Chicken Street Tacos
sandravalvassori.com
These Chicken Street Tacos will become your new favorite when the taco craving hits. Fluffy corn tortillas are filled with flavorful crispy chicken bits and a simple onion and cilantro topping. So good, you will not be able to stop eating them. Best of all, they come together easily and quickly to make a fabulous weeknight meal the whole family will love.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For The Tacos
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 22-24 corn tortillas (preferably 4-inch size - see notes)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves (from about 1/2 bunch of cilantro)
- 2 limes, sliced into wedges
For The Marinade
- 1/2 large red onion, grated using the large holes of a box grater
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1/2 of 1 orange)
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder, or 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 Tablespoon regular paprika (or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, paprika, cilantro and salt.
- Add chicken thighs to marinade and, using your hands, toss to thoroughly coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. If you don't have time to marinate for very long, leave uncovered on the counter for 15 minutes.
- Remove chicken from fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to start grilling.
- Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat (450ºF). Once hot, scrape the grill grates to clean them, then generously oil the grates.
- Using tongs, place the chicken thighs directly on the grill. Cover and grill, undisturbed until grill marks appear and the chicken does not stick to the grates, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes more. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 170°-175ºF (or 165ºF for chicken breasts).
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 4-5 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips, then chop into 1/2-inch cubes. TIP: Leave the grill on to heat the tortillas.
- Heat the tortillas on the grill, for about 1 minute a side, or so. Alternatively, heat the tortillas in a hot skillet on the stovetop for 1 minute a side, or so. See notes below for more options.
- Stack 2 warm mini corn tortillas and top with chopped chicken. Generously sprinkle with diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges for drizzling.
Notes
Corn tortillas: If possible, look for corn tortillas that are super small, about 4-inches in diameter. These small tortillas are sometimes labeled "taqueria style tortillas" or "street taco tortillas". They can be hard to find so if you can't find any, just use the smallest corn tortillas possible. If your corn tortillas are on the thicker side and larger than 5 inches, don't layer two of them for serving as this will mess up the ratio of filling to tortilla.
Heating tortillas: If heating tortillas for a large crowd, wrap a stack of 5-6 in a packet of aluminum foil and place them it in a pre-heated 375° oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. You can do multiple packets at the same time.