Description
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 friendly, Whole30 option.
Ingredients
For shredded chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- juice of 1 lime – about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of half a lime
For serving, as desired
- tortillas – I used grain free cassava flour tortillas
- guacamole
- shredded romaine
- pickled red onions
- cilantro
- dairy free sour cream
- sliced jalapeño
Instructions
- 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. *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.
- Remove from the oven and season with the juice of 1/2 a lime. Assemble the tacos with any desired toppings and DIG IN!
Notes
If you prefer a stove top preparation you could 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!
To make these tacos Whole30 / Paleo: Leave out the honey or maple syrup in the marinade (Whole30), 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), use cassava flour tortillas (Paleo)
Once the chicken is cooked it should keep in the refrigerator for up to 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.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinating Time: 30 minutes - overnight
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Mexican