Smoked Chicken Tacos Recipe

Whether it's Taco Tuesday — or any other day of the week for that matter — tacos have a place on the menu. Tacos are one of the most versatile meals, whether for lunch or dinner. They can feature beef, pork, chicken, and even tofu. And truly, the options for toppings to customize your own are endless.

Need an idea for a great taco recipe that really elevates the taco game? Recipe developer and food photographer Petar Marshall is doing just that with this smoked chicken tacos recipe. "The smoked flavor of the chicken serves as the ideal base," says Marshall. "They're then taken to a whole other level with a cilantro-avocado crema, along with smoked bell pepper."

Smoke the chicken on your Traeger, or other smoker, along with a whole bell pepper. Chop everything up, and then assemble your tacos in a matter of minutes. They're fresh and full of flavor, making for the perfect warm-weather meal. 

Ready to get started on making these tacos? For this recipe, you'll need, two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, one small red onion, two avocados, one bell pepper, one cup of sour cream, two limes, six sprigs of cilantro, tortillas, and garlic salt and pepper. "I used an orange bell pepper for this recipe to give it great flavor and color," says Marshall. "You can opt for red or green, as well, if preferred." 

Once the ingredients are gathered, it's time to get cooking! First up, preheat the Traeger to 200 F. Season the chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper, to taste. "This serves as a great, simple base of flavor for the meat," says Marshall. Once the chicken is seasoned, put it on the smoker for two hours. After one hour, cut the pepper into chunks and place it on the smoker as well. Also, have a spray bottle of water on hand and spritz the chicken from time to time as it smokes.

Once the chicken has smoked for two hours, and the pepper for one hour, crank up the heat to 400 F and cook both the chicken breasts and the pepper for 30 minutes.  

While the chicken and pepper are cooking, make the avocado crema. Mash the avocados in a mixing bowl, and then add in the sour cream. Stir to combine, and then mix in the minced cilantro and the juice of one lime. "This makes for a delicious sauce to add to the tacos," says Marshall. "Feel free to add in minced jalapeños for a spicy kick, or even chopped tomatoes."

Once the chicken and pepper are cooked, pull them off of the smoker. Cut the chicken into small chunks and the pepper into thin strips. 

To assemble the tacos, start with the tortillas as the base. Spread the avocado crema on the tortilla, and then top it with chunks of chicken. Add sliced pepper and red onion. Garnish the tacos with minced cilantro and serve them with a lime wedge. Of course, you can garnish these tacos with anything that you want — get creative and enjoy the fresh, smoky flavors!