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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos made taco stand style with grilled, charred chicken marinated in lime, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Served in small corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, diced onion, lime wedges, and salsa verde.
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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
  • 0.25 cup lime juice for the marinade
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for the marinade
  • 3 garlic, minced for the marinade
  • 1 tsp cumin for the marinade
  • 1 tsp chili powder for the marinade
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
Toppings and serving
  • 1 Small corn tortillas warm on the grill
  • 1 Diced onion for serving
  • 1 cilantro for serving
  • 1 lime wedges serve and squeeze
  • 1 Salsa verde serve alongside

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 well. Marinate for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator for best flavor.
Grill and char
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then place the marinated chicken on the grates. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
Rest and chop
  1. Transfer chicken to a cutting surface and rest briefly before chopping into small pieces.
Warm tortillas
  1. Warm small corn tortillas on the grill until pliable and lightly marked. Keep them warm while you assemble the tacos.
Assemble the street tacos
  1. Fill tortillas with grilled chicken pieces and top with diced onion and cilantro. Spoon salsa verde over the top and serve with lime wedges.
Finish with lime
  1. Squeeze fresh lime over each taco right before eating. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Notes

For juicier chicken, marinate closer to 4 hours and avoid overcooking past cooked-through doneness. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; freeze chopped chicken (without tortillas) up to 2 months. For a lower-carb option, serve the grilled chicken over shredded lettuce or cauliflower “rice” instead of tortillas, keeping the same toppings.