Chicken Taco Seasoning

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This chicken taco seasoning is perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more. It's so good, on more than just chicken too!

spoonful of chicken taco seasoning blend over a mason canning jar and lid.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This easy chicken taco seasoning recipe is the perfect way to add flavor to your favorite tacos recipe. Making your own seasoning blend is much less expensive than the salt heavy, store bought versions.

Here are some benefits of making homemade taco seasoning blend:

It's cheaper than buying store-bought taco seasoning.
You can control the ingredients and make it as spicy or mild as you like.
Homemade chicken taco seasoning is fresher and has more flavor.
Easy to make and takes just a few minutes.
You can make a big batch and store it in the pantry or freezer for later use.

You can also create low sodium or salt free variations, helpful if you're on a special eating plan.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Taco Seasoning
Serving Suggestions
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Equipment
Storage and Reheating
Tips for Success
Frequently Asked Questions
Food Safety
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Ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a flavorful and delicious taco seasoning that will rival any store-bought mix.

Chili Powder - Any generic, bulk size chili powder mix. Costco sells in a 12 oz jar.
Cumin, ground
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika, smoked
Oregano, Mexican - or, if Mexican Oregano is not easily available, use regular Oregano.
Poultry Seasoning - or, rubbed Sage.
Black Pepper - Cracked, fine or medium mesh.
Salt - Optional - if you leave the salt out, your chicken taco seasoning will be more concentrated, so use a little less than recipes call for.

ingredients for chicken taco seasoning mix.

Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Chicken Taco Seasoning

What makes Chicken Taco Seasoning different from regular Taco Seasoning? Well, it's the addition of a little bit of either Poultry seasoning, or some Sage (rubbed or ground).

The addition of sage complements any poultry, and just really takes the flavor up. Best of all, you can still use this chicken taco seasoning with fish, pork, and beef.

Measure All The Spices

If you get the sneezes from powdery spices, wear a face mask. I also recommend using some disposable Nitrile gloves whenever handling any kind of chili peppers or powder.

Measure out all the spices into a medium size mixing bowl.

Blend The Spices

Mix all the spices until they are evenly blended together.

Store In Spice Jars

Use immediately for your recipes. Store leftovers in a small 4 oz Mason canning jar, or an empty spice jar.
It's best to keep spices out of direct light, in a cool dark cupboard.

clear glass bowl of mixed spice blend with red spice in background.

Serving Suggestions

Use this Chicken Taco Seasoning blend any time you make chicken or turkey tacos, quesadillas, and other poultry you want a flavor boost too. This blend also is fantastic for making Pork Carnitas.

Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Substitutions and Variations

You can easily substitute different spices in this recipe to create your own unique flavor profile.

For example, you could use cayenne pepper for a spicier seasoning or add a teaspoon of brown sugar for a sweeter flavor.

You can also add other ingredients to the seasoning, mesquite flavored salt, hickory smoke powder.

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.

Nitrile Gloves - The cheap disposable ones so you get chili pepper under your finger nails and make your lips or eyes burn later!
Disposable Face Mask - So you don't start sneezing like crazy with the powdery spices.
Spice Jars

Storage and Reheating

Store in sealed jars in your cupboard or pantry. There are no artificial anti-caking ingredients in your homemade chicken taco seasoning blend.

If you live in a humid climate, drop a couple dry beans in the spice jar before filling. They will prevent the spice mixture from clumping.

Tips for Success

Here are a few tips for making this chicken taco seasoning recipe:

Use fresh spices whenever possible.
Store the seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
If you're not using the seasoning right away, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
Keep a couple dry beans in the spice jar to prevent caking or clumping.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Chicken Taco Seasoning different from regular Taco Seasoning?

The addition of a small amount of ground Poultry seasoning or rubbed sage helps to elevate chicken tacos! You can still use this chicken taco blend on shrimp, pork, and beef too though!

What's the benefit of making my own Chicken Taco Seasoning?

Store-bought taco seasoning often contains artificial flavors, preservatives, and anti-caking agents. If you can, it's best to make your own taco seasoning at home. You can control the spice flavors and the salt as well.

Can I make this Homemade chicken taco seasoning salt free?

Yes, you can. Simply omit the salt when blending. Remember to use less seasoning though, as it will be more concentrated without the salt.

Food Safety

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended
Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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