This is the best homemade chicken taco seasoning. This homemade seasoning mix is easy to make, full of flavour and way better than any store bought seasonings. It will make your chicken tacos taste amazing!
If you love Mexican inspired recipes like simple chunky guacamole and healthy Mexican chicken marinade then you are going to love this seasoning recipe.
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special:
- It tastes amazing! This taco spice mix has the best authentic Mexican flavour and is better than any store bought seasoning mixes or packets. It's perfect for taco night, just like my homemade mango habanero salsa.
- This seasoning mix is quick and easy to make and is ready in just a few minutes.
- It's cheaper to make your own seasoning blend rather than buying pre-made store-bought packets so this is a great way to save money on groceries.
- This taco seasoning is healthy, sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo, Whole30, keto, low carb and free from any preservatives, artificial flavours, or processed ingredients. It's also lower in sodium compared to most taco seasoning packets.
If you like homemade seasonings you will also like my carne asada seasoning mix.
Ingredients and substitutions:
For the full ingredient list and exact measurements refer to the recipe card later in this post.
Jump to the Recipe Card.
- Cumin - a classic Mexican spice that gives this taco spice blend so much flavour and a little heat. Be sure to use ground cumin rather than cumin seeds.
- Oregano - a nice mild herb that helps contrast the spicier spices in this mix. You can either use oregano or Mexican oregano.
- Smoked paprika - adds a nice bold, smokey flavour to this spice blend. Paprika is one of the best seasonings for chicken. If you don't have smoked paprika you can use regular paprika instead.
- Chili powder - adds more spicy flavour to this recipe. Be sure to use a pure chili powder rather than a chili powder blend.
- Garlic powder - this adds a delicious savoury flavour and enhances the taste of the other spices.
- Onion powder - onion powder is a pantry staple spice that makes spice blends taste so much better!
- Dried cilantro - cilantro is a classic Mexican herb that people either love or hate. I personally love the taste of cilantro but if you don't like it or don't have dried cilantro simply omit it from the recipe.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- To make this mix spicier: add another teaspoon of chili powder or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- This recipe is good for about a pound of chicken or a pound of meat, so if you are cooking more than that you can double or triple the recipe.
- You can make this seasoning lower in sodium by reducing the amount of salt.
How to make chicken taco seasoning:
Step 1
First, place all the herbs and spices in a small bowl or jar.
Step 2
Then mix the spices well until the seasoning mix is well combined.
Top tips:
- Use fresh spices and seasonings for the best taste.
- If you want to have more of this seasoning to have on hand for later you can make a big batch and store it for later.
- Use a small funnel to make transferring this spice blend to a jar or other storage container much easier and with less mess.
How to use this seasoning:
- To make the best chicken tacos. For the most flavour, you want to season your chicken before cooking it if you are using chicken breasts or chicken thighs. If you are using ground chicken you don't need to season the chicken before cooking it. Simply brown the meat in a pan or skillet and add the seasoning while the meat is cooking.
- For making other taco meat such as ground beef tacos.
- You can use this mix to make a Mexican dip: mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream or Greek yogurt and add as much seasoning as you prefer. I also love adding a little fresh lime juice.
- This chicken taco seasoning also works great as a spice rub for other meats, seafood or veggies. I love adding it to air fried diced potatoes and French fries.
Chicken taco seasoning FAQs:
Chicken and beef taco seasoning is quite similar, but normally beef taco seasoning is a littler spicier.
This mix will season about one pound of chicken. If you have more meat than that simply double or triple this recipe.
Store this mix in a mason jar or airtight container in a cool dark place. It will stay fresh for months if you store it this way. Be sure to store it out of sunlight. You can also store it in the fridge if you prefer.
Absolutely! You can use it for any type of meat or fish tacos.
Other Mexican inspired recipes you will love:
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Recipe
Chicken Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro (omit if you don't have it)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl or jar.
- Mix the ingredients until they are well combined.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 5 tablespoon of spice mix.
- This seasoning mix is good for about 1 lb of chicken. If you are making more, double or triple the recipe as needed.
- Store this spice mix in an airtight container or jar in a cool dark place for months.
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