Sheet Pan Shredded Chicken Tacos – Gluten Free

Sheet pan shredded chicken tacos that are perfect for your taco Tuesday! Made with marinated chicken thighs for perfectly seasoned, tender, shredded chicken every time. Pile it into your favorite tortillas and load them up with guacamole, shredded lettuce, pickled red onions, dairy free sour cream, and some fresh lime juice for the yummiest flavor combo! Gluten free, paleo + Whole30 option.

Taco Tuesday is great and all, but is there really ever a day where tacos aren’t a good idea?!

I mean, why limit ourselves to tacos only ONE night of the week? Seems all together unfair to tacos, and our dinner plans.

We’ve been way into these sheet pan shredded chicken tacos lately. They might just be the best shredded chicken taco recipe I’ve ever made – and I don’t use that phrase lightly!

They’re made in the oven and can be marinated the night before – or even just 30 minutes prior to cooking if you’re short on time.

Which happens to be just enough time to prep some toppings, a side dish or two, and mix up a round of margaritas 😉

Why you’ll love these sheet pan shredded chicken tacos

These easy chicken tacos are:

• Perfectly seasoned
• Tender and crispy
• Satisfying
• Made in the oven – easy clean up!
• Simple
• Versatile
• SO delicious!

Ingredients

The ease of this shredded chicken taco recipe is in the marinade. With just a few flavor packed ingredients the seasoned marinade creates a sauce for the chicken that coats every bite.

Made with fresh citrus, spices and seasonings, olive oil, and a little bit of maple syrup or honey to encourage caramelization for complex and balanced flavor that will keep you coming back for more!

Here’s what you need:

• Chicken thighs – You could also use chicken breasts for this recipe but I definitely prefer chicken thighs for their flavor and higher fat content. That’s what keeps the chicken from drying out and helps the shredded chicken to caramelize under the broiler!
• Simple spice blend – The marinade is made with a simple spice blend of taco seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, and salt + pepper.
• Orange juice – Orange juice adds a hint of sweetness and a soft fruity note that’s a welcome compliment to all the spices.
• Lime juice – Lime juice does what lime juice does best – lifts up all the other flavors in the marinade and brings the spices, sweetness, and fats together in perfect harmony.
• Honey – Just a touch of honey (or maple syrup) add a little sweetness to the chicken and helps to encourage caramelization for an added depth of flavor.
• Olive oil – Olive oil or avocado oil would both be good options.
• Tortillas – We chose some grain free cassava flour tortillas but you can use whatever type you like! Pro tip: give them a good char in a super hot cast iron pan or over your burner if you have a gas stove for that restaurant quality finish before serving.
• Your favorite toppings – You can choose as many toppings as you’d like, or just keep it simple. Our favorites include: shredded romaine, guacamole, pickled red onions, dairy free sour cream, cilantro, and some thinly sliced jalapeño.

How to make

This taco recipe is so easy to make, and after the chicken has marinated, comes together rather quickly!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Place chicken thighs in a large Tupperware or Ziploc bag. Add taco seasoning, paprika, cumin, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, honey, lime juice, orange juice, and olive oil. Use tongs or clean hands to turn and coat chicken evenly with the marinade. Move to the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Line a broil safe baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat if desired for easy clean up. Add chicken thighs to the lined baking sheet, leaving any excess marinade behind.
• Move to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes – until completely cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer chicken thighs to a large cutting board. Preheat the broiler. Use two forks to roughly shred the chicken. Transfer shredded chicken back onto the baking sheet and toss with any accumulated juices. Spread out in an even layer. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil chicken for about 3-5 minutes – until nicely browned with lots of caramelized bits.
• Remove from the oven and season with the juice of 1/2 a lime. Assemble the tacos with any desired toppings and DIG IN!

A note on broiling: If you’ve lined your baking sheet with parchment paper keep a close eye on your sheet pan during broiling, as parchment paper can start to burn under the intense heat.

Alternatively, if you prefer your chicken to be more saucy / juicy you can skip the broiling step all together and serve the chicken immediately after shredding.

You could also skip cooking the chicken in the oven all together and sear the chicken in a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat until cooked through before shredding!

How to make these chicken tacos Whole30 / Paleo

These chicken tacos can be made paleo / Whole30 compatible with a few easy swaps:

1. Leave out the honey or maple syrup in the marinade (Whole30)
2. Serve the shredded chicken and toppings over a bed of lettuce, on top of a roasted sweet potato, or over some cauliflower rice (Whole30 + Paleo)
3. Use cassava flour tortillas (Paleo)

Taco topping ideas

The possibilities are endless! We like a mix of shredded romaine lettuce, guacamole, pickled red onions, dairy free sour cream, cilantro, and thinly sliced jalapeño.

Some other topping ideas:

• Diced avocado
• Salsa
• Pico de gallo
• Thinly sliced radish
• Diced white onion
• Cotija cheese
• Corn salsa

Serving suggestions

You really don’t need much besides the tacos for a complete, satisfying meal, but if you’re looking for an additional dish or two to serve with them here’s some ideas.

• Sweet and spicy Mexican roasted sweet potatoes
• Mexican rice or cilantro rice
• Black beans
• Southwest quinoa
• Chips and salsa
• Chopped Mexican salad

How long will leftovers keep

Once the chicken is cooked, it should keep in the refrigerator for 5-6 days in a sealed container. I recommend storing it separately from the toppings and tortillas, and assembling only when ready to eat.

If you’re hoping to prep these tacos in advance for dinner or a party I would prepare the recipe up to the point of shredding, and then broil them in the oven when you’re ready to serve. Otherwise you run the risk of the chicken drying out.

Love these easy tacos? Here’s some other yummy Mexican inspired recipes to try!

• Blackened Salmon Tacos with Mango and Green Sauce
• Ground Pork Tacos with Creamy Slaw
• Mexican Roasted Cauliflower
• Whole30 White Chicken Chili
• Easy Marinated Steak and Avocado Tacos
• Dairy Free Queso Fundido with Ground Beef

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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