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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with taco stand style grilled chicken are juicy, charred, and tucked into small corn tortillas with bright cilantro and onion. A simple lime-marinated seasoning and salsa verde finish the Mexican street food vibe.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken street taco filling
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
  • 0.25 cup lime juice Fresh lime juice for the marinade.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt Use to taste; enough to season the chicken.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper Use to taste; enough to season the chicken.
Taco toppings
  • 12 Small corn tortillas Use small tortillas for street taco proportions.
  • 0.5 cup Diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges Onion and cilantro for topping; include lime wedges for serving.
  • 0.75 cup Salsa verde For spooning over the tacos.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, mix lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper until combined.
  2. Add chicken thighs, then coat thoroughly and refrigerate for 1-4 hours, flipping once halfway if possible.
Grill and prep
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then remove chicken from the marinade and let excess drip off.
  2. Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side over medium-high heat until charred and cooked through.
  3. Transfer chicken to a cutting surface, let rest briefly, then chop into small pieces.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm small corn tortillas on the grill for a short time until pliable and lightly toasted.
  2. Fill each tortilla with grilled chicken, then top with diced onion and cilantro and add salsa verde.
  3. Squeeze fresh lime over the tacos just before serving for brightness.

Notes

Pro tip: char happens fast on a hot grill—watch closely so the edges blister without drying out the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze grilled chicken (without tortillas) for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.