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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos made taco stand style with grilled, charred chicken thighs and small corn tortillas. Marinated in lime, garlic, cumin, and chili powder for bright flavor, then topped with cilantro, diced onion, salsa verde, and fresh lime.
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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
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
  • 1 small corn tortillas
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 salsa verde

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Marinate
  1. Combine chicken thighs, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper in a bowl, coating well. Cover and marinate at least 1 hour up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill and rest
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Use the same temperature for consistent browning.
  2. Transfer chicken to a cutting area and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping into small pieces. This helps keep the meat juicy after grilling.
Warm tortillas and serve
  1. Warm small corn tortillas on the grill for about 20-30 seconds per side until pliable. Look for light grill marks and softening edges.
  2. Assemble tacos by filling each tortilla with chopped grilled chicken and topping with diced onion, cilantro, and salsa verde. Keep toppings simple so the grilled flavor shows.
  3. Finish each taco by squeezing fresh lime over the top just before eating. The added acidity brightens the charred chicken.

Notes

For best taco stand style flavor, marinate until the chicken is fragrant and the surfaces look glossy; if time allows, go closer to 4 hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat chicken in a skillet until hot. Freeze cooked chopped chicken for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs or swap half the chicken with chicken breast while keeping the same marinade and grilling time.