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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with taco stand style grilled chicken—marinated in lime, garlic, and spices, then char-grilled for smoky flavor. Serve small corn tortillas with cilantro, diced onion, salsa verde, and a squeeze of fresh lime for classic Mexican street food.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 Salt and pepper
Toppings and serving
  • 1 Small corn tortillas
  • 1 Diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 Salsa verde

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, mix lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, then add the chicken thighs and coat well. Refrigerate for 1-4 hours to let the flavors soak in.
Grill and chop
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then grill the marinated chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Move the chicken only once per side to keep the grill marks.
  2. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for a short time before chopping into small pieces. Resting helps the juices stay in the meat for cleaner street-taco bites.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm the small corn tortillas on the grill until pliable with light toasted spots, about 30-60 seconds per side. Keep them warm by working in small batches.
  2. Fill each tortilla with the chopped grilled chicken, then top with diced onion, cilantro, and salsa verde. Finish with an extra spoon of salsa verde for taco stand style flavor.
  3. Squeeze fresh lime over the tacos right before serving to brighten the charred chicken and herbs. Serve immediately while the tortillas are warm.

Notes

Pro tip: If your grill runs hot, grill in smaller batches so the chicken chars without drying out. Refrigerate leftover chicken and toppings in separate containers for up to 3 days; rewarm chicken gently to keep it juicy (tortillas are best fresh). Freezing: freeze the chopped chicken only for up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs or swap in chicken breast while keeping the same marinade times.