a taco-night rut, these skillet chicken tacos are the easiest way to shake things up. Everything cooks together in one pan: juicy chicken thighs, bold seasoning, sauce, and crispy bacon, making the quick dinner recipe big on flavor but low on effort. It’s the same reason recipes like my teriyaki chicken and broccoli, and Italian sausage and rice skillet stay on repeat around here.
As a busy mom, one-skillet meals are my saving grace. I bring the pan straight to the table and let everyone build their own tacos with dairy-free cheese, salsa, or avocado. Meals like this are exactly why I created the Busy Moms Cookbook: simple, protein-packed dinners that actually work in real life.
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💭Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: This chicken taco skillet recipe uses up a bunch of spices you have in your pantry, along with a few staples from the fridge.
Quick: It’ll hit the dinner table in under 30 minutes making it great for busy nights. No prep and no fuss.
Versatile: Serve your chicken tacos on warm tortillas, hard shells, or even stretch the meal over rice or Whole30 cauliflower rice. It works with everything making it a unique meal every time you whip it up.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Cut them into bite-sized pieces so that they cook quickly and all the way through. Or, if you have leftover gluten-free crispy chicken bites, you can use those.
- Seasoning: You need basic spices like chili powder, onion powder, garlic, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper. These are also the same seasonings to make homemade taco seasoning for sheet pan fajitas.
- Chicken broth: Homemade broth is great here, and this is a wonderful way to sneak it in. More often than not, though, I use bone broth
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Skillet Variations
Make it keto: You can easily make this skillet dinner keto by using a sugar-free BBQ sauce and either real cheese or skipping it.
Burrito: Serve the easy chicken taco skillet over black beans and cooked rice (even better if it's cilantro lime rice) with some extra BBQ sauce to make burrito bowls. Use cauliflower rice if you want to keep it light.
Make it spicy: If you like heat, add in some extra cayenne, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes to amp up the fire.
How to Make Chicken Skillet Dinner
Step 1: Season the chicken with the spices.
Step 2: Sauté the chicken in oil over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet until soft.
Step 4: Mix the broth and BBQ sauce together in a bowl, then add it into the skillet.
Step 5: Add the chicken and broth mixture back to the skillet and stir until coated. Top with bacon bits and cheese before serving.
Expert Tips
You can easily use chicken breasts for a gluten-free skillet dinner. Make sure to chop them small so that they cook evenly. They may not give off as much juice as thighs will.
If you need to use leftover chicken, no problem! Add leftover shredded chicken from a Dutch oven chicken to the tomatoes and garlic. Also, add the seasoning at the same time.
Serve the chicken taco skillet with avocados, cheese, salsa, fresh lime juice, and sour cream on the side, and have everyone build their own taco. I like these corn-hard shell tacos or gluten-free corn tortillas, and you can use them for vegan birriatacos too.
Chicken Taco Skillet FAQs
Store the leftover chicken taco skillet mixture in an airtight container once cooled. Place it in the fridge and enjoy it for up to three days.
The chicken taco skillet can be served in a taco shell, a tortilla wrap, over rice, or even mixed into gluten-free noodles with some extra oil.
You could sub out the chicken thighs for ground chicken. Cook it like you would ground beef, until it's no longer pink, before adding the homemade taco seasoning to it.
More Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Easy Chicken Skillet Dinner Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Easy Chicken Taco Skillet (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ Onion chopped
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 teaspoon Minced garlic
- ¼ cup Chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup Bacon pieces
For Serving
- 1 cup Dairy-free cheese shredded
- 1 Avocado diced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken with the chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken to the heated skillet, and saute until cooked through completely. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the onions. Saute until the onions have softened.
- Mix in the garlic and cherry tomatoes. Saute until the tomatoes begin to soften.
- In a bowl, whisk together the broth and BBQ sauce.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet, and return the chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat in the sauce.
- Turn the heat off, and sprinkle on the bacon and cheese. Allow the cheese to melt.
- Add in the avocado just before serving.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Paula says
This really was as easy as the recipe said it would be. It was packed full of flavour and absolutely delicious. Thanks so much!
fitasamamabear says
Happy you liked it!
chhavi says
Loved this high protein recipe! I have added it to my weekly rotation!
Gwen says
Made this chicken taco skillet with chopped spinach as suggested, and it added a nice pop of color and flavor! The bacon pieces added a nice crunch and smoky flavor, it was really really good!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Elaine says
This was wonderful and my girls loved it. So easy but BIG on taste. Will keep on repeat here!
Mera says
Feeling like I'm having a burrito without having to wrap it in a tortilla! Wonderful recipe indeed. Topped it with Avocados! Yum!
fitasamamabear says
Avocados make life better lol
Bobbi says
So good!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you liked it!
Shane says
I followed your tip about using chicken breasts and chopped them small and they were cooked evenly. I loved the barbeque sauce as it added just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
fitasamamabear says
Happy you enjoyed it!
Amari says
The chicken was so tender and coated in a sticky barbecue sauce that was absolutely delicious. Topped mine with sour cream and it was a unique twist on our taco night. So good!
fitasamamabear says
It definitely makes for a fun swap!
Meghan says
Made this for dinner last night and it was a BIG winner, especially for game night with our friends! Can't wait to make it again!
fitasamamabear says
Happy everyone enjoyed it!
Marie says
This has the perfect combination of flavors. It's cheesy and savory, and the chicken was so juicy. My family really loved it!
fitasamamabear says
Yay!
Sylvia says
I have switched to chicken thighs from chicken breasts, and they have so much more flavor. This skillet taco meal was a hit with the family. I served it over rice, and I loved how easy it was to make.
fitasamamabear says
They're so much jucier! My kids love them.