Sheet Pan Chicken Poblano Tacos

One sheet pan, bold Mexican flavors, and an elote corn salsa that steals the show. These sheet pan chicken poblano tacos are about to become your new weeknight obsession.

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Recipe

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5 from 4 votes

Sheet Pan Chicken Poblano Tacos

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Sheet pan chicken poblano tacos

• 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 2 poblano peppers sliced
• ½ medium red onion sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 canned chipotle peppers chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 jalapeno

Elote corn salsa

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 ears corn, shucked (about 2 ¼ cups)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup crumbled cotija
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 12 corn or flour tortillas
• ½ cup pickled onions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Whisk together olive oil, chipotle, garlic, honey, salt, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, paprika, and oregano in a medium bowl. Pour over chicken thighs, sliced poblano, and sliced red onion, tossing to coat. Spread mixture on a baking sheet in an even layer.
• Place jalapeno on sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are softened. Remove jalapeno and finely chop, discarding stem and seeds.
• Meanwhile, make elote corn salsa. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add corn and saute until lightly charred, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Transfer corn to a large bowl and add chopped jalapeno, cilantro, scallions, sour cream, cotija, lime juice, and chili powder. Mix well until combined and season salsa with salt and pepper.
• Shred or chop chicken into bite-size chunks. Assemble tacos with roasted chicken and poblano filling, elote corn salsa, and pickled onions. Serve with lime wedges on the side, if desired.

Notes

You can marinate the chicken and vegetables overnight.

If fresh corn isn't available, use frozen corn.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare chicken

The beauty of this recipe lies in how everything comes together with minimal effort but maximum flavor.

You'll start by creating a killer marinade with olive oil, chopped chipotle peppers, garlic, honey, and a blend of warm spices like cumin, chili powder, and paprika.

This gets tossed with your chicken thighs, sliced poblanos, and red onion before everything goes onto a single sheet pan.

Don't forget to add a whole jalapeño to the pan - it'll roast alongside everything else and get chopped up for the corn salsa later.

Spread everything out in a single layer on your sheet pan, so it roasts evenly. You'll know the chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, or when the juices run clear, and the meat easily shreds with a fork.

This usually takes about 20-25 minutes at 400°F, but every oven is a little different, so keep an eye on things.

Step 2: Make salsa

While your sheet pan is doing its thing in the oven, you'll make the elote corn salsa that really makes these tacos special.

Start by sautéing fresh corn kernels in a hot pan until they get those beautiful charred spots - this is where the magic happens. That caramelization adds so much depth and sweetness that it perfectly balances the smoky, spicy chicken.

Once the corn cools slightly, you'll mix it with chopped cilantro, scallions, sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, lime juice, and a pinch of chili powder. The result is creamy, tangy, and absolutely delicious.

Step 3: Putting it all together

When the chicken is cool enough to touch, shred it or chop it into bite-sized chunks.

Now, assembly is the fun part - pile that smoky, tender chicken and those sweet roasted poblanos onto warm tortillas, top with a generous scoop of the elote corn salsa, and finish with some pickled onions for extra tang and crunch.

Serve with lime wedges on the side because, let's be real, everything's better with more lime.

These tacos prove that weeknight dinners don't have to be boring or complicated to be delicious. Sometimes the best meals come from taking ingredients you love and finding new ways to combine them. Trust me, once you try these, they'll be on regular rotation in your house too.

For more easy sheet pan meals, check out this sheet pan green harissa chicken, sheet pan chicken koobideh, and sheet pan clam bake!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: The elote corn salsa can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The flavors actually improve after sitting for a few hours. You can also marinate the chicken and vegetables overnight.
• Store: Store the chicken mixture and corn salsa separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven or microwave before assembling fresh tacos.

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