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Made with just a handful of pantry staple spices, this chicken taco seasoning is one of the best and easiest ways to add flavor to any dish. Whether you’re making chicken tacos or just seasoning your favorite cuts, this versatile blend does the trick.

Overhead view of a small bowl filled with a rich, deep reddish-brown blend of spices for chicken taco seasoning.

🧂What Makes This Recipe So Good

Brace yourself. Soon, you’ll want to cook nothing but delicious, well-seasoned, incredibly flavorful chicken dishes. You’ll be able to super easily, too, because you’ll have this amazing chicken taco seasoning blend in your arsenal!
Since this spice blend uses everyday spices you probably have in your cabinet or pantry as we speak, making it could not be easier or more cost-effective. Plus, you’re in total control of things here, which means you don’t need to worry about unnecessary added sugars or other hidden additives ending up in your taco seasoning.
You’re not limited to chicken tacos with this seasoning. Just like regular taco seasoning, you can use this in any recipe where you want a little Mexican-style flavor and flair. Use it on the ground beef in your pork rind nachos, on the shrimp for your shrimp quesadilla, in place of the taco seasoning in your slow cooker shredded Mexican chicken, or to season the chicken in your Mexican chicken and rice bake. I also like to mix it into shrimp dip, corn dip, or even chicken salad to mix things up a little.

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

If you want to save yourself a couple of dishes, go ahead and add all the ingredients straight to the jar or container you plan to store the prepared chicken taco seasoning in. Secure the lid and shake the container until everything’s all nice and blended!
I highly recommend using Mexican oregano if you can find it, rather than regular dried oregano. Mexican oregano has a more pronounced flavor that’s sort of citrusy, with the vaguest hint of licorice. Regular oregano, on the other hand, gives a dish more of a Mediterranean taste, with earthy flavors of pine and a little menthol. Don’t worry, though – oregano won’t make your seasoning taste bad or throw off the other Mexican flavors in your dish, so don’t panic if you can’t find Mexican oregano!
Not sure how much chicken taco seasoning you need for your recipe? The general rule of thumb is 2 tablespoons of seasoning for every 1 pound of meat. That goes for chicken thighs, chicken breasts, turkey, ground beef, shrimp, whatever. Of course, you can adjust that to fit your preferences.

Overhead view of all spices needed for chicken taco seasoning on a neutral plate.

🌯 More Delicious Mexican-Style Dishes

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Chicken Taco Seasoning

Prep 5

Cook 0

Total 5

A simple homemade chicken taco seasoning made with a handful of everyday ingredients and zero hidden sugars or additives.

9 ½-tablespoon servings

Equipment

small mixing bowl
small whisk or spoon
Airtight container for storage

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano Mexican oregano preferred
▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
▢ 2 teaspoons sea salt more or less to taste
▢ 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons sea salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper to small mixing bowl.
Gently whisk ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Use seasoning immediately in desired recipe, or transfer seasoning to airtight container and store in cool, dry place until ready to use.

Oregano: Regular oregano has more of a Mediterranean flavor, while Mexican oregano is more citrusy. It’s also a bit more pungent.
Sodium: This spice blend contains a decent amount of sodium, primarily because of the 2 teaspoons of sea salt. If you’re watching your sodium intake, feel free to reduce the amount of sea salt you use, or use a low or no sodium sea salt.
Storage: Store prepared taco seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. If stored properly, seasoning will keep up to 12 months.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 0.5tablespoonCalories: 9calProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 548mgPotassium: 55mgTotal Carbs: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0.2gNet Carbs: 1gVitamin A: 555IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg