Smoked Chicken Tacos

This smoked chicken taco recipe is a great twist on Taco Tuesday! Taco Tuesday is a regular occurrence in our house; finding ways to move some of the cooking outside is one of my favorite ways to change up tacos.

First posted in 2017 on Cook Eat Go, moved to That Guy Who Grills in 2024

These also make a great meat option for a taco bar. Now, you don’t have to smoke them. You can also make them on a gas or charcoal grill. The trick is to cook them away from indirect heat. This allows the chicken to cook with flavor. I tend to place them on a grill grate for grill lines on the chicken. 

Smoked Chicken Salad Tacos Ingredients:

Boneless chicken breasts– You can use boneless Skinless chicken thighs; the meat will be greasier and cook faster. 

Tequila Lime Seasoning– I used the Cabela’s version as it has less of a spice kick than Kinder’s Chili Lime, but both are tasty

Shredded Lettuce

Olive Oil

Cheese

Slices of Avocado

Chopped Tomatoes

Shredded Cheese

How To Make Smoke Chicken Taco:

Be sure to know you know your smoker and how to prep it for smoking.  For this, I used my vertical electric smoker and preferred apple disks to smoke all my meat.

Vertical SmokersBradley PucksMeat Thermometer

 

Start prepping your smoker.  I start by removing my chip holder, water bin, and racks out of your smoker and capping off my exhaust pipe.

Fire up the smoker by raising the temperature on the dial. This may vary on your smoker.

Fill the water dish and chip holder if needed. You can use wood chips in this, I am partial to the pucks.

Place your chips in, and once they start to smoke, put them in your water tray. This method allows me to get good smoke faster.

Prepare the chicken while the smoker is coming up to smoke and to the temperature.

Rub down your chicken with olive oil and seasoning. You can also use a wet brine or marinade instead of a dry rub.

Spray down your smoker rack with nonstick spray and set your chicken breast onto the racks.

Slide racks into your smoker once it is warm enough and has a good smoke. I remove my pipe cap now to allow the smoke to leave a bit.

Smoke for about 3 hours in your smoker, be sure to keep checking your smoke and your temperature as well. The cooking time will vary based on your smoker and the meat’s thickness.  Cook to temperature not to time. 

When I could tell my chicken was coming close to temperature, I started to prep the veggies and all the other side items my family wanted. We went for a buffet-style taco bar so the kids could make theirs however they wanted to!

Remove your chicken when it has reached an internal temp of 160 (I love using a digital thermometer for this part takes out the guesswork if it’s cooked or not this is the one I use -> here )

How To Serve Smoked Chicken Breast For Tacos

You can slice the chicken breasts to serve in tacos

Use meat claws or an electric misxer to make shredded chicken tacos. (See my post on shredded smoked chicken -> here for all the tips)

Substitute Seasonings For Smoked Chicken Breast For Tacos:

• Homemade taco Seasoning– Made with Cumin, Chili Powder, paprika, oregano, onion powder, Minced Onion, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper (see recipe->here)
• Fajita Seasoning
• Kinders Tequila lime
• Chili Lime Seasoning
• Cumin

What To Serve as Toppings For Tacos

• Onion
• Lime Juice 
• Jalapeño- either fresh or canned jalapeno
• Pico De Gallo 
• Fresh Cilantro 
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Cotija Cheese
• Queso Fresco 

Tortillas To Serve Smoked Chicken Taco With

• Flour Tortilla Bowl
• Corn tortillas 
• Hard Taco Shells
• Dorito Taco Shells

How To Store Leftover Smoked Chicken Tacos

Once properly cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days after cooking. 

You can freeze leftover chicken for up to ninety days in an airtight container or freezer bag. 

Storing leftovers properly requires the right tools! My preferred storage method is if the leftovers can be sealed in a food saver. If not, then an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for the fridge is the way I go. The air-tight container and a freezer Ziploc bag are the next best bet for freezing the leftovers. I also use a food scale to measure portions and divide them into serving sizes.

Taco Tuesday Recipes

Appetizers: Smoked Queso, Cowboy Caviar, Avocado Mango Salsa, Homemade Guacamole, Smoked Refried Bean Dip

Main Dishes: 2 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Tacos, Instant Pot Pork Tacos, Taco Twist Casserole, Blackstone Fajitas, Instant Pot Taco Pasta, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Quesadillas, Carne Asada Street Tacos

Soups: Chicken Taco Soup, Turkey Taco Soup

Side Dishes: Mexican Street Corn