Warm corn tortillas loaded with tangy BBQ chicken, black beans salsa, fresh cilantro and a drizzle of cilantro lime sauce. These BBQ chicken tacos are made in just 15 minutes and are an easy dinner to serve your family!
Need more meals made in 30 minutes or less? Try egg roll in a bowl, sheet pan chicken fajitas or baked chicken tenders!
Table of Contents
Easy Mexican Tacos
These BBQ chicken tacos are a mouthwatering fusion of Tex-Mex and southern flavors, featuring tender chicken infused with smoky flavor tangy barbecue sauce. Served in corn or soft tortillas and garnished with fresh black bean salsa, they are one of my favorite twists on traditional tacos.
I’ve never met a taco that I didn’t like. The thing I love most about them is the unlimited number of combinations to try. Just by using different types of meats, toppings and sauces, you can make all kinds of delicious taco Tuesday variations that you’ll never get sick of.
They’re tacos are super easy to make, with only 15 minutes of prep time needed. And since we use rotisserie chicken, there’s no cooking involved! Just assemble and enjoy. :)
Reasons to Love these Tacos
- They’re quick to make. This dish takes hardly any time to prep, only 15 minutes to be exact. Because we’re using rotisserie chicken, there’s literally no cooking involved. Just shred the chicken and then mix together with the sauce. Then assemble and enjoy!
- Customizable. One of the best things about these tacos is how everyone can customize them to their own preference. Use the chicken as the base, but then add as many or as little toppings as you’d like.
- Feeds a crowd. If you need an easy dinner to feed a crowd, these tacos are the perfect choice. This recipe serves about 8 people, but you can easily double or even triple it depending on how many guests you have.
- Leftovers. Skip the tortilla and make a BBQ chicken salad for an easy lunch. Or use leftovers to make a dinner of southwest stuffed sweet potatoes or this Southwest egg rolls recipe.
Tips + Substitutions
There are a few ways you could prepare this meal, depending on your preferences. Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, or cook the meat in the oven or slow cooker. Swap out corn tortillas with the soft or crunchy varieties, or even serve your tacos over a bed of lettuce.
- Meat. To make this recipe super easy, I love to buy the rotisserie chicken from Costco. This recipe would also taste great with crockpot BBQ chicken, leftovers of my grilled BBQ chicken recipe or baked BBQ chicken. You can even use leftover grilled chicken thighs or BBQ pulled pork if you want.
- BBQ sauce. Use your favorite store bought brand (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s) or make a homemade BBQ sauce. And don’t forget to add an extra drizzle of sauce after assembling your tacos. It makes them perfectly tangy, smoky and downright delicious!
- Tortillas. My family loves corn tortillas, but you could certainly use soft flour tortillas or crunchy corn taco shells. Just make sure to warm up your tortillas before serving for the best result.
Favorite Toppings for BBQ Chicken Tacos
Whether you add a creamy sauce, a sprinkle of cotija cheese or a few chopped jalapenos for some heat, any of the toppings below would make the perfect finishing touch to these barbecue chicken tacos.
- Black bean salsa
- Cilantro lime dressing
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced avocado
- Cotija or cheddar cheese
- Pickled onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado lime dressing
- Squeeze of lime
- Pineapple salsa
- Cilantro lime crema
- Chopped jalapenos
FAQs
The easiest way to shred chicken is use two forks to easily pull the meat apart. Have one fork in one hand and one holding the chicken steady. Then just pull through it easily. This works for rotisserie chicken, baked chicken or even grilled chicken.
Yes! Just store your shredded BBQ chicken separately from the black bean tacos in the fridge up to 3 days.
You can use rotisserie chicken from the store, cooked chicken breast or cooked thighs.
For these chicken tacos you can use whatever BBQ sauce your family prefers. Whether that is homemade, sweeter, spicier or tangier, the choice is up to you.
Love easy leftover rotisserie chicken recipes? Try this sheet pan quesadilla, next!
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BBQ Chicken Tacos
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup corn
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes , diced
- ¼ cup red onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 12 corn tortillas , or flour tortillas
Optional toppings: Sliced avocado, pickled onions, cilantro lime dressing, sour cream, salsa, cotija or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the chicken and BBQ sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
- In a separate bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble tacos by placing the chicken onto a warm tortilla. Add a scoop of the bean mixture. Top with your favorite toppings. Add an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Chicken, Cinco De Mayo, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Mexican, Nut-Free
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These are going on my menu for sure!
Enjoy! :)
Delicious idea! Love the pico on top. It adds even more flavor with the bbq chicken. Great option!
This is perfect for lunch today and looks so delicious! My family is going to love this recipe, so excited to make this savory recipe!
These remind me of my favorite BBQ chicken salad – so yummy! We used flour tortillas and added lettuce. They are so easy to make, and taste amazing!
This looks so good