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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.
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!
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!
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
These tacos were SO addictive!! I couldn’t stop eating them. Such delicious flavors 🙂
Love to hear this Jenna!! xT
Is 1 serving equivalent to 1 taco? Asking because I plan on making this recipe for my family in about a week. Trying to figure out the portions 😁
Hi Jared! This should make about 10-12 tacos depending on how much meat you’re adding to each taco! Hope this helps! xT
So good!! Will definitely be making again. 😊
Hey there! Sooo glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
Holy tacos. I made these tonight and they were AMAZING. My three little ones even loved it! This is going to be a new staple for us. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Alexis,
Happy Wednesday!!🫐🍒🍓 I’m so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT