Home Recipes Main Dishes Chicken Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe
by Jennifer Debth
19 Comments
5 from 6 votes
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These Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos are topped with a creamy avocado slaw and are bursting with smoky flavors, juicy chicken, and amazing textures!
Quick Navigation
- General
- Why you'll love these
- Ingredients
- How to make
- Get the recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to grill chicken
- How to warm tortillas
- Variations
- Best toppings
- Pairing suggestions
- How to store
- Nutrition information
New favorite taco recipe right here! These Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos need to make an appearance at your next Taco Tuesday, yes? Yes.
Why you’ll love these grilled bbq chicken tacos
- Juicy grilled chicken that’s packed with smoky BBQ flavor!
- Creamy avocado slaw to add a refreshing crunch and creamy flavor to contrast the smoky BBQ sauce.
- Versatile recipe that can be made on an outdoor grill or indoors if it’s raining.
- Great for small gatherings, weeknight family dinners, or summer BBQs.
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken
- Water and Salt – work together to create a brine which helps retain the chicken’s moisture, for extra juicy chicken!
- Chicken – breasts or thighs will work. Either way, you’ll need 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken.
- BBQ Sauce – use store-bought or homemade.Choose one that suits your personal preference – sweet, spicy, or smoky!
Creamy Avocado Slaw
- Pre-Packaged Coleslaw – convenient and time-saving! Just be sure to discard the dressing.
- Purple Cabbage – adds a gorgeous color and beautiful crunch.
- Green Onions – just the white/light green part offers a mild, sweet onion flavor. Use red onion for a punchier flavor.
- Cilantro – adds a fresh, herbaceous flavor. Use parsley if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
- Avocado – adds a creamy texture and healthy fats.
- Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt –adds a tangy flavor and added protein.
- Lime Juice – fresh or bottled is fine! Either give an extra tangy zip!
- Garlic – fresh or jarred garlic is fine. Use 2 whole cloves or about 1/2 tablespoon minced.
- Olive Oil – adds richness to the sauce and helps create a luscious texture.
How to make
Brine and Grill: Stir water and salt together in a large bowl, submerge the chicken breasts for 15 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and grill at medium high for 5-8 minutes per side, brushing with bbq sauce during the last minute.
Make the Slaw: Mix coleslaw, cabbage, green onions, and cilantro. Blend avocado, greek yogurt, lime, garlic, and olive oil until smooth in a food processor, then toss with the slaw mixture. Season to taste.
Assemble: Fill tortillas with cubed chicken, top with slaw and crumbled cheese. Devour!
How to grill chicken
Preheat the grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F) and oil the grates before placing the chicken on. Cook about 5-8 minutes per side, or until thechicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Use a meat thermometer for ease!
How to warm tortillas for tacos
Warm the tortillas on a dry hot pan for 10-15 seconds per side until they’re soft and pliable.
Pro tip
Check the package instructions! Many tortillas come with their own heating instructions.
Variations
- Use thighs. Try using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for even juicier chicken.
- Use a different BBQ sauce. Try smoky, spicy, or sweet BBQ sauces to customize the taste.
- Swap the protein. Trygrilled shrimp or tofu for a different twist.
Best toppings for grilled bbq chicken tacos
The creamy avocado slaw goes so well with the juicy, smoky chicken, but feel free to mix it up with these other amazing toppings!
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Queso
- Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Pineapple Salsa
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Salsa
- Pickled Red Onions
- Sour Cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Cheese
What to serve with bbq chicken tacos
- Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Easy Black Beans Recipe
How to store
Store leftover chicken and slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezer (just the chicken) for up to 3 months.
To enjoy again, thaw, if frozen, then heat chicken in a skillet or in the microwave until warm.
– Jennifer
Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe
5 from 6 votes
These Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos are topped with a creamy avocado slaw and are bursting with smoky flavors, juicy chicken, and amazing textures!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 tacos
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Equipment for this recipe
(equipment shown are affiliate links)
Ingredients
US Customary - Metric
Grilled Chicken
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup bbq sauce + more to taste
Creamy Avocado Slaw
- 1 1/2 cups pre-packaged coleslaw shredded cabbage (discard the dressing)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 small bunch green onions sliced (just the white/light green part)
- 1/2 cup cilantro minced
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/4 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Taco Fixins
- 6 taco size tortillas flour or corn
- Crumbed cotija/feta
Instructions
Grilled Chicken
Stir water and salt together in a large bowl, submerge chicken breasts, then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Remove the breasts from the brine, then rinse and pat dry.
Pre-heat grill at medium high (400 degrees F) for 10 minutes.
Once hot, carefully oil the grates, then place chicken on the grill and grill for 5-8 minutes.
Flip and grill the other side of the chicken for an additional 5-8 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. In the last minute of cook time, brush chicken with a thin layer of bbq sauce.
Remove chicken from the grill, then let rest for 5 minutes before cubing and tossing with more BBQ sauce.
Creamy Avocado Slaw
Mix together coleslaw, cabbage, green onions, and cilantro in a large bowl, then set aside.
Place avocado, greek yogurt, lime, garlic, and olive oil into a food processor, then process until smooth.
Toss the sauce with the slaw mixture, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Assembly
Fill tortillas with chicken, then top with slaw and crumbled cotija/feta and enjoy.
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STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:2-3 Months
Reheat:Thaw, if frozen, then microwave or heat on the stove
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions
Notes
Nutritional information does not include tortillas.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Grilled BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 taco)
Calories 179 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 250mg11%
Potassium 519mg15%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 515IU10%
Vitamin C 24.4mg30%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Keywords: avocado slaw, bbq chicken, chicken tacos, easy taco recipe, grilled chicken, Summer grilling
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Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Author: Jennifer Debth
Reader Interactions
Kim
Sonora, California
These got raves when I made these. I served the cilantro separately since I don’t like it.Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Thanks so much! 🙂
Anonymous
Clarkston, Washington
Reply
Chardae
Tacoma, Washington
Super yummy – i used devils spit famous Dave’s bbq sauce. To the crema sauce I added extra garlic, used garlic salt in place of salt and added a dash of cayenne pepper.Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
I’ll have to try that BBQ sauce, yum! 🙂
Anonymous
Courtenay, British Columbia
Reply
Paul
Kitchener, Ontario
The post is miles to long….. took forever to find the actual recipe. Perhaps add a skip to the recipe button for those of us who can cook.
Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
There is a get the recipe button at the top of each post.
Michael
Atlanta, Georgia
Paul make sure you hit the “don’t be a b*tch” button, as well. Everyone who knows you will appreciate it.
Prin
Grilled BBQ chicken with avocado. Great recipe ever. Ok, I really admire your creative idea. Fabulous once.Gonna make it now for my wife.Thanks. Thumb up.
Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Thanks so much!
Rvickery
Red Deer, Alberta
Well. I tried the sauce today (avocado etc) and I must say if the rest of the recipe is as good as that sauce you have a major winner ; ) Thanks for sharing!Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Aww thank you so much!! Really happy you liked the sauce 🙂
Fleet
Waldoboro, Maine
Hi Jennifer It would be very helpful to me to see the nutritional breakdown of this delicious recipe (and others!). I linked into your site from myfitnesspal and fitbit. Thanks, Fleet
Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Hi Fleet! I actually use myfitnesspal or this calorie counter to figure out the nutritional stats of recipes. You can just copy and paste any recipe into the calculator! 🙂 I typically don’t list the nutritional information, because different brands/products can vary so greatly in nutritional information. That being said, 1/6th of the filling for this recipe (exluding tortillas and cheese) is about 237 calories 🙂 I hope that helps!
Fleet
Waldoboro, Maine
Thanks JenniferThat helped a lot (and I should have remembered about the myfitnesspal import capability since I used it before). I’ll also try out the other calculator.BTW, making your healthy egg muffin cups today.Thanks!
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Oh I hope you love those, Fleet!! 🙂
Marina
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I love Stubb’s! Their BBQ sauce is soooo good. I never used to grill but now I like it! My Dad taught me how to grill fish a couple summers ago and it’s really fun, but grilling is usually the “male” job of the house haha! I think I’m gonna make these for Memorial Day 🙂Reply
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Isn’t it the best?! Grilled fish is amazing! We love salmon & tuna on the grill 🙂 Thanks Marina!
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These got raves when I made these. I served the cilantro separately since I don’t like it.