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The Ultimate Chicken-Watermelon Tacos: Your New Favorite Summer Meal

Two hands holding finished Chicken-Watermelon Tacos at a summer party.

A unique and refreshing summer taco recipe that balances warm, savory chicken with a cool watermelon salad. The filling consists of shredded rotisserie chicken simmered in a quick, homemade salsa made from charring tomatillos, jalapenos, and onions in a cast-iron skillet. The tacos are then topped with a vibrant salad of chopped watermelon, red onion, cilantro, and crumbled Cotija cheese, along with fresh avocado.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper
  • 1 small red onion (1/2 cut into chunks, 1/2 thinly sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
  • Juice of 2 limes, plus wedges for serving
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cups chopped watermelon
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
  • 3/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (about 3 ounces)
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 avocado, chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the tomatillos, jalapeno, and red onion chunks to the hot, dry skillet.
  2. Cook, turning the vegetables occasionally, until they are blistered and charred in spots. This will take about 5-6 minutes for the onion and 7-8 minutes for the tomatillos and jalapeno.
  3. Transfer the charred vegetables to a cutting board and let them cool slightly. Chop the tomatillos and onion. Seed and chop the jalapeno.
  4. Make the chicken filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped charred tomatillos, onions, and half of the chopped jalapeno. Cook until the vegetables release their juices.
  5. Add the shredded chicken, the juice of 1 lime, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through. Keep warm over low heat.
  6. Make the watermelon salad: In a bowl, toss together the chopped watermelon, the remaining 1/2 cup of cilantro, the thinly sliced red onion, the remaining chopped jalapeno, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and half of the Cotija cheese. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
  7. Assemble the tacos: Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet.
  8. Stir the remaining 1 cup of cilantro into the warm chicken mixture.
  9. Divide the chicken mixture among the warm tortillas. Top with the watermelon salad, the remaining Cotija cheese, and the chopped avocado.
  10. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

  • Charring the vegetables in a dry, hot cast-iron skillet is a key step that adds a smoky depth of flavor to the chicken filling.
  • Using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken is a major time-saver for this recipe.
  • The recipe creates a contrast between the warm, savory chicken filling and the cool, refreshing watermelon salad topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/watermelon-tacos/