Next Post
One Pot Lemon Butter Ricotta and Zucchini Pasta.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos with Creamy Charred Corn Salsa and a little bit of homemade avocado “crema” too. Shredded chicken in a spicy chipotle beer BBQ sauce stuffed into crispy tortillas with melted sharp cheddar cheese. These easy to make tacos are the best saucy summer tacos. Serve each taco with a creamy avocado crema and charred corn salsa. The perfect summertime twist on a classic taco that everyone will love!
So here’s the thing, vacation and time off is truly a wonderful thing, but the day after returning? It’s not usually my favorite. I know some people will say they feel all refreshed and ready to jump back into things. But when I got home from Alaska Saturday night, I was tired.
Granted it was really Sunday morning when I got home because we didn’t actually get in until about 1 am, which meant bedtime was more like 3 am. Point? Sunday was brutal and I spent the day catching up on things I’d missed and digging through my inbox.
But the one silver lining of returning home? Back to homemade meals! Look, it’s nice to not have to cook on vacation. But the truth is I really love cooking, and the first recipe I made was these tacos.
And they did not disappoint.
The inspiration
Honestly, they just sounded good. Summery, spicy, BBQ chicken and charred corn are two summer favorites. Usually I make them separately, and usually on the grill. But I was craving a crispy cheesy taco like the ones Dad used to make when we were growing up.
I combined two favorites into one and the outcome was delicious!
The Details
These tacos start off with the chicken. Instead of using overly sugary store-bought BBQ sauce, I decided to just do my own, but don’t worry, it’s easy!
Toss the chicken together with some smoky paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic, cayenne, and salt. Cook everything together in a pot, then just add ketchup, honey, and a splash of you very favorite beer.
And that’s the chicken. Simply simmer it until you can easily shred it, then toss the shredded chicken with the sauce. It takes a few minutes for the chicken and sauce to cook up, but the homemade sauce is 100% worth it.
Spicy, sweet, smoky, and extra saucy!
While the chicken is cooking, make the creamy crema and charred corn salsa. You want to start with the crema since you’ll need it to complete the salsa. It’s simply avocado pureed with lime juice and sea salt. Basic, but also perfect.
For the salsa, I wanted to use charred corn, but I wanted it to be creamier, kind of like a Mexican corn salad. Instead of using mayo, I used the crema to make the salsa creamy.
You’ll have juicy sweet corn with creamy crema and it’s such a great combo! I tossed in fresh jalapeño, lots of cilantro, and some chives too!
Assemble
Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the chicken and cheese. I throw them into the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy.
Finish the tacos with the crema and spicy corn salsa. Everything is so delicious…from the saucy chicken, to the melted crispy cheese, to the crema and salsa. Definitely not your average taco!
These tacos remind me of summers as a kid in Cleveland. A mix of dad’s tacos and BBQ chicken…and I kind of love that.
Looking for other summer tacos? Here are a few of my go-to’s.
Taco Stuffed Avocados with Chipotle Sauce and Cilantro Lime Ranch
Sheet Pan Jalapeño Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema
Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro Lime Garlic Sauce
Lastly, if you make these Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos with Creamy Charred Corn Salsa
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 631 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Shop ingredients at your local Target store. Learn more
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders or cubed thighs
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup your favorite beer, or use chicken broth
- 8-12 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Salsa + Crema
- 2 large avocados, halved
- juice from 2 limes
- 2 cups grilled or roasted corn
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired, and chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot, combine the olive oil, chicken, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, thyme, and salt. Set over medium-high heat and cook until the spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, then add the ketchup, honey, dijon, and beer. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. 2. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add additional beer to thin. Once the chicken is cooked, shred with two forks. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 3. Meanwhile, make the crema. Combine the avocado and lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt. 4. To make the salsa. In a bowl, combine the corn, jalapeño, cilantro, chives, and 1-2 spoonfuls of the avocado crema. Season with salt. 5. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and bbq chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 6. Serve the tacos with a dollop of the avocado crema, the corn salsa, lime, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
This was delicious! The chicken was so flavorful and the crema and corn salsa were great with it. My only issue was getting the corn tortillas not to fall apart, but still tasted amazing
Hey Amanda,
Happy Sunday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
This was so good. Rave reviews every time I make it. Thank you! I have leftover – fully cooked – shredded pork. Is there a way to just make the sauce and add the pork?
Hey Sarah,
So glad to hear you have enjoyed this recipe!! Sure, you could just make the sauce recipe and toss it with your pork. I hope this helps! xT
My absolute favorite meal to make! My husband said it’s the best thing I’ve ever made so thank you for sharing this recipe!! We loveeee it
Hey Jessi,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review:)
What about marinating the chicken with spices then adding to pot and sauce to cook?
Hi Rondi,
Sure, you could do that! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
Holy Moly. I made this dish last night and it was delicious. I thought it would be too spicy but it wasn’t. This is a real winner.
Hi Debbie,
Perfect! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a hit! xxT
Can you grill the chicken and add it to the sauce?
Hi MJ,
Sure, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
These were seriously delicious! Made these last night and yum! My only regret was using the wrong tortillas, picked up some from TraderJoes that were terrible.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Veronica,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about your tortillas. Have a great weekend:)
These are super yummy and easy to make! The chicken would be great on a salad!
Hey Michelle,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xTieghan
I am so excited to try this recipe. I’m making extra for friends. Do you think I can make the crema a few days ahead of time before serving?
Hey Betsy,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
What’s the recipe if you cook the chicken in the crockpot? Your crispy chicken tinga taco recipe is made in the crockpot, and the meat turns out so tender and perfect. Would love to cook the chicken for this recipe on a crockpot.
Hi there,
Complete steps 1 and 2 in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Got it, and should I use chicken breast instead of chicken tender if I’m cooking the kitchen in a crockpot?
Either one will work:)
Turned out amazing! I made my avocado crema a little different (with Serrano peppers, mayo/Greek yogurt), but followed the rest of the recipe and the crispy chipotle chicken tacos are a WINNER. Adding this recipe to my regular rotation.
Hi Yelda,
Happy Monday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I am so excited to hear that it was a hit! xx
This is now my new favorite taco recipe. Soooo delicious! One question for you – what brand of corn tortillas do you use? I have tried a few and they always crack, even when I warm them first. It has to just be me but I thought maybe you use a better quality I could try. Even with them broken though, these came out amazing. Thank you!!
Hey Jaime,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out:) I really like Whole Foods 365 brand. I hope this helps! xTieghan
My husband said this was a restaurant-grade dish; where he was thrilled with the flavors. However, I had to make an audible and not serve it to my two young ones based on the heat of both the sauce and the particular jalapeño pepper I grabbed.
I will be serving this for friends and I’m looking forward to my leftovers. That chipotle seasoning was the clincher! What a great combination of flavors and textures!
Hi Lauren,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you taking the time to make this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit! xxT