Authentic Chicken Street Tacos

Juicy chicken thighs marinated in citrus and spices, seared over high heat until charred, and served on double corn tortillas with fresh onion and cilantro.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories: 410

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tbsp olive oil divided
0.25 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
12 small white corn tortillas
0.5 cup white onion finely diced
0.5 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
2 limes cut into wedges

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Mixing bowl
Tongs

Method

Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, whisk 2 tbsp oil, orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss chicken to coat and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
Sear the meat. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until dark crust forms, flip, and cook 4 to 5 minutes more until done.
Chop and rest. Remove chicken to a cutting board, let rest 3 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Warm tortillas. Briefly heat corn tortillas directly in the hot skillet with the leftover chicken juices until pliable.
Assemble. Stack two tortillas, fill with chopped chicken, and top with diced onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Chicken thighs are essential for retaining moisture under high heat. If using breasts, slice them very thin.
Do not marinate longer than 4 hours or the acid will ruin the texture of the meat.
Reheat leftover meat in a hot skillet, not a microwave, to preserve the charred edges.
Stacking two tortillas prevents them from tearing when eating.