Quick & Easy Skillet Taco Chicken

Skip the tortilla, this skillet chicken is the taco night you never knew you needed. Chicken breast is seasoned with taco seasoning, cooked quick in the skillet with taco sauce & cheese, and topped with all of your favorite taco toppings for a quick and easy dinner! This Skillet Taco Chicken Breast Recipe will be on repeat in your house weekly!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Skillet Taco Chicken Breast

Did taco night just become 100% easier? YES, yes it did with this quick and easy taco chicken breast done in the skillet. 

Cook up taco seasoned chicken breasts quickly along with taco sauce and cheese in just minutes and dinner is on the table.

Skip the tortillas and top your skillet taco chicken with your favorite taco toppings and dinner is served. 

Taco Chicken Bake

This is done in a similar style to all of my chicken bake recipes but this recipe is even more awesome because it is about 3 times faster when done on the stovetop in a skillet. 

I chose to do this recipe on the skillet because with the coating of taco seasoning, having a sear on the breast is just so much more delicious!!!

I tried this recipe in both the oven and on the skillet. Skillet won hands down, it was extremely better for this dish!

Similar to my Easy Southwest Chicken recipe that uses a dry rub seasoning, it is easy to prep, cooks fast, and clean up is simple as well. 

If you are looking for a chicken option in the oven instead check out my Supreme Pizza Chicken Bake, Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake, or my Chicken Cordon Bleu Chicken Bake. 

How to Make Healthy Chicken Taco Skillet

Start by preparing the chicken, I like to use close to proper portion sizes when I use chicken breast in my recipes. So that means you will want a chicken cutlet opposed to a full size chicken breast. Most chicken breasts are about double a proper proportion, so the best way to solve that problem is to turn one large chicken breast into 2 cutlets. 

Make a cutlet by carefully cutting the chicken in half, resulting in 2 smaller cutlets. These cutlets will be close to 6-8 ounces depending on the starting size of your chicken breast. So for this recipe you will want two chicken breasts resulting in 4 chicken cutlets. 

If all of this is confusing of course there is two things you can do. First you can buy chicken breasts that are pre-portioned to a proper portion. Or second just use the full chicken breasts but note that the cook time will change since the breast are probably larger, which in turn might change the outcome of the dish.

Once you have your cutlets you will prepare them by coating both sides with the taco seasoning until completely covered. If you are in need of an awesome taco seasoning, check out my Homemade Taco Seasoning.

Next prepare your skillet, add the oil to a large skillet and heat on the stovetop over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering and hot.

Add the seasoned chicken cutlets in a single layer in the skillet, try to avoid them overlapping and touching. Cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes.

Now flip the chicken, recover, and cook 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of taco sauce to the top of each of the chicken cutlets followed by 1/4 cup of cheese to the tops of each.

Recover and cook 1 more minute or until chicken has an internal temperature of 165º F and cheese is all melty!

Remove from heat and let chicken rest 3-5 minutes. Transfer to plates and top each taco chicken cutlet with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and black olives or whatever your favorite taco toppings are! 

Note for pictures I put the toppings on while the chicken was still in the skillet but for practically purposes it is easier to do once it is on the plate. 

I also like the pre-cut my children’s chicken before putting the toppings on to make it easier to eat. Plus then as a parent you don’t have to try to cut the chicken that is covered in taco toppings! 

What to serve with your Skillet Taco Chicken Breast?

• I would recommend my super easy Slow Cooker Refried Beans
• You can’t go wrong with Mexican Rice
• Crispy Baby Potatoes or Frozen French Fries are also a delicious option
• You can never go wrong with a healthy vegetable like my Oven Roasted Broccoli 

And make sure you are following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Peace & Love

Lauren, The Schmidty Wife

P.S. Looking for more dinner recipes? Check out my Slow Cooker Chipotle Pineapple Carnitas or my Black Bean Nachos.