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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with charred corn tortillas and tender shredded chicken. Bright lime-garlic seasoning and quick griddle char create a street-food style bite with onion and cilantro.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 0.25 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 6 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Toppings and tortillas
  • 12 corn tortillas char and warm
  • 0.5 cup white onion diced
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 hot sauce for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken with lime juice, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly coated, then cover.
  2. Let the chicken marinate for at least 10 minutes, up to 2 hours in the refrigerator, so the seasoning penetrates the meat.
Cook and char
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat until very hot, then add the chicken in a single layer.
  2. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through and lightly charred.
  3. Break the chicken into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks so it becomes shreddable.
  4. Char the corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until warm with light spots.
Assemble and serve
  1. Fill each tortilla with the cooked chicken, then top with diced white onion and chopped cilantro.
  2. Serve immediately with lime wedges and hot sauce for drizzling.

Notes

For deeper flavor, marinate up to 2 hours (do not exceed that for best texture). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat chicken in a skillet over medium heat. Freezing is not recommended for the charred-tortilla texture, but you can freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken breast and keep olive oil to 1 tbsp while maintaining the same spices.