Smoked Chicken Tacos
These smoked chicken tacos are smoky, juicy, and full of flavor. Chicken breasts are rubbed with spices, smoked low and slow until tender, then sliced thin and tucked into warm tortillas with fresh cilantro, lime, and all your favorite toppings.
Servings: 10 tacos
Calories: 184kcal
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (half a lime)
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
- 10 small tortilla shells (corn or flour)
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
- Optional toppings: avocado lime crema, pickled red onions, Miracle Whip coleslaw, shredded cheese, salsa
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F and add wood pellets (hickory, apple, or pecan all work well with chicken).
- While the smoker preheats, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and brush or rub the spice mixture evenly over all sides.
- Place the chicken breasts directly on the smoker grates. Close the lid and smoke for 55-70 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F (about 60 minutes on my Pit Boss pellet smoker).
- When the chicken is finished, remove it to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.
- Slice the chicken thinly across the grain. Warm the tortillas briefly on the grill or in a skillet until pliable. Fill each tortilla with slices of smoked chicken, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Top with avocado lime crema, pickled red onions, slaw, or your favorite taco toppings. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don't overcook the chicken. Pull it from the smoker as soon as it reaches 165°F. Any longer and the breasts will dry out.
- Let the chicken rest. A 5-10 minute rest on a cutting board keeps it juicy and makes slicing easier.
- Slice against the grain. Cutting the chicken this way ensures tender, bite-sized pieces that work perfectly in tacos.
- Warm the tortillas. Heating them briefly in a skillet or on the smoker makes them soft and pliable, so they won't crack when filled.
- Set up a topping bar. Lay out lime wedges, cilantro, avocado lime crema, and pickled red onions so everyone can build tacos their own way.
Nutrition
Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
