Description
Juicy marinated chicken, smoky from the grill, tucked into warm corn tortillas with fresh toppings—these grilled chicken street tacos are quick, flavorful, and perfect for taco night.
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, if preferred)
¼ cup orange juice (fresh-squeezed if possible)
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder for less heat)
1 tsp Mexican oregano (or regular oregano if needed)
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the Tacos
12 small corn tortillas
1 cup pico de gallo (homemade or store-bought)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges, for serving
Optional Toppings
Guacamole
Sour cream or Mexican crema
Pickled red onions
Hot sauce
Instructions
Marinate the chicken: In a bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and spices. Add chicken, coat well, and marinate at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
Preheat the grill: Heat to medium-high. Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
Grill the chicken: Place marinated chicken on the grill and cook 4–5 minutes per side, or until internal temp reaches 165°F.
Rest & chop: Let chicken rest 5 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
Warm tortillas: Heat tortillas on the grill or in a dry skillet until pliable and slightly charred.
Assemble tacos: Fill each tortilla with chopped chicken, pico de gallo, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Add optional toppings if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, grill the tortillas directly over the flame for 20–30 seconds per side.
Double the recipe and save extra chicken for salads, bowls, or quesadillas during the week.
Don’t over-marinate—citrus can break down the chicken if left too long.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos (¼ of recipe)
- Calories: ~385
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: grilled chicken street tacos, easy chicken tacos, weeknight dinner tacos
