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Close-up of three delicious Chicken Street Tacos topped with salsa verde, diced white onion, and cilantro.

Chicken Street Tacos Recipe

Make authentic chicken street tacos at home using this recipe. This method uses a flavorful marinade and grilling technique to cook the chicken thighs. Serve these tacos with fresh onion, cilantro, and lime wedges for a bright flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 tacos
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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
For The Tacos
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 22 - corn tortillas Preferably 4-inch size
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves From about 1/2 bunch of cilantro
  • 2 limes, sliced into wedges

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Gas grill
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. Add chicken thighs to the marinade and toss with your hands to coat them thoroughly. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. If you have limited time, leave the chicken uncovered on the counter for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan to start grilling.
  4. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat (450ºF). Once hot, scrape the grill grates to clean them, then oil the grates generously.
  5. Using tongs, place the chicken thighs directly on the grill. Cover and grill, without moving them, 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).
  6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 4-5 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips, then chop into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep the grill on to heat the tortillas.
  7. Heat the tortillas on the grill for about 1 minute per side. You can also heat the tortillas in a hot skillet on the stovetop for about 1 minute per side.
  8. Stack 2 warm mini corn tortillas and top with the chopped chicken. Sprinkle generously with diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.

Notes

For the best results, look for corn tortillas that are small, about 4-inches in diameter. These are sometimes labeled “taqueria style tortillas” or “street taco tortillas”. If you cannot find these small sizes, use the smallest corn tortillas available. If your corn tortillas are thick or larger than 5 inches, do not layer two of them when serving, as this changes the filling to tortilla ratio.
If you need to heat tortillas for a large group, wrap a stack of 5-6 in aluminum foil and place the packet in a pre-heated 375° oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. You can heat multiple packets at the same time.

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