Description
Authentic chicken street tacos with perfectly marinated and grilled chicken thighs, served on warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro and lime. These flavorful tacos feature a smoky ancho chili marinade that creates tender, juicy chicken with amazing depth of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 large red onion, grated
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 22–24 pieces corn tortillas, 4-inch size
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a large bowl, combine grated onion, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cilantro, and salt
- Marinate Chicken: Add chicken thighs to marinade and coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight. For quick version, leave uncovered 15 minutes at room temperature
- Prep for Grilling: Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat (450°F). Clean and oil grill grates
- Grill Chicken: Place chicken directly on grill. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear. Flip and cook 5 minutes more. Continue flipping until internal temperature reaches 170-175°F
- Rest and Chop: Transfer chicken to cutting board and rest 4-5 minutes. Slice into strips, then chop into 1/2-inch cubes
- Warm Tortillas: Heat tortillas on grill 1 minute per side, or in hot skillet until warm and pliable
- Assemble Tacos: Stack 2 warm corn tortillas, top with chopped chicken, diced white onion, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges
Notes
- Grate onion and garlic instead of chopping for better marinade penetration and smoother texture
- Don’t skip the resting period after grilling – it allows juices to redistribute for maximum tenderness
- Double-stack tortillas to prevent tearing and create authentic street taco structure
- Save some marinade before adding raw chicken to use as a flavor booster when serving
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 385 calories
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: chicken street tacos, authentic tacos, grilled chicken, Mexican food, street food, corn tortillas, ancho chili, marinated chicken