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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with taco-stand style grilled chicken, bright lime marinade, and small corn tortillas. Juicy, charred chicken is tucked into warm tortillas with onions, cilantro, 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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 2 lb chicken thighs boneless or bone-in, trimmed
  • 0.25 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
Taco toppings
  • 1 Small corn tortillas about 12–18 tortillas
  • 0.5 cup Diced onion
  • 0.25 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
  • 6 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 cup Salsa verde store-bought or homemade

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Combine lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir to mix.
  2. Add chicken thighs and coat well, then refrigerate for 1-4 hours so the flavors soak in.
Grill and finish
  1. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and place the chicken on the grates, cooking for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
  2. Transfer chicken to a clean board, rest for 5 minutes, then chop into small pieces.
  3. Warm the corn tortillas on the grill until pliable and lightly toasted, about 30-60 seconds per side.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Fill each tortilla with grilled chicken pieces and top with diced onion and chopped cilantro.
  2. Spoon salsa verde over the tacos, then squeeze fresh lime juice on top right before serving.

Notes

For the best street-taco flavor, marinate the chicken at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours) so the lime and spices penetrate. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm chicken and tortillas separately. Freezing isn’t recommended for the assembled tacos, but you can freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. For a lower-carb option, serve the grilled chicken over crisp lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.