• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Main Course

    Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

    May 5, 2021 | Updated May 14, 2021 by Ryan 5 Comments

    1088 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Marinated grilled chicken which gets nicely charred makes these grilled chicken street tacos a tasty and healthy option if you are craving some street tacos.

    grilled chicken tacos on cutting board

    Cinco de Mayo is today! Not that I ever need an excuse to eat some tasty Mexican food, but I never will miss an opportunity. From a chicken enchilada skillet to vegetarian burrito bowls.

    For those interested, do you actually know what Cinco de Mayo is celebrating? It's actually a holiday to celebrate the date of the Mexican army's 1862 victor over France at the Battle of Puebla. But in the US, it's a day we celebrate Mexico's culture. So why is that? It's mainly related to marketing. Just like we celebrate Irish culture on St. Patrick's Day, May 5th is for Mexico.

    Ok now that we've got that little history lesson out of the way, let's talk about these chicken street tacos. The star here is the chicken taco marinade that gives a ton of flavor and allows the chicken to char, whether you're using a grill or skillet.

    With the addition of olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic and some spices, you get a delicious chicken that's great for street tacos, burritos, burrito bowls or salads.

    The grilled chicken is so good and so versatile, I recommend even making more than the recipe below as you can store them in the freezer and use when ready.

    While this can be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I recommend using chicken thighs as they are tender and won't dry out if you overcook them a little bit, which let's be honest you probably will as you want a good char.

    So if you're looking to break out the grill and want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or are just craving some good tacos, these grilled chicken street tacos are a great option.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Notes
    • Ingredient Swaps
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • FAQs
    • Street Taco Topping Ideas
    • Side Dish Options
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Taco Recipes
    • Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
    overhead shot of chopped grilled chicken with corn tortillas

    Ingredients Notes

    • Chicken - I use chicken thighs as it remains juicy and has more flavor.
    • Juice - fresh orange and lime juice helps tenderize the chicken and adds flavor.
    • Spices - where most of the flavor for the chicken marinade comes from.

    Ingredient Swaps

    As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:

    • I'm partial to chicken thighs, but chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken works.
    • I like to make my own pico de gallo, but you can easily just use store-bought. You can also use something like a corn mango salsa.
    • I like the flavor of the corn tortillas, but you can use flour tortillas as well. You could even make your own blue corn tortillas.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    process shots of marinating chicken and cooking on the grill

    Combine the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag or bowl and marinate in the fridge for 1 to 6 hours. Once ready, preheat a grill to medium-high heat (about 425F - 450°F). Add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until charred and done.

    process shots of cooking tortillas, making pico de gallo and dicing chicken

    While chicken is resting, place tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds per side to get them charred. If making the pico de gallo, prepare at this point.

    Once everything is ready, dice the chicken and prepare your tacos.

    FAQs

    What is a Street Taco?

    Mexican street tacos are smaller tacos, that are usually served on corn tortillas. They are small it size which makes it easy for a "street traveler" to have a quick meal.

    Can I Bake the Chicken Instead of Grilling?

    You can bake the chicken instead of grilling although you won't get the nice char marks that add to the flavor. Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes on a sheet pan.

    How Do I Know When Chicken is Done?

    Since this cooks so fast, you'll know the chicken is done when it is no longer pink. If you have a thermometer it should be at 165°F.

    What is the Best Tortillas to Use?

    If you're simply making tacos, corn tortillas are usually the way to go as it helps bolster the overall flavor. In fact, if you are eating tacos in Mexico, you probably won't even have an option of corn or flour tortillas.

    However, you can use any type.

    How Long Will It Last?

    Leftovers will last in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or 3 months in a freezer.

    Street Taco Topping Ideas

    • Pico de gallo or tomatoes and onion
    • Shredded lettuce
    • Avocado or guacamole
    • Salsa
    • Cheese
    • Sour cream
    • Sliced radishes

    Side Dish Options

    Tacos are great on their own but you can also add a side or additional toppings. Some options include:

    • Corn Tortilla Chips and Salsa
    • Spanish Rice
    • Homemade Guacamole
    • Frijoles Charros
    • Coleslaw

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Use chicken thighs: Yes I know thighs get a bad rap some time, but they have better flavor, get charred better and remain juicy even if you overcook.
    • Be patient when it comes to the marinade: You want to marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but I recommend trying to marinate for the full 6 hours so the chicken can absorb the flavor.
    • Hot grill: There is nothing worse than preparing chicken and then placing it on the grill and you don't hear a sizzle. You want the grill hot so you can get that nice char. It needs to be at least 425°F.
    • Let chicken rest: Yes even chicken should rest for a few minutes before you dice it up. If you chop into it immediately, the chicken will lose some of its juice.
    overhead shot of grilled chicken tacos on wood cutting board

    Other Taco Recipes

    • Carne Asada Street Tacos
    • Spicy Shrimp Tacos
    • Chicken Mole Tacos
    • Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas

    If you’ve tried these grilled chicken street tacos or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    overhead shot of grilled chicken tacos on wood cutting board
    Print Recipe
    5 from 11 votes

    Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

    Marinated grilled chicken which gets nicely charred makes these street tacos a tasty and healthy option if you are craving some tacos.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Marinating Time1 hr
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Tacos
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 12 tacos
    Calories: 220kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon orange juice
    • 2 tablespoon lime juice
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 avocado, cored and diced
    • 12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
    • queso fresco or favorite cheese (optional)

    Pico de Gallo

    • 1 cup tomato, finely chopped
    • 1 cup white onion, finely chopped
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
    • 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and chopped
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • In large bowl or ziploc bag, add chicken, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and spices. Rub marinade all over chicken and place in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
    • Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Preheat grill to 425-450°F or a pan to medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side.
    • Transfer chicken to plate and cover with foil, letting rest for 5 minutes. Dice chicken into cubes.
    • Grill some tortillas for about 30 seconds per side until charred and set aside.
    • While chicken is resting, combine the chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and sea salt in a bowl and set aside.
    • Serve chicken on warm tortillas with diced avocado, pico de gallo, and some cheese if desired.

    Notes

    • Use chicken thighs: Yes I know thighs get a bad rap some time, but they have better flavor, get charred better and remain juicy even if you overcook.
    • Be patient when it comes to the marinade: You want to marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but I recommend trying to marinate for the full 6 hours so the chicken can absorb the flavor.
    • Hot grill: There is nothing worse than preparing chicken and then placing it on the grill and you don't hear a sizzle. You want the grill hot so you can get that nice char. It needs to be at least 425°F.
    • Let chicken rest: Yes even chicken should rest for a few minutes before you dice it up. If you chop into it immediately, the chicken will lose some of its juice.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1taco | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 16.5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.6mg
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Carne Asada Nachos
    Chicken and Leek Risotto »
    1088 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      May 04, 2019 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      Love tacos!

      Reply
    2. Katelyn Greeno says

      September 23, 2021 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      These were absolutely delicious. Can't do taco nights any other way now!

      Reply
      • Ryan says

        September 23, 2021 at 1:33 pm

        5 stars
        Just had the other night myself. Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    3. Jody says

      August 21, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      We made them exactly how the recipe is written. It’s the only way to give an honest review. We love them. Very simple and great flavor. The chicken is tender.
      Thanks for a great recipe.
      Jody

      Reply
      • Ryan says

        August 21, 2022 at 7:22 pm

        Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Healthy Recipes

    • Cinnamon Overnight Oats
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
      Cook Time1 Hours 10 Minutes
    • Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      Cook Time25 Minutes
    • Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
      Cook Time1 Hours

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
      Cook Time40 Minutes
    • Cranberry Mimosa
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
      Cook Time1 Hours 40 Minutes
    • Chocolate Chip Scones
      Cook Time35 Minutes

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    1088 shares