What To Expect From This Recipe

• Taste: Prepare for a well-rounded and harmonious blend of flavors. You’ll experience the smoky warmth of chili, the distinctive earthiness of cumin, the aromatic depth of garlic and onion, all perfectly balanced with savory salt. The black pepper adds a subtle, gentle kick without being overly prominent, allowing the other robust flavors to shine. This seasoning is designed to complement chicken beautifully, providing a rich, authentic Mexican profile.
• Ease: This is an incredibly beginner-friendly recipe that requires no special skills or equipment. If you can measure and stir, you can make this seasoning! It’s as simple as combining all the dry spices in a bowl or jar, making it ideal for even the most novice cooks.
• Time: The actual preparation of the spice mix takes literally a minute or two to measure everything out. Once your seasoning is ready, cooking chicken with it is incredibly fast. You can have flavorful chicken ready for tacos or fajitas in as little as 15-20 minutes, making it a fantastic option for quick weeknight meals. This seasoning significantly cuts down on meal prep time, allowing you to enjoy delicious, homemade food without the fuss.

1. Step 1. Prepare the Seasoning. In a small bowl, a resealable plastic bag, or a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the dry spices: salt, chili powder, ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Whisk them together thoroughly until they are well integrated and there are no clumps. This ensures an even distribution of flavor when you apply it to the chicken. Store any leftover seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for future use.

2. Step 2. Prepare and Season the Chicken. Begin by patting your chicken breasts dry with paper towels; this helps the seasoning adhere and promotes better browning. If your chicken breasts are thicker than an inch, we highly recommend pounding them to an even thickness (about ¾-inch) using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. This tenderizes the meat and ensures it cooks evenly and quickly. Once prepared, generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with your freshly made Mexican chicken seasoning. Make sure to coat them well for maximum flavor.

3. Step 3. Sear and Cook the Chicken. Heat a large skillet (cast iron or stainless steel works best) over high heat with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil (or olive oil). Once the oil is shimmering and the pan is hot, carefully place the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet. Sear the chicken on both sides for approximately 3 minutes per side, until they develop a beautiful golden-brown crust. This searing step locks in flavor and creates a delicious texture. After browning, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 ℉ (74 ℃) when measured with an instant-read thermometer.

4. Step 4. Rest the Chicken. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the skillet and transfer it to a plate. Loosely cover the plate with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the juices within the meat to redistribute, resulting in incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful chicken. Don’t skip this step!

5. Step 5. Slice and Serve. After resting, slice the chicken into thin strips or dice it into bite-sized pieces. It’s now perfectly ready to be used as a delicious filling for your favorite tacos, in burritos with homemade tortillas, or as a flavorful protein in a vibrant Mexican-style salad. Enjoy the incredible taste of your homemade chicken taco creation!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks for Success

Achieving perfectly seasoned and cooked chicken for your tacos is simple with a few smart techniques. Here are our top tips and hacks to ensure your homemade chicken taco seasoning shines:

• Invest in an Instant-Read Thermometer: This is arguably the most valuable tool for cooking chicken perfectly. Using an instant-read thermometer ensures that your chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165 ℉ (74 ℃) without overcooking. This guarantees juicy, tender chicken every time and removes all guesswork, preventing dry, tough results.
• Even Thickness is Key: When using chicken breasts, particularly larger or unevenly sized ones, it’s crucial to pound them to an even thickness (about ¾-inch). This helps them cook uniformly, preventing thinner parts from drying out while thicker parts are still undercooked. You can use a meat mallet, the bottom of a heavy pan, or a rolling pin between two sheets of plastic wrap. If you’re using ground chicken or turkey, this step isn’t necessary, as the even texture is already there.
• The Power of Resting Meat: After cooking, always remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes. This resting period is vital because it allows the muscle fibers to relax and the internal juices to redistribute throughout the meat. The result is significantly juicier and more flavorful chicken – a difference you’ll definitely taste!
• Make a Big Batch: Don’t just make enough for one meal! This seasoning blend is so quick and easy to prepare that it’s highly recommended to double or triple the recipe. Having a larger batch stored in an airtight container means you’ll always have it ready for impromptu taco nights, grilled chicken, or any dish that needs a flavor boost.
• Storage for Longevity: Store your homemade chicken taco seasoning in a cool, dark pantry away from direct sunlight and heat. Use an airtight container, such as a glass jar with a tight lid, to maintain its potency and freshness. Properly stored, it can last for up to 1-3 years, though for optimal flavor, we recommend using it within 6-12 months.
• Adjust for Spice Preferences: If you’re cooking for a crowd with varying spice tolerances, you can make the seasoning milder by reducing the chili powder and ground pepper. For those who love heat, offer a sprinkle of extra cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce on the side.

While often similar, chicken taco seasoning is typically formulated to be a bit more mild and balanced to complement the delicate flavor of chicken. Chicken can easily be overpowered by bolder flavors like an excess of chili, paprika, or cumin. Therefore, chicken taco seasoning usually has slightly lighter quantities of these more intense spices, ensuring the natural taste of the chicken still shines through, while still delivering that classic taco flavor profile.

Absolutely, yes, especially if you already have a well-stocked spice cabinet. When you buy individual spices in bulk, the cost per serving for homemade seasoning is significantly lower than purchasing pre-packaged mixes. Beyond cost savings, making your own also allows you to avoid extra preservatives, anti-caking agents, or artificial dyes often found in commercial blends, giving you a purer, fresher product.

They are very similar, using many of the same core spices, but often differ in their ratios and sometimes include different herbs. Taco seasoning commonly emphasizes chili powder and cumin, sometimes with added paprika for color and a hint of sweetness. Fajita seasoning, on the other hand, might feature a more prominent role for spices like cumin, oregano, and garlic, often with a slightly less intense chili base, designed to pair with the sizzle of peppers and onions in fajitas. Both are delicious and can often be used interchangeably in a pinch.

Yes, absolutely! This seasoning works wonderfully with ground chicken or turkey. When cooking ground poultry, you might notice that it releases a bit more liquid compared to chicken breasts. To ensure your seasoning doesn’t get diluted or washed away, it’s a good idea to at least partially drain any excess liquid from the pan before stirring in the seasoning. This allows the spices to cling to the meat and develop their full flavor.

When stored properly in a cool, dry space within an airtight container, your homemade chicken taco seasoning can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years. However, for the most vibrant and potent flavor, it’s generally best to use it within 6-12 months. Over time, ground spices tend to lose some of their aroma and flavor, so check for freshness before each use.

A good rule of thumb is to use about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of this homemade seasoning blend per pound of chicken. This amount ensures a rich, flavorful coating. However, feel free to adjust based on your personal preference for intensity.

Yes, since this homemade seasoning uses only individual dried spices, it is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. This makes it a great option for those with dietary restrictions or allergies, as you have full control over the ingredients.

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Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning

Hi, I’m Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.