Puerto Rican Chicken Tacos
This post may contain affiliate links which might earn us money. Please read my Disclosure and Privacy policies here
Puerto Rican chicken tacos are soft tortillas layered with creamy mashed potatoes and flavorful seasoned chicken, creating a hearty and comforting taco that’s different from the typical taco night version.
If you’ve never tried chicken tacos with mashed potatoes inside, this is the recipe that will surprise you in the best way. The combination of seasoned chicken, sautéed peppers and onions, and a smooth potato layer makes these tacos filling, flavorful, and completely unique.
This is honestly one of my favorite ways to make chicken tacos because they feel comforting and satisfying while still being simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
What Are Puerto Rican Chicken Tacos?
Puerto Rican chicken tacos are a variation of traditional tacos, but with island-inspired flavor and an added mashed potato spread inside the tortilla.
Instead of just placing meat and toppings inside a tortilla, this recipe starts with a thin layer of seasoned mashed potatoes. Then the shredded chicken mixture is added on top. The potatoes create a creamy base that balances the savory chicken and adds a soft, hearty texture.
The chicken is seasoned with classic Puerto Rican flavors like sofrito, adobo, and sazón. These seasonings give the tacos depth without making them spicy.
If you’re new to Puerto Rican cooking, think of this as comfort food meets taco night.
What Sets This Puertp Rican Taco Recipe Apart
What makes these Puerto Rican chicken tacos stand out is the potato layer.
Regular chicken tacos usually contain just seasoned meat, lettuce, cheese, and salsa. There’s no base layer.
Traditional taquitos are even more different. Taquitos are tightly rolled corn tortillas filled with meat and fried until crispy. They’re crunchy and typically served as appetizers or party food.
My Puerto Rican Taquitos follow that rolled-and-crispy style, but these tacos are softer and meant to be filling enough for dinner.
These Puerto Rican chicken tacos are not rolled and they are not fried. They are layered and folded, creating a soft and hearty taco with bold flavor in every bite.
Helpful Tips for This Recipe
Use well-seasoned chicken. The flavor of these tacos depends heavily on the seasoning. If you want to save time and still get bold flavor, use my shredded chicken. It’s already tender and packed with flavor, which makes assembling these tacos much easier.
Spread the mashed potatoes thinly. You don’t want a thick layer. A light, even spread inside the tortilla creates balance without overpowering the chicken.
Season your mashed potatoes. Even though they’re a base layer, they should still be lightly salted and well-seasoned so the tacos don’t taste bland.
If you’re short on time, instant mashed potatoes can work in a pinch. Just make sure they’re seasoned properly and not too thick. The texture should be smooth and spreadable.
Warm your tortillas before assembling. This prevents cracking and makes folding easier.
Don’t overfill the tacos. Too much filling makes them difficult to fold and eat. A balanced layer of potatoes and chicken works best.
Let the chicken and pepper mixture cook together for a few minutes. This helps the flavors blend and prevents the tacos from tasting separated.
Assemble right before serving. This keeps the tortillas soft and prevents sogginess.
Puerto Rican Chicken Tacos with Mashed Potatoes
Puerto Rican Chicken Tacos with mashed potatoes are a flavorful twist on traditional taco night. Soft tortillas are layered with creamy mashed potatoes and seasoned shredded chicken cooked with sofrito, adobo, and sazón for bold island flavor. This easy Puerto Rican taco recipe is hearty, comforting, and perfect for beginners looking to try something different.
Ingredients
- 6 tortillas
- ½ onion
- ¼ small green pepper
- ¼ small red pepper
- 1 pound boneless chicken
- ½ teaspoon adobo
- 1 ½ teaspoon sazon
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 2 clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon sofrito
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 medium potatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup grated cheese
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a pot and pour in a glass of water. Sprinkle in the chicken bouillon and bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let the chicken cook until it is fork-tender and fully cooked through. Once done, transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it using two forks. Set it aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes so they cook evenly. Place them in a pot of salted water and cook until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water, then add the butter and allow it to melt into the hot potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped onion, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
- Stir in the adobo, sazon, oregano, and sofrito. Mix well so the seasonings coat the vegetables evenly. Add the shredded chicken and chopped cilantro. Stir everything together and let it heat through so the flavors combine.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and pliable. Spread a thin (or as much as you like) layer of the mashed potatoes over each tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the seasoned chicken mixture on top. Finish with grated cheese and additional cilantro if desired.
- Fold the tortillas gently and serve warm.
Notes
- Add the chicken to a pot and pour in a glass of water. Sprinkle in the chicken bouillon and bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let the chicken cook until it is fork-tender and fully cooked through. Once done, transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it using two forks. Set it aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes so they cook evenly. Place them in a pot of salted water and cook until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water, then add the butter and allow it to melt into the hot potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped onion, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
- Stir in the adobo, sazon, oregano, and sofrito. Mix well so the seasonings coat the vegetables evenly. Add the shredded chicken and chopped cilantro. Stir everything together and let it heat through so the flavors combine.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and pliable. Spread a thin layer of the mashed potatoes over each tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the seasoned chicken mixture on top. Finish with grated cheese and additional cilantro if desired.
- Fold the tortillas gently and serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 476Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 524mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 30g
These nutritional calculations might not be accurate. Please speak with a licensed nutritionist to assist you.
