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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with lime-marinated, grilled chicken and charred edges. Small corn tortillas are warmed on the grill and topped with fresh onion, cilantro, salsa verde, and lime wedges for taco stand style flavor.
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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: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
Toppings
  • 1 small corn tortillas
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 salsa verde

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.
  2. If marinating longer, refrigerate the chicken in a covered container so the surface stays in contact with the citrus. Keep it chilled until you’re ready to grill.
Grill and rest
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then place chicken on the grates and grill for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Rotate the pieces if needed for even browning.
  2. Transfer chicken to a plate and let it rest for 10 minutes before chopping. This helps keep the juices in the meat for better texture.
  3. Chop the grilled chicken into small pieces, using a light, bite-size cut so it fills tortillas without tearing. Keep pieces loose for easy spooning into each taco.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm small corn tortillas on the grill until pliable and lightly charred, about 30-45 seconds per side. Move them quickly so they don’t dry out.
  2. Assemble tacos by adding chopped grilled chicken to each tortilla and topping with diced onion, cilantro, and salsa verde. Keep toppings simple so the chicken and lime flavor come through.
  3. Squeeze fresh lime over the tacos right before serving. Add extra salsa verde if you want a brighter, tangier finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Marinate at least 1 hour for the best lime-garlic flavor, and don’t skip resting—chopped chicken stays juicier. Store leftover grilled chicken in the fridge up to 3 days and rewarm gently; tortillas and toppings are best fresh. Freezing is best for chicken only (up to 2 months). For a gluten-free option, confirm the tortillas are certified gluten-free.