One-Pan Queso Blanco Chicken Tacos with Pickled Cabbage

These one-pan chicken tacos are the ultimate weeknight win: juicy seasoned chicken, a quick lime-pickled cabbage and creamy queso blanco all come together in about 20 minutes. The best part? Everything cooks in a single skillet, so cleanup is a breeze.

Each bite is a perfect balance of savory, tangy and creamy. The pickled cabbage adds a bright crunch that cuts through the rich queso, while warm flour tortillas hold it all together. It’s a fiesta on a plate that your family will ask for again and again.

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Ingredients

10 ounce Chopped Chicken BreastView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 ounce Queso BlancoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Shredded Red CabbageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into ¼-inch pieces. Quarter lime.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and tomato; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2-3 minutes.
3. While veggies cook, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine cabbage, 1 TBSP water, ¾ tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and juice from half the lime. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 45 seconds. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Set aside to pickle, tossing occasionally, until ready to serve.
4. Add chicken to pan with veggies; season with Fajita Spice Blend, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes (carefully pour out any excess grease). Add stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and saucy, 1-3 minutes more.
5. In a second medium microwave-safe bowl, combine queso blanco and 2 TBSP water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until warmed through, 30-45 seconds. Stir halfway for even heating. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds.
6. Divide tortillas between plates; fill with pickled cabbage (draining first), saucy chicken and queso blanco. Garnish with scallion greens and serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground beef instead of chicken?

Yes, ground beef works perfectly. Just cook it the same way and drain any excess fat before adding the stock concentrate.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the chicken, pickled cabbage and queso blanco separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and assemble fresh tortillas.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can substitute the queso blanco with a dairy-free cheese sauce or omit it. The tacos will still be delicious with the pickled cabbage and seasoned chicken.