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This creamy chipotle pulled chicken tacos recipe takes just 10 minutes to make with leftover shredded chicken! It’s a great way to keep Taco Tuesdays exciting, get a delicious weeknight dinner on the table fast, or feed a crowd.
Here in St Pete, there’s a restaurant that makes the best creamy chipotle chicken tacos. It’s called Grumpy Gringo (haha!), and like many fine establishments here in Florida, it’s in a strip mall and doesn’t look like anything special.
But their food is actually pretty great. And those creamy chipotle chicken tacos take the cake! They have the perfect balance between creamy texture and spicy flavor. And I admit, I go through phases where I order them way too often.
I wanted to try my hand at making a version at home and this recipe nails it. Mexican crema, chipotles in adobo, and a blend of Mexican spices come together beautifully.
I like to cook the chicken mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated off and the sauce is nice and thick. It develops a deliciously intense flavor as the sauce reduces. And also, the tacos aren’t as messy to eat. But you can cook the chicken mixture less and you’ll end up with finger-licking-delicious saucy tacos.
Why You’ll Want This Recipe on Repeat
- Dinner in 10. Pulled chicken tacos are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. If you start with cooked leftover chicken, you can get this meal on the table in just 10 minutes! It’s a great recipe for meal prep as well.
- You can use whatever chicken you have on hand. Poached chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken (or leftover turkey after Thanksgiving!), etc. all work well for the shredded chicken in this recipe.
- You can serve the shredded chicken taco meat in a ton of different ways. You don’t have to stick with tacos! You can make the pulled chicken mixture into burritos, salads, rice bowls, etc. This meal is a great way to reinvent leftovers with a whole different flavor profile.
- It’s a real crowd-pleaser. Keep this in mind for parties and potlucks! And if you’re looking for game night food ideas, bookmark this recipe. You can easily make a double (or triple) batch and set up a toppings bar so people can customize their own tacos.
Creamy Chipotle Pulled Chicken Tacos Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Pulled chicken – You can make poached chicken breasts, or use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken.
- Mexican crema – This is a creamy Mexican condiment that’s similar to sour cream, but a bit less tangy and a little more thinned out/pourable. In the Notes section of recipe card below, I give substitution ideas if you can’t find this.
- Chipotles in adobo – Use 2 for a mild-ish spicy heat level, and work up from there if you like your food spicier.
- Adobo sauce – Use the sauce from the can of chipotles in adobo.
- Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican oregano, salt, and chipotle chili powder – This is the spice mix we use to season our chicken taco meat. If you prefer, you can use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of your favorite Mexican seasoning blend, just note that if your spice mix is salt-free, you will still need to add the 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Soft corn tortillas – Look for tortillas that are about 5 1/2 to 6 inches in diameter; you will need 3 per person for a total of 12 for this recipe.
Serving Tip: Don’t Forget the Toppings!
Taco garnishes not only enhance the flavor but are also a lot of fun, especially if you’re making dinner for kiddos or for a crowd. Serve the toppings in small dishes as a “topping bar” so people can add their own. Here are a few ideas:
- Crumbed queso fresco – Queso fresco is a soft, mild, slightly salty white cheese with a slightly tangy flavor that crumbles well. If you can’t find queso fresco, you can use queso blanco, cotija, or even feta in a pinch.
- Fresh cilantro leaves – I love the pop of vibrant green color and fresh herby flavor that cilantro adds to shredded chicken tacos.
- Diced red onion – For savory flavor and piquancy. If red onion is too strong for you, substitute with sweet white onion or sliced scallion instead (or you can soak the diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes and then drain it).
- Lime wedges – I like serving tacos with lime wedges to squeeze on top. Fresh lime juice brightens the flavor and the acid helps cut the spicy heat level.
How to Make Pulled Chicken Tacos
- Add the shredded chicken, crema, chipotles in adobo, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican oregano, salt, and chipotle chili powder to a large skillet.
- Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
If desired, briefly char the corn tortillas in a hot, dry skillet or on a grill. Serve the tacos warm, with any toppings you like.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Tips For the Best Pulled Chicken Tacos
- If you like your tacos saucy, just cook the meat mixture less time. Here we’re using leftover chicken so it’s already fully cooked, and you can just heat it until the sauce is as thick as you want it.
- It’s easy to make these tacos as mild or spicy-hot as you like. As written (using 2 chipotles in adobe), the recipe has a mild-ish heat level. Add more to taste if you like it hot!
- You can use this shredded chicken taco meat to make a quick and easy appetizer! Let it cool, spread it out onto a wrap, roll it up, and then cut it cross-wise into little pinwheels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the easiest cut of chicken for shredding or pulling. Once cooked, chicken breast shreds easily with two forks. Chicken thighs are also easy to shred if you prefer dark meat.
Chicken loses about 25% of its weight after cooking. If you’re weighing the chicken before cooking, you will need around 1 1/4 pounds (20 ounces) for 4 servings. However, if you’re weighing the chicken after cooking, it will be approximately 1 pound (somewhere around 15 to 16 ounces) for 4 servings.
One pound of raw boneless skinless chicken breasts yields around 3 to 3 1/2 cups of shredded chicken when cooked. This is enough for 4 servings, and each serving is about 3/4 cup.
For this recipe, we use a combination of Mexican crema and chipotles in adobe for the perfect creamy chipotle sauce.
A chipotle is a ripe red smoke-dried jalapeno pepper. In addition to adding spicy heat, it also adds smoky flavor that lends great depth to a recipe.
If You Like Mexican Flavors, You Don’t Want to Miss These Recipes
- 30 Minute Authentic Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Pico de Gallo (Mexican Salsa Fresca)
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Creamy Chipotle Shredded (Pulled) Chicken Tacos Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, or poached chicken (see Notes)
- 3/4 cup Mexican crema (see Notes)
- 2 chipotles in adobo minced (or more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can of the chipotles in adobo
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 12 soft corn tortillas about 5 1/2 to 6 inches in diameter (or flour tortillas if you prefer)
Optional Topping Ideas:
- Crumbed queso fresco
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Diced red onion
- Lime wedges to squeeze on top
Instructions
- Heat the saucy spiced chicken. Add the shredded chicken, crema, chipotles in adobo, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican oregano, salt, and chipotle chili powder to a large skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Char the tortillas. If desired, briefly char the corn tortillas in a hot, dry skillet or on a grill.
- Enjoy. Serve the tacos warm, with any toppings you like.
Notes
- Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the optional topping ideas.
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 12 tacos, which is 4 servings. Each serving is 3 tacos, and each taco has about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture.
- Chicken: If you want to cook the chicken for this and aren’t using leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken, you’ll need about 1 1/4 pounds of raw (boneless, skinless) chicken.
- Mexican Crema Substitute: You can use crème fraiche instead, or you can use a mixture of 1/4 cup sour cream + 1/4 cup half and half.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 14, 2023, and updated on April 24, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Thank God for tacos, but especially for easy at home, taco recipes! These will be going in our regular dinner rotation!
I love the seasoning in the meat! Great recipe.