Description

These Red Chile Chicken Tacos are bold, saucy, and super satisfying. Shredded chicken is coated in a rich, smoky red chile sauce and piled into soft tortillas, then topped with a creamy, cheesy corn mixture. Fresh, flavorful, and perfect for taco night!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Red Chile Chicken:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 pounds cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)

For the Creamy Corn:

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups corn (fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed)
2 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup Cotija cheese (plus extra for topping)
Salt to taste

For Serving:

8 small flour or corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the Red Chile Chicken: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until soft. Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes to absorb flavor. Keep warm.
Make the Creamy Corn: In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add corn and cook for 3–5 minutes until hot and slightly golden. Stir in cream cheese and Cotija. Mix until creamy and season with salt.
Assemble Tacos: Warm the tortillas. Fill each one with a generous scoop of the red chile chicken and top with a spoonful of creamy corn. Garnish with extra Cotija, chopped cilantro, and lime juice if desired.

Notes

You can use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut.
Add jalapeños or hot sauce if you like extra heat.
The creamy corn is great as a side dish too!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tacos
Calories: 460
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 580mg
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 29g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 35g
Cholesterol: 100mg