Vegan chicken tacos gets dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! These flavor-packed tacos are loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and dairy-free cheese. Perfect for a weeknight taco dinner that the whole family will crave.
Since I started making vegan chicken tacos, they have quickly become one of my husband’s favorite meals.
Tucking in to a plate of them feels very nostalgic. It reminds us both of grabbing chicken soft tacos from Taco Bell back in the 90’s.
But obviously, these homemade meat-free tacos are so much better!
The vegan chicken taco meat has a wonderful chewy texture with satisfying bite. The tacos are beautifully seasoned and loaded with classic toppings – lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and non-dairy cheese shreds.
Plus, they come together in less than half an hour. That makes them ideal for a quick lunch or dinner alongside refried beans and rice.
In this post:
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Oil: Any neutral-flavored cooking oil will work here. Avocado oil is my go-to choice.
Onions and garlic: These alliums add delicious flavor to the vegan taco meat. (If you’d prefer, fresh garlic can be replaced with ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder. Add it with the other seasonings.)
Vegan chicken: Tofurky plant-based lightly seasoned chick’n works well here and uses the whole 8-ounce package. (It’s also great in vegan chicken noodle soup!)
Instead of Tofurky, you can use any refrigerated non-breaded vegan chicken or chicken-style seitan that you enjoy.
Spices & seasonings: Cumin, ancho chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, and salt give these tacos their signature flavors.
Ancho chili powder is made from one ingredient – ancho chilies. It’s not hot but very flavorful. It can be replaced with standard chili powder, which is a blend of spices. But be aware that chili powder blends vary by heat intensity (depending on the amount of cayenne they include).
Granulated onion has a more robust flavor than powder, but can be replaced with onion powder if you’d prefer.
Tortillas: I recommend small, soft flour tortillas, but corn tortillas will also work. Be sure to warm them in a dry skillet or microwave before using. If using crunchy taco shells, warm in the oven or air fryer.
Vegetable toppings: Lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro add freshness. Pickled red onions and pickled jalapenos are also terrific here!
Vegan cheese: You’ll get that classic taco experience with non-dairy cheese shreds. I especially like the dairy free Mexican-style shreds from Trader Joe’s. Any cheddar-style shreds also work.
If you prefer to go cheeseless, guacamole, avocado, or vegan sour cream are good options for adding fat & flavor.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
- In a medium to large pan, saute onions and garlic in oil.
- Add vegan chicken chunks.
- Add seasonings.
- Add a splash of water to incorporate seasonings, and fully combine. Heat until fully warmed throughout.
5. Put seasoned vegan chicken into warmed tortillas along with your choice of toppings.
Make it your own
You can make this easy dinner your own by varying the ingredients and toppings.
- Add heat by sauteing a finely chopped jalapeno pepper along with the onions and garlic. Or serve the finished tacos with pickled jalapenos and/or hot sauce. (Jalapeno pepper sauce is my favorite!)
- Vary the tortillas. Choose flour, corn, or crunchy shells.
- Serve the vegan chicken taco meat in a burrito or bowl instead of a taco.
- Use the vegan chicken taco meat as a topping for vegan nachos (instead of soy chorizo).
- Top the tacos with guacamole, avocado, or vegan sour cream.
- For briny crunch, add a sprinkling of pickled red onions or pickled shallots to the finished tacos.
- Add a drizzle of cilantro chimichurri sauce or salsa verde for a boost of flavor.
If you can’t find or would prefer not to use vegan chicken, try one of these other meatless taco recipes instead: tempeh tacos, black bean tacos, chickpea tacos, raw tacos, lentil tacos, or jackfruit tacos.
Serving ideas
Serve these delicious vegan chicken tacos with any of the following:
- Chips and salsa (roasted tomato salsa, pineapple salsa, watermelon salsa, or peach salsa are tasty options!)
- Chips and guacamole or chipotle black bean dip
- Pinto or black refried beans
- Spanish rice (I especially like the frozen kind from Trader Joe’s for easy dinners.)
- Sweet fried plantains
- Black bean corn avocado salad
Storage instructions
Keep leftover vegan chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 4 days. To warm it, reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. If it gets dried out, add another splash of water and combine.
Store the toppings and tortillas separately from the vegan chicken taco meat.
For longer storage, vegan chicken taco meat also freezes well. Put it into a freezer-safe container. Then thaw in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave or skillet.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Vegan chicken tacos
Ingredients
For the taco meat
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred neutral-flavored oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 8 ounces vegan chicken like Tofurky chick'n or chicken-style seitan, in chunks
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- Pinch of salt
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons water
For the taco fixings
- 8 small tortillas corn or flour, warmed
- 1 ½ cups chopped lettuce
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
For the taco meat
- Bring a medium or large skillet to a medium heat and add oil. Add onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add vegan chicken chunks, and combine with onions and garlic.
- Sprinkle on cumin, ancho chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, and a pinch of salt. Fully combine. Then add 4 Tablespoons of water (¼ cup) to incorporate all of the spices, and make the vegan chicken saucy.
- Lower the heat, and cook about 4 more minutes, until the vegan chicken is fully warmed. If you like, break up the vegan chicken chunks even more with the spatula while it cooks. If it is losing its sauciness, add another Tablespoon of water, and combine.
For the taco fixings
- Fill warmed tortillas with a few spoonfuls of vegan chicken taco meat, a sprinkling of lettuce, tomatoes, vegan cheddar cheese, and chopped cilantro. Continue until all of the tortillas are filled.
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