Skillet Chicken Tacos, are a delicious dinner recipe that's ready to eat in under an hour. The chicken is simmered in a skillet and all you need to add are a few pantry staples. The chicken is seasoned with familiar Mexican spices along with crunchy cabbage, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. These are so good!

Ingredients to have on hand
- chicken breasts
- canned whole kernel corn
- small call of sliced olives
- small can of diced green chilies
- cumin
- chili powder
- cheddar cheese
- red cabbage
- cilantro
- limes
Recipe Shortcut
This recipe comes together quickly, which is why it's one of my favorites! Tacos can be a lot of work, but since most all of the ingredients - even the cheese - are stirred together in the skillet, there's less prep work involved. If you are making this on a work night, rinse and chop the cilantro and red cabbage in the morning, cover and store in the refrigerator until you get home.
Garlic and onions turn softened and fragrant while they cook in the skillet. Add the diced chicken and simmer until it's nearly full cooked.
Serving Options
This is a versatile and delicious filling for anything from street tacos to a topping for fresh salad greens. You can even create a unique entree-style nachos using this recipe! Scroll to the recipe below for all the details on how to serve Skillet Chicken Tacos beyond tortillas.
Step by Step Instructions
Time needed: 50 minutes.
With three easy steps this chicken dinner recipe goes from the stovetop to the dinner table.
- Stovetop
Add olive oil. Heat over medium high until the oil starts to shimmer. Add diced chicken, chopped garlic and diced onion. Cook until the chicken is nearly done and the onions and garlic are fragrant and begin to soften.
- Add ingredients
Add olives, green chilis, corn, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Don't cover the skillet, you'll want most of the moisture to evaporate.
- Simmer
Let the mixture simmer for about 15-20 minutes with no lid, or until most of the moisture is gone. (A little moisture is OK.) Remove from heat, stir in cheddar cheese, cover and keep warm until you are ready to serve.
Yes, ground turkey or lean ground beef are equally delicious. But avoid using a ground chuck which tends to have a higher fat content and will add a little too much fat to this recipe, in my opinion.
Taco Holder
When it comes to serving these tacos, I love to use a taco holder. Many restaurants serve tacos this way and for a good reason, a taco holder helps keep all the delicious ingredients stacked up together, instead of spilling out onto the plate. Plus, with a taco holder, everything looks great on the plate!
Related Recipes
Whether it's tacos or any recipe that includes our favorite Mexican flavors and spices, you can't beat having a side of homemade guacamole. I think you will love this simple and delicious recipe for the Best Guacamole. For another main dish option, try Tamale Casserole. It's filling and delicious and my family thinks it tastes exactly like homemade tamales wrapped in corn husks. But Tamale Casserole is much easier to make.
Michelle says
We added lime as well and it was delicious. Such an easy weeknight dinner!
nancy says
Flavorful chicken taco!!! Taco Tuesdays will be awesome!
Jeannie says
These turned out great, very filling and easy too. Perfect for our dinner nights.
Kyle says
Delicious, very tangy with added lime as we did. Highly recommend using two mini tortillas per taco (gives it a more authentic feel!).
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
I love those limes too! And using two street taco tortillas IS a game-changer with this recipe. Thanks!!