These chicken and sausage tacos combine the rich, deep flavor of chicken thighs with ground Italian sausage, zest Mexican spices, vegetables, and tons of cheese inside corn tortillas that are cooked until golden and delicious. They're perfect for parties and Taco Tuesday.
Like almost everyone in North America, I'm a big, big fan of Taco Tuesday, but I don't stop at regular beef tacos. I like to keep things interesting, so I'll often put creative taco recipes like shrimp tacos or street corn chicken tacos on the table for everyone to enjoy.
I was feeling creative again this week, so I whipped up my newest taco twist. I've made tacos filled with diced chicken thighs and Italian sausage. Now, while you might think this sounds odd, the tender chicken thighs and the seasonings in the Italian sausage actually work VERY well with the authentic Mexican seasonings I used in the rest of the dish. Make it once, and you'll be a believer!
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Why You'll Love These Italian Sausage Tacos
- Simple Ingredients: Although I got creative with the flavors, the ingredients still remain simple. You can find them in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Easy: It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to make these tacos. Yu'llb e done in about 30 minutes.
- Loaded with Flavor: Every bite of these tacos is loaded with tender meat, authentic Mexican spices, and cheese.
- Easy Cleanup: It's a one-pan dish, so cleanup is a breeze. I like to use my Circulon C1 saute pan. It holds the heat well, and its super-tough nonstick surface makes cleanup super easy.
Chicken and Sausage Tacos Video
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs have a deep, rich flavor that works well with the other ingredients. I prefer Springer Mountain Farms chicken thighs for their high quality and commitment to an all-natural diet with no hormone usage.
- Italian Sausage: Italian sausage adds bold flavor, and the spices pair well with the seasonings used in the rest of the dish.
- Seasonings: A blend of authentic Mexican seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and a few others creates classic, deep flavor in the tacos.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese makes the tacos so cheesy.
- Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are gluten-free and have the added bonus of getting so nice and crispy when fried.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Tortillas: You can use flour tortillas if you don't have gluten sensitivity.
- Meat: You can use either Italian sausage or diced chicken thighs exclusively in this recipe. You can also use chicken breasts or chorizo if you like.
- Spicy: Add diced jalapenos for a kick of heat.
How to Make Chicken Sausage Tacos
These tacos are as easy as they are delicious. That's always the best combo in my opinion. It only takes one pan and a few minutes. That's it!
1: Dice the chicken into small pieces. Then, toss it with the lime juice, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and chili power to evenly coat it. Remove the Italian sausage from the casing and set it aside.
2: Saute the chicken for a couple of minutes in the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Then, push the chicken to the edges of the pan. Add the Italian sausage and cook it, breaking it apart as it cooks.
3: Continue cooking the sausage, mixing it with the chicken until the sausage is browned.
4: Transfer the cooked chicken and sausage and their juices to a bowl.
5: Brush a little bit of the juice onto the bottom of the same skillet with a pastry brush. Then, cook two tortillas in the juice on both sides until they begin to brown. Add cheese and continue heating the tortillas until the cheese melts.
6: Add a spoonful of meat to one side of each tortilla. Then, add the diced onions and cilantro.
7: Fold the tacos over with a spatula and press down. Hold the pressure for about 30 seconds, then flip the tortillas. Cook for another minute or two so the tacos get crispy. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and enjoy topped with pico de gallo and avocado lime cream.
Hint
To avoid watery, stinging eyes when dicing the onions, chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before slicing them.
Storage
You can refrigerate these tacos for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. Be aware that the longer your refrigerate them, the softer the tortillas will get.
To reheat the tortillas, bring them to room temperature. Then, cook them in a skillet over medium heat to warm them through and crisp the tortillas again. Or, placing them into an air fryer or the oven on 400 will bring them back to crispy!
What to Serve with Ground Sausage Tacos
Serve these tacos alongside your other favorite Mexican dishes for a Mexican-themed feast. Try recipes like chicken fajitas, salsa with chips, and refried beans.
I highly recommend topping these with delicious homemade pico de gallo or avocado lime crema, as well.
Tips for the Best Tacos with Sausage
- Cook the chicken and sausage until both are no longer pink and no further. Overcooking the meat will make it tough.
- Be sure you evenly coat the chicken with the seasonings for even flavor distribution.
- Only cook the tortillas long enough to warm them and make them pliable initially. You'll do a final crisp after you fill and fold them.
More Mexican Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Frying the tortillas on both the inside and the outside creates a physical barrier against the moisture in the filling, helping to keep the tortillas crispy.
Yes, you can! If you prefer soft tacos, simply use any of the gluten-free soft tortilla brands out there. If you don't have gluten issues, flour tortillas are great.
Corn is a naturally gluten free grain, so corn tortillas are gluten free. Just be sure you choose tortillas that are certified gluten free. This means they're processed in a facility that is free of any other gluten foods.
Related
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📖 Recipe
Chicken and Sausage Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 chicken thighs boneless skinless
- 2 Italian sausage links
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 8 oz mozzarella or cheese of your choice
- 10 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Dice the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and place them in a bowl. Then, toss them with the lime juice and seasonings. Remove the sausage from the casings and set it aside.
- Add the chicken to a large saute pan and cook in olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. Push the chicken to the edges of the pan and add the sausage.
- Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula as you go. As it breaks up, continue cooking it, mixing it with the chicken until both the chicken and sausage are no longer pink.
- Transfer the cooked chicken and sausage and their juices to a bowl.
- Brush a bit of the chicken juice onto the bottom of the skillet with a pastry brush. Then, add two tortillas and cook them for about a minute until they begin to brown.
- Flip the tortillas and cover them with cheese. Continue to cook the tortillas until the cheese is melted. Then, add a spoonful of meat on one side of each tortilla, followed by diced onions and cilantro.
- Fold the tortillas over with a spatula and press them down for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Flip the tortillas and continue cooking them for another one to two minutes until crispy.
- Repeat the process with the remaining corn tortillas.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Wrap individual tacos in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Bring to room temperature if frozen, then cook in a skillet on medium until heated through and crispy.
- Stop cooking the chicken and sausage as soon as they're no longer pink. Overcooking makes the meat tough and rubbery.
- Be sure to press the tacos down firmly while cooking them. This is what gives them their classic shape and helps the filling coalesce.
Olivia says
I made these chicken and sausage tacos last night and they turned out great! Quick question—do you think this recipe would work well using chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Nicole Kendrick says
Hello, absolutely you can use chicken breasts!
Melinda says
My family loved this!
Nicole Kendrick says
I love making these Chicken and Sausage Tacos for the whole gang. Thanks, Melinda!
Tisha says
These Chicken and Sausage Tacos combine tender chicken thighs, spicy Italian sausage, melty cheese, and crisp-fried corn tortillas for a bold, flavorful twist on Taco Tuesday
Nicole Kendrick says
Such an elegant way of saying it, Tisha! I hope you enjoyed your Taco Tuesday!
Kiki says
Using chicken sausage is such a smart, lighter swap and still super satisfying. I'd totally double this because tacos for lunch the next day are pure joy.
Nicole Kendrick says
YES! My family loves these and if I can get leftovers for the next day I love it. But we all know that does always happen. Thanks for stopping by, Kiki!
Maria Lopez says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, the tacos were delicious.
Nicole Kendrick says
We LOVE Taco Tuesday in our home. I love hearing the good reviews! Thanks, Maria!
Scott says
New to cooking and this was easy to make and very tasty.
NKendrick says
Thank you! So glad that you enjoyed them!
JC says
Absolutely delicious! We loved them!
Michele Helen Peterson says
Easy to make and delish
Juyali says
Delicious and so savory. The sausage really elevated the dish. Yum. I'll keep this in our taco recipe rotation!
Anonymous says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Swathi says
Chicken sausage tacos look delicious I have made it turned out perfect. Great tacos any time of the day.
Dee says
Loved all the spices. Made these so flavorful.
Nora says
My family loved this! We will make these delicious Tacos again soon!
Criss says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Krystle says
Super flavorful. My hubby loved the double meat. Will make again.
NKendrick says
The double meat really takes this to the next level!