Lemon Lime Pulled Chicken Taco Recipe

A pulled chicken taco recipe using fresh lemon and lime juice. Prepare in your slow cooker or instant pot.

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Lemon Lime Pulled Chicken Tacos

Pulled chicken with spice and citrus accents

Course Main Course

Cuisine Latin

Keyword chicken tacos, Grilled Chicken recipe, instant pot, lemon, pressure cooker, pulled chicken taco, Recipe, slow cooker, Taco, taco recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 6 tacos

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot or slow cooker/Crock Pot

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 poblano pepper, diced (or 2 jalapeños)
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 lemons
• 2 limes
• 1 cube chicken biuillon
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup water
• 6-8 street tacos shells of your choice
• salsa, cilantro, and cotija cheese (to garnish)

Instructions

• Place chicken, diced vegetables, spices, and water into the instant pot or slow cooker
• Squeeze one lemon and one lime over the chicken and cover to cook
• Note: Modify times and directions to suit your pot
• Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker – Use you meat/poultry setting or pressure cook for 50 minutes on high

  Slow cooker – cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low 6-9 hours

  The idea is to cook until the meat is easily shred with two forks
• Remove chicken from instant pot and place on a plate
• Shred with two forks and return to the pot
• Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes (use saute setting on instant pot, adding water if needed to prevent sticking/burning)
• Drain excess liquid or remove meat with slotted spoon
• Juice the remaining lemon and lime over the pulled chicken
• Serve on street taco-sized tortillas and garnish with fresh salsa, cotija cheese, and cilantro

Chicken Taco Ingredient Notes

Tacos are a fun food that have a long history. Learn more about tacos with Jeff Pilcher here, in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine or in this book.

Street Taco Shells

Taco shells vary in size. Popular sizes are in the 4-12 inch range, varying by the end use of the shell. The 4 to 5 inch varieties, often referred to as street taco shells, are great for portion control. Because tacos are wonderful and restraint is tricky.

The two most popular varieties of tortilla are corn and flour. Flour tortillas are softer and higher in calories than corn tortillas. Soft corn tortillas are lighter in taste and consistency than flour tortillas, which makes them more likely to break. To limit breakage, steam them by covering a set of shells with a wet paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

To increase the durability of the corn tortilla further or play with the flavor, sprinkle a melting cheese over the shell, such as mozzarella, and microwave them open-faced before adding additional toppings.

Fresh Salsa

Fresh taco toppings add color and fresh flavor to your favorite taco. Use a fresh salsa or pico de gallo to compliment the bright citrus flavor of the meat.

Fresh Spicy Salsa

Fresh and fast for your fiesta

See recipe

Cotija

Mexican in origin, Cotija is a salty cow milk cheese that crumbles nicely and is known as a flavor enhancer. Cotija gets its name from the town in which it was originally made, Cotija, Michoacán.

Alternatively, substitute cotija with feta or queso fresco. They have a similar consistency, although feta has its own unique and rich flavor, while queso fresco tends to be less salty than cotija.