Chicken Street Tacos (Printable)
Tender chicken tucked into warm corn tortillas with fresh, zesty garnishes. A vibrant and satisfying taste of authentic Mexican cuisine.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp chili powder
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ For the Tacos
11 - 8 small corn tortillas
12 - ½ cup white onion, finely diced
13 - ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
15 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
16 - Optional: ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
17 - Optional: your favorite salsa or hot sauce
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade, toss well to coat, and let sit for at least 15 minutes (up to 2 hours for deeper flavor).
03 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through and nicely browned.
04 - Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let rest for 3 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
05 - Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame for about 30 seconds per side, until soft and pliable.
06 - Fill each tortilla with chopped chicken, top with diced onion, cilantro, avocado slices, and cotija cheese if using.
07 - Serve immediately with lime wedges and salsa or hot sauce on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These tacos come together in under 40 minutes but taste like they have been simmering all day
- The marinade creates incredibly tender chicken that you can actually taste in every bite
02 -
- I learned the hard way that overcrowding the pan steams the chicken instead of searing it work in batches if needed
- Warming tortillas makes them flexible and prevents cracking but do not let them get brittle or they will fall apart
03 -
- Double the marinade and chicken because these disappear incredibly fast and leftovers make amazing taco salads
- Cast iron skillets create the best sear but any heavy bottomed pan will give you gorgeous browning