These protein-packed Ground Chicken Tacos are an easy weeknight meal that everyone will love. Lean ground chicken, black beans, and all of your favorite toppings come together for the best tacos!

My Favorite Protein Packed Ground Chicken Tacos

Tacos are one of my favorite quick and easy weeknight recipes and this protein packed ground chicken taco recipe is a go-to. They come together so fast and they have an extra punch of protein thanks to the addition of black beans which makes them extra hearty.

You can serve the ground chicken meat in a variety of ways (think burrito bowls or salads) and everything reheats well which makes this the perfect meal prep recipe!

More Reader Favorite Chicken Recipes

ground chicken taco ingredients

Recipe Ingredients

Oil: you’ll need a bit of oil to brown the ground chicken. I prefer olive or avocado oil but use whatever you like!

Ground Chicken: I love cooking with ground chicken and it’s a great way to switch things up from ground turkey or ground beef. You can use both extra lean ground chicken breast for this recipe or regular ground chicken.

Garlic and Onion: fresh garlic and onion helps create a delicious base of flavor.

Bell Pepper: any color will do!

Apple Cider Vinegar: the extra bit of acid really helps to balance the flavor of the taco meat.

Spices: for this recipe you’ll need ground cumin, chipotle powder, paprika, dried oregano, chili powder, and red pepper flakes.

Arrowroot Starch: I got this tip from my husband and I’ve been using it ever since. The little bit of starch helps to thicken the liquid for the perfect consistency.

Black Beans: for extra protein and fiber I love adding canned black beans to this recipe. Be sure to rinse and drain them before adding.

Chicken Broth: you’ll need a bit of low-sodium chicken broth to add to the ground chicken.

chicken, peppers, and onion in skillet

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Ground Chicken – swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
  • Black Beans – don’t love black beans? you can easily leave them out if you prefer!
  • Veggies – feel free to add some veggies to the meat mixture if you like. Finely diced bell pepper would be great!
  • Seasoning – do you prefer your tacos with a little kick? add a bit more chipotle powder for an extra kick.
  • Arrowroot Starch – swap arrowroot starch for tapioca starch or cornstarch if you prefer.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

ground chicken and beans in skillet

How to Make This Ground Chicken Taco Recipe

Step One: Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.

Step Two: Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks. Once the meat has started to brown, add the garlic, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Continue to brown the meat until it is no longer pink and the onion and veggies become tender.

Step Three: Next, lower the heat to medium and add the apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and arrowroot starch to ground meat. Cook for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.

Step Four: Next, add the black beans and chicken broth and stir until well combined. Let the ground chicken mixture simmer a bit in the broth until thickened and then remove from the heat.

Step Five: Next, assemble the tacos and enjoy!

taco ingredients

Topping and Serving Ideas

  • tortillas – start with your favorite tortillas! corn, flour, or grain free – whatever you prefer!
  • avocado – a slice of fresh avocado or homemade guacamole is a great addition, too! If you want to switch things up a bit you could even make this avocado corn salsa!
  • pineapple salsa or Mango Salsa if you’re looking for a light and slightly sweet topping then this pineapple salsa is perfect!
  • cilantro – a must have on any good taco. Don’t forget to use both the stems and leaves for the best flavor!
  • diced tomato – you can go with regular diced tomatoes or make a batch of this homemade pico de Gallo.
  • diced onion – fresh red onion or white onion would both be delicious on these tacos.
  • pickled onions – I love adding these to tacos for a fresh, sweet, and tangy bite. If you need to make a homemade batch you can use THIS RECIPE
  • jalapeños – thinly sliced fresher or pickled are both great options!
  • sharp cheddar – for the perfect cheesy finish.
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream – whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream are both delicious.

tacos on sheetpan

Different Ways to Serve

If you want to switch things up a bit from serving the ground chicken as tacos, there are a few different ways you can serve the meat.

Burrito Bowls: start with a base of cilantro lime rice and then add the ground chicken and all of your favorite burrito bowl toppings.

Taco Salads: want something even lighter? try making a taco salad! Start with your favorite greens, add the chicken taco meat, and then all of your favorite salad toppings. Try using this jalapeño ranch as the dressing!

Lettuce Wraps: swap flour or corn tortillas for butter or romaine lettuce leaves.

tacos on sheetpan

How to Store and Reheat

Store: store any leftover the ground chicken mixture in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: you can quickly reheat the chicken taco meat in the microwave for thirty seconds to a minute until heated through.

More Delicious Recipes

I hope you give these Ground Chicken Tacos a try! They are so easy to make and delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! 

Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

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tacos on sheetpan

Ground Chicken Tacos

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Ashlea Carver
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: dinner
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: mexican inspired
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These protein-packed Ground Chicken Tacos are an easy weeknight meal that everyone will love. Lean ground chicken, black beans, and all of your favorite toppings come together for the best tacos!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch
  • 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth

For Serving

  • flour tortillas, warmed
  • shredded lettuce
  • sharp white cheddar cheese
  • sliced avocado
  • pickled onions
  • cilantro
  • pico de gallo

Instructions

  1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.
  2. Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks. Once the meat has started to brown, add the garlic, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Continue to brown the meat until it is no longer pink and the onion and veggies become tender.
  3. Next, lower the heat to medium and add the apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and arrowroot starch to ground meat. Cook for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.
  4. Next, add the black beans and chicken broth and stir until well combined. Let the ground chicken mixture simmer a bit in the broth until thickened and then remove from the heat.
  5. Next, assemble the tacos and enjoy!

Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: THE MINDFUL HAPA

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3 Comments

  1. Christina says:

    Delicious and easy. I didn’t see any thickening with the arrowroot. Is it like cornstarch where it should be added first to cold liquid?? None the less it was still good and will make it again. I paired it with the chipotle slaw from your shrimp taco recipe. So good. Made double portions and made burritos for lunch the next day. Inwasnt sure those things would pair but took a chance and it was really really good. Thx!!!






  2. Rene Malecki says:

    Amazing! They were so good and even my picky eater said she liked the taco meat. Will definitely be part of our meal rotation.






    1. These were so tasty! My family really enjoyed this, I will definitely make it again! Thanks