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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with taco stand style grilled chicken, marinated in lime, garlic, and spices, then served on small corn tortillas. Juicy charred chicken is chopped and piled high with fresh cilantro, diced onion, salsa verde, and a final squeeze of 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 thighs
  • 2 lb chicken thighs boneless or bone-in, trimmed
  • 0.25 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste; use enough to season both sides
Toppings and serving
  • 1 Small corn tortillas small street-taco size
  • 1 Diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges for topping
  • 1 Salsa verde for serving

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Combine lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, then add chicken thighs and coat thoroughly. Marinate for 1-4 hours, and refrigerate covered while the citrus breaks down the meat.
Grill and char
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and place the marinated chicken on the grates. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side until charred with grill marks.
  2. Confirm the chicken is cooked through by checking the thickest piece. Keep grilling briefly as needed, then transfer to a plate.
  3. Let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes, uncovered, before chopping. Resting keeps the juices from running out and helps the pieces stay tender.
  4. Warm small corn tortillas on the grill until pliable, lightly toasted, about 20-30 seconds per side. Transfer to a clean towel to hold heat.
Assemble the street tacos
  1. Fill each warm corn tortilla with chopped grilled chicken. Pile on the chicken so every bite has charred edges.
  2. Top tacos with diced onion and cilantro, then spoon on salsa verde. Serve immediately for the best tortilla texture.
  3. Squeeze fresh lime over the tacos right before eating. Add extra lime if you like a sharper street-taco finish.

Notes

For juicier grilled chicken, keep the grill at medium-high and avoid moving the thighs too soon—let the char develop. Refrigerate leftover chicken and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days; reheat chicken in a hot skillet or on the grill until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best tortilla and salsa texture. Dietary swap: use chicken breast (same marinade time) for a leaner version, but grill watchfully to prevent dryness.