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Ancho chicken tacos with cabbage, cilantro, avocado, jalapeño, sour cream, and lime wedges on a plate

Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cabbage and Cilantro Toppings

Ancho chicken tacos are a quick, flavorful meal with browned seasoned chicken, fresh toppings, and a satisfying mix of textures. They are perfect for easy weeknight dinners when you want a bold taco filling with simple preparation.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 165
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

seasoned flour mixture
  • 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (all purpose also works)
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon southwestern or taco seasoning
  • a generous pinch of salt and pepper
chicken
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
assembly
  • 12 small corn tortillas
toppings
  • a few green cabbage leaves, shredded
  • one bunch cilantro, chopped
  • toppings: lime wedges, sour cream, jalapeño slices, avocado slices, minced green or red onions

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Combine the shredded cabbage and chopped cilantro, then prepare the remaining toppings.
  2. Mix the flour, ancho chili powder, southwestern seasoning, and salt and pepper together in a shallow dish.
  3. Cut the chicken breasts into halves or quarters and coat the pieces with the flour mixture.
Cooking
  1. Heat the oil in a heavy duty pan over medium high heat. Add the coated chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes on each side until the outside is browned and the inside is no longer pink.
  2. Remove the chicken from the heat, add a little more salt, and let it rest for a few minutes. Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces.
Assembly
  1. Warm the corn tortillas and fill them with the chicken, cabbage and cilantro mixture, and desired toppings.

Notes

For leftover chicken, reheat the pieces in a pan with a little water and allow them to simmer briefly. This creates a slightly saucier texture. The tacos are relatively mild as written, and the toppings can add more flavor and heat with options like spicy salsa, jalapeños, or diced red onions.