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Smoky, sweet and a little spicy…these crispy chipotle BBQ chicken tacos with a little bit of homemade avocado “crema” need to be on your weeknight menu! Crispy tortillas stuffed with saucy shredded chicken and melty cheddar with a spicy chipotle beer BBQ sauce. Finish with a cool avocado crema and a creamy charred corn salsa for the ultimate summer taco night.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crispy + cheesy oven tacos, zero frying mess.
- Smoky-sweet chipotle BBQ chicken you can easily adjust for heat.
- Creamy corn salsa and avocado crema to balance every bite.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: tenders or thighs both shred nicely; thighs give richer flavor.
Spice blend: smoked paprika + chipotle chili powder + cayenne = heat + smoke; taste sauce and adjust before the simmer.
Beer vs. broth: beer adds malty depth; broth keeps it alcohol-free.
Cheddar: sharp cheddar cuts through the sweet heat and melts beautifully.
Corn: grill/roast for char; off-season, thawed frozen corn chars well in a hot skillet.
Avocado crema: just avocado + lime + salt—simple, cool, and dairy-free as written.
The Inspiration
So here’s the thing, vacation and time off is truly a wonderful thing, but the day after returning? It’s not usually my favorite. I know some people will say they feel all refreshed and ready to jump back into things. But when I got home from Alaska Saturday night, I was tired.
Granted it was really Sunday morning when I got home because we didn’t actually get in until about 1 am, which meant bedtime was more like 3 am. Point? Sunday was brutal and I spent the day catching up on things I’d missed and digging through my inbox.
But the one silver lining of returning home? Back to homemade meals! Look, it’s nice to not have to cook on vacation. But the truth is I really love cooking, and the first recipe I made was these tacos. And they did not disappoint.
Honestly, they just sounded good. Summery, spicy, BBQ chicken and charred corn are two summer favorites. Usually I make them separately, and usually on the grill. But I was craving a crispy cheesy taco like the ones Dad used to make when we were growing up.
I combined two favorites into one and the outcome was delicious!
Swaps and Variations
Protein: shredded rotisserie chicken for speed (simmer briefly in the sauce to soak).
Cheese: pepper jack for extra heat or a Mexican blend for melt.
Tortillas: flour for extra pliability (texture changes); corn keeps classic crunch.
Add-ins: thin red onion or jalapeño inside for bite; extra herbs in salsa for freshness.
Cook the BBQ Chicken
- These tacos start off with the chicken. Instead of using overly sugary store-bought BBQ sauce, I decided to just do my own, but don’t worry, it’s easy!
- Combine the olive oil, chicken, and spices (smoky paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic, cayenne, and salt) over medium heat for about five minutes
- To make the BBQ sauce, reduce the heat to low, then just add ketchup, honey, dijon and a splash of your very favorite beer. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until you can shred the chicken. Toss the shredded chicken with the sauce. Spicy, sweet, smoky, and extra saucy!
Make the creamy corn salsa + crema
- You want to start with the crema since you’ll need it to complete the salsa. It’s simply avocado pureed with lime juice and sea salt. Basic, but also perfect.
- For the salsa, I wanted to use charred corn, but I wanted it to be creamier, kind of like a Mexican corn salad. Instead of using mayo, I used the crema to make the salsa creamy. I tossed in fresh jalapeño, lots of cilantro, and some chives too!
Bake the crispy oven tacos
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- Warm tortillas in the microwave, on a pan, or in an airfryer just until pliable
- Lightly oil the sheet pan and tortillas; don’t overfill (helps them seal and crisp).
- Bake until cheese melts and tortillas are golden with crisp edges; flip once for even crunch. Serve immediately.
- Serve the tacos with a dollop of the avocado crema, the corn salsa, lime, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Too spicy? Add a squeeze of lime and a small drizzle of honey to the BBQ sauce; finish tacos with extra crema.
- Too sweet? Add a pinch of salt and a splash of beer/broth or lime to balance.
- Tortillas cracking? Warm and stack under a towel; brush with a little oil before filling.
- Soggy tacos? Overfilling or excess sauce—shred chicken well and let it sit in the sauce a minute to absorb, then drain off any puddling before stuffing.
These tacos remind me of summers as a kid in Cleveland. A mix of dad’s tacos and BBQ chicken…and I kind of love that.
Make-Ahead/ Storage/ Reheat
- Make-ahead: cook chicken + prep crema/salsa; refrigerate in separate containers. Stuff and bake tacos right before serving.
- Storage: keep leftover chicken, salsa, and crema separate; store baked tacos unassembled for best texture.
- Reheat: re-crisp stuffed tacos on a wire rack set over a sheet pan (or in an air fryer) just until hot and crisp again. Loosen chicken with a splash of broth if needed.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes—shred and simmer it briefly in the sauce so it absorbs flavor, then proceed with assembly.
What if I can’t get fresh corn?
Use frozen corn; thaw and pat dry, then char in a hot skillet before mixing with crema and herbs.
How do I keep tortillas from cracking?
Warm them until pliable and lightly oil both sides before filling; fold gently and bake right away.
How can I adjust the BBQ sauce sweetness or heat?
For less sweet, add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt. For less heat, reduce cayenne and chipotle; for more heat, add a little extra chipotle chili powder.
Looking for other summer tacos? Here are a few of my go-to’s.
Taco Stuffed Avocados with Chipotle Sauce and Cilantro Lime Ranch
Sheet Pan Jalapeño Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema
Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro Lime Garlic Sauce
Lastly, if you make these Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos with Creamy Charred Corn Salsa
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 631 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders or cubed thighs
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup your favorite beer, or use chicken broth
- 8-12 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Salsa + Crema
- 2 large avocados, halved
- juice from 2 limes
- 2 cups grilled or roasted corn
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired, and chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot, combine the olive oil, chicken, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, thyme, and salt. Set over medium-high heat and cook until the spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, then add the ketchup, honey, dijon, and beer. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. 2. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add additional beer to thin. Once the chicken is cooked, shred with two forks. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 3. Meanwhile, make the crema. Combine the avocado and lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt. 4. To make the salsa. In a bowl, combine the corn, jalapeño, cilantro, chives, and 1-2 spoonfuls of the avocado crema. Season with salt. 5. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and bbq chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 6. Serve the tacos with a dollop of the avocado crema, the corn salsa, lime, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on July 28, 2021
The flavor was so great!! I was nervous about the amount of ketchup involved, but the sauce was zesty, tangy, and a little sweet– perfect. My only complaint is that the tortillas didn’t crisp up much, even though I followed the instructions exactly. But my husband was so happy with this recipe and I was too!
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I had this recipe at a friend’s house and it was so good! I pulled up the recipe to try making it this week but noticed that the garlic powder was missing from the instructions. I scrolled through the comments to see if anyone else had noticed and to see if it had been addressed already, which it had. Might you update the instructions so other people don’t continue to have this problem? I make a fair number of your recipes and this is not the first time this has happened. It’s generally the one thing I feel like could use improvement in your recipes. Maybe 1/4 the recipes I make of yours have some sort of missing detail or unclear instruction. I consider myself a very experienced home cook and don’t have a hard time following recipes. I really want to continue using your recipes, I just find these things to be frustrating, especially since you write so many and have a lot people trying your recipes. Anyways, thank you for listening.
Hey Jessica! Recipe is all updated. So sorry about the mistake. It can definitely be hard to catch them all before publishing. Thanks so much for calling the missing ingredient out. Hope you have a wonderful remainder of your week! xxTieghan
This was really good! I used the leftover chicken for nachos ?.
Hey Ally,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
This recipe was DELICIOUS!
My husband and I are very serious about taco nights, and this recipe is now one of our favorites! We were very excited for leftovers the next night.
I started the chicken early, so it ended up cooking on low for about an hour. We also used flour tortillas as that’s what we had on hand. The flavors were excellent – this is going into our regular rotation!
Hey Kayla,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
Amazing!!! My family and I loved them. Definitely a keeper.
Hey Anna,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi- would this be good to do the chicken in the slow cooker?
Hey Stacey,
Sure, you could definitely do the chicken in the slow cooker. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Ditto what some other folks have said – this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Made it yesterday and family is asking for it again tonight.
I made a mix of corn and flour tortilla tacos and will say the corn ones fell apart. They might be better for a “tostada” situation if that’s what folks want. The flour ones were perfect though. My avocados weren’t ripe enough to blend so I just used a store bought avocado poblano salad dressing and it was delicious.
Hey Bee,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
When you rub the tortillas, does the oiled side go down or up (with the filling)?
Thanks!
Hey Melissa,
The oil side will be the outside. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made these for my partner and he said they were the best tacos he has ever had including restaurant made ones!
Hey Allison,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was fantastic! Easy to make and EVERYONE loved it. I changed how long it cooked – kept it in the pot on very low for 2 hours, figured it’d be easier to shred the chicken that way. I definitely suggest saving the extra beer as the recipe states. After shredding, more liquid is definitely needed. I had 2 kinds of tortillas, flour and corn. The flour was a bit larger and the corn great for those who wanted a smaller portion. But everyone did ask for seconds!!! Thank you for another great recipe, it’s a keeper for sure.
Hey Elaine,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Taaaaaasty. Best shredded chicken I’ve ever made and I didn’t get the tortilla shells perfect but I will definitely try this recipe again.
Hey Bailey,
Awesome! So good to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
Absolutely delicious and so easy! The BBQ sauce is divine. Will definitely use it for other dishes!
Hey Perrye,
Awesome! So good to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
TEN OUT OF TEN! Unbelievably delicious! As a mom of a newborn and toddler I need fast recipes and boy did this deliver! Husband devoured them! Will 100% make again ( probably in a few days )
Hey Kathryn,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
One of my favorite HBH recipes to date! My husband is already asking me to make them again lol. The sauce is AMAZING, I think I might use it for enchiladas! YUM!!!
Hey Kati,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was amazing!!! My whole family loved it. Thank you so much for a brilliant new recipe!
Hey Rachel,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a go! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
Love this recipe!! But I have a hard time getting the shells to crisp up like yours! Any tips for me? Thanks
Hey Laura,
I love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have you tried coating them with olive oil? That usually helps me get the crispiness. xTieghan
After months and months of cooking the same boring stuff because we’ve been busy with kids, etc. I finally wanted to try something new and tried this recipe… and OMG it was SO GOOD! It was so easy to make and so full of flavour. My husband loved it as well and we had it for two meals in a row haha It also has potential for batch cooking: I’ll double or triple the meat next time and freeze small portions so we can have this whenever want! Thanks Tieghan 🙂
PS. Do you have a collection of recipes I can batch cook? Busy mom here lol thanks!
Hey Rita,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! So sorry I don’t, but I have a “quick and easy” link on the blog, you might like those recipes! xTieghan