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–+ servings
Four delicious Chicken Street Tacos Recipe served on corn tortillas, topped with grilled chicken, onion, and salsa verde.

Chicken Street Tacos Recipe

This recipe guides you through making flavorful chicken street tacos using a simple marinade and grilling technique. You will use chicken thighs seasoned with citrus, chili powder, and cumin, served on warm corn tortillas with fresh onion and cilantro.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For The Marinade
  • 1/2 large red onion grated
  • 2 large garlic cloves grated or very finely minced
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice from about 1/2 of 1 orange
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder or 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Mexican
  • 1 Tablespoon regular paprika or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For The Tacos
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 22 - corn tortillas preferably 4-inch size
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves from about 1/2 bunch of cilantro
  • 2 limes sliced into wedges

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Gas grill
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, paprika, cilantro, and salt.
  2. Add chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly using your hands. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. If you have limited marinating time, leave the chicken uncovered on the counter for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan to start grilling.
  4. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat (450ºF). Once hot, scrape the grill grates to clean them, then generously oil the grates.
  5. Using tongs, place the chicken thighs directly on the grill. Cover and grill, undisturbed until grill marks appear and the chicken does not stick to the grates, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes more. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 170°-175ºF (or 165ºF for chicken breasts).
  6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 4-5 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips, then chop into 1/2-inch cubes. Leave the grill on to heat the tortillas.
  7. Heat the tortillas on the grill for about 1 minute a side. Alternatively, heat the tortillas in a hot skillet on the stovetop for about 1 minute a side.
  8. Stack 2 warm mini corn tortillas and top with chopped chicken. Sprinkle generously with diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges for drizzling.

Notes

If possible, look for corn tortillas that are small, about 4-inches in diameter. These are sometimes labeled “taqueria style tortillas” or “street taco tortillas”. If you cannot find them, use the smallest corn tortillas possible. If your corn tortillas are thick and larger than 5 inches, do not layer two of them for serving.
If you are heating tortillas for a large group, wrap a stack of 5-6 in aluminum foil and place them in a pre-heated 375ºF oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. You can heat multiple packets at the same time.

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