Chicken Street Tacos Recipe

Name: Chicken Street Tacos
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 300 min
Ingredients: 2-2.5 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup orange juice; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1/2 yellow onion, (chopped); 3 cloves garlic, (minced); 1 ounce achiote paste ((see notes)); 1/2 TBS EACH ground coriander, ground cumin; 1 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt; 1/2 tsp EACH pepper, chipotle chili powder; 18 corn tortillas ((like La Tortilla Factory)); 1 recipe pico de gallo; 1 recipe guacamole; sour cream ((optional)); Cotija cheese ((optional)); Hot sauce ((optional))

These Chicken Street Tacos will have everyone begging for Taco Tuesday (coming from a San Diegan taco connoisseur)! They’re an easy marinate-and-cook recipe with minutes of prep and less than 15 minutes on the grill, oven or stovetop. This authentic tasting recipe is elevated with juicy, smoky, earthy pollo asado, piled in charred corn tortillas with the option of homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, and Cotija cheese.

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up close of chicken street tacos showing what they're made of: corn tortilla, chopped chicken, guacamole, pico de gallo and cotija cheese

Watch How to Make chicken tacos

Chicken Street Taco Recipe ingredients

The chicken taco marinade is tangy from the orange and lime juice, nutty from the achiote, spicy from the chipotle pepper, earthy from the cumin and coriander, and smoky from the paprika with aromatic punches of onion and garlic to top it off.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this chicken taco recipe (full measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Corn tortillas: Corn tortillas are a must for that extra robust, nutty, sweet corn flavor. Freshly made or homemade corn tortillas are best or packages that say, “organic” or “made in small batches.” I love La Tortilla Factory Corn Tortillas. You can find them at Sprouts, Whole Foods and at many major grocery stores. You can also pick them up on Amazon here. They are more expensive than the flimsy, dry, cheap packages BUT so worth it!
Chicken: Please use juicier, richer tasting boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Achiote paste: This is typically sold in 3.5-ounce blocks in the ethnic or Latin section of your grocery store. It can also be found at any specialty Latin market. If you can’t find it near you, order it on Amazon here. I’ve gone into greater detail below.
Lime juice: Fresh is best, but bottled will work.
Orange juice: Freshly squeezed is best but a carton of pure freshly squeezed without any additives will work.
Aromatics: Yellow onion and garlic add the pungent flavor. Don’t substitute with a sweet onion. See below for ground substitutions.
Spices: Ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and chipotle chili powder (detailed below) round out the warm, earthy, nutty, sweet, smoky flavors.
Chipotle chile pepper: is made of jalapeno peppers that are smoked, dried and crushed -so it’s not just spicy but smoky too! It is easy to find at your grocery store under any of the following names: “chipotle chile pepper,” “ground chipotle chile,” or “chipotle powder.” If you don’t keep it stocked – you want to. I use it in all of my Mexican recipes!

showing what achiote paste looks like to make pollo asado recipe

What is Achiote paste?

Achiote paste is made by grinding annatto seeds and combining them with vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic and salt. The paste is slightly sweet, peppery, nutty and smoky. It is what gives these chicken tacos and al pastor, their signature red-orange color and intense flavoring. If you can’t find it near you, order it on Amazon here.

ACHIOTE PASTE SUBSTITUTE

If you can’t get your hands on achiote, you may substitute the following spice blend. Note, that the substitution will not provide the same authentic nuttiness, but it will still be tasty. Add the following seasonings in ADDITION to the ones listed in the recipe if you are not using achiote paste:

½ tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cloves

toppings for Street Tacos

Guacamole: You have three options when it comes to guacamole: 1) simply pick up store-bought in the deli section; 2) mash avocados with lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper or 3) go all out with my favorite guacamole recipe made with avocados, lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, red onions, and juicy tomatoes.
Pico de gallo: This is fresh tomato salsa with a vibrant, punchy freshness. Use my homemade pico de gallo recipe or store bought. You can make the salsa ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Salsa: Go with traditional restaurant style salsa, or salsa verde.
Cotija cheese: Consider a dusting of Cotija for a salty finish. Cotija is known as “Mexican Parmesan” because it is wonderfully salty, hard, and crumbly. It is traditionally found with the specialty cheeses and should be readily available. You may also use queso fresco.
Hot Sauce or Chipotle Sauce: Pass around your favorite hot sauce or go with a drizzle of sensational Chipotle Sauce. It’s creamy, spicy, smoky, zesty and crave worthy!

showing ingredients for chicken street tacos

Chicken Street Taco Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Use chicken breasts: Take care to pound the breasts to an even thickness before marinating. If your chicken breasts are extra-large, slice them through the equator to create fillets. Take extra care not to over-marinate or overcook.
Achiote substitute: Use the prescribed blend of seasonings if you can’t get your hands on the paste.
Aromatics substitute: Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon onion powder in place of fresh.
Make it less spicy: This chicken street tacos recipe is medium spicy, which is mellowed when stuffed in tortillas. For less spicy chicken, reduce the chipotle pepper to ¼ teaspoon.
Make it spicier: Add additional chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper to the marinade, or add seeded, deveined jalapeno.
Add cilantro to the marinade: For more of a zesty, citrusy punch.
Add beans: Add your favorite beans – warmed refried beans, black beans, kidney beans etc. to the tacos.
Add veggies. Grilled bell peppers, corn, zucchini, sweet potatoes, etc.
Pickled red onions: and/or tangy radishes if they’re your thing.
Add corn salsa: I’m obsessed with sweet, smoky, crunchy, juicy corn salsa. I’ve already used in my pork tacos and think it belongs on everything!
Add pineapple or pineapple salsa: Freshly chopped pineapple or grilled sweet and smoky pineapple salsa pair beautifully with chicken tacos like in my California Burritos.

How to make Chicken Street Tacos

This Chicken Street Taco recipe is easy to make – just marinate, cook and prep the toppings! Here’s how (full recipe measurement are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):

STEP 1: MARINATE CHICKEN

Whisk all of the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer size plastic bag.
Add the chicken and marinate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

a collage showing how to make chicken street tacos by making the marinade by adding lime juice, orange juice, onions, garlic and spices to a glass bowl then mixing together

showing how to make chicken street taco recipe by marinating pollo asado with onions, garlic, achiote paste, lime juice and orange juice in a glass bowl

STEP 2: BRING CHICKEN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE

Rest on the counter: When read to grill, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You should never grill chicken or any protein straight out of the refrigerator. Room temperature protein is juicier and cooks more evenly.

STEP 3: Prepare toppings

Pico de gallo: Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, let sit 15 minutes at room temperature.
Guacamole: Mash avocados in a medium bowl to desired consistency. Fold in all remaining ingredients. Taste and add additional lime juice or salt to taste.

silver bowl in a white bowl of authentic pico de gallo with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, cilantro

STEP 4: Prep GRILL

Heat the grill with the lid closed cranked to the maximum high temperature so it can achieve temperature more quickly and deliver a beautiful sear. Once the grill is hot, adjust the temperature as needed.
Clean the grill thoroughly with a wire grill brush to remove any residue.
Generously grease the CLEAN grill with a wad of oiled paper towels using tongs just before adding the chicken. NEVER use spray oils once the grill is on.

STEP 5: COOK POLLO ASADO

Add the chicken thighs, cover, and grill for 5-7 minutes per side or until the thickest part of the chicken registers 170°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. The grilling time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken and the actual heat of our grill.

showing how to make chicken street tacos by grilling the chicken until charred in spots and cooked through

HOW DO I NOT OVERCOOK MY CHICKEN?

I highly recommend investing in a meat thermometer, otherwise there is no accurate way to know when the chicken is cooked without slicing and loosing valuable juices. You can pick up an inexpensive instant read thermometer at any grocery store or Amazon, or I’m obsessed with my digital meat probe thermometer. You stick the probe in the chicken (or any protein) and set an alert for the temperature, walk away and it will beep when ready. You’ll never overcook chicken again!

STEP 6: rest and chop chicken

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before chopping into small, bite-size pieces.

showing how to make street tacos by chopping chicken into small, bite size pieces

STEP 7: Warm Tortillas

Warming tortillas accentuates the flavors, and helps prevent lower quality tortillas from breaking. Keep them warm and pliable by stacking on a plate and covering with a slightly dampened, paper towel or clean towel or in a tortilla warmer. To warm tortillas:

Option 1: Open Flame (gas stove or grill). This is the best method for charred smoky flavor. Add the tortillas directly to the burner of your grill or gas stove then flip with tongs once they are charred on one side. Take special care not to over-char, especially less quality tortillas or they will become brittle and break. You still want the tortillas soft and pliable.
Option 2: Skillet. Heat a skillet (or griddle if you have one) to medium high heat (do not grease). Heat each side of the tortilla for approximately 20 seconds until warm and soft. You are not looking for char marks with this method.
Option 3 Microwave. Working with about 5-7 tortillas at a time, stack tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then repeat at 10 second intervals if needed until warmed through.
Option 4 Oven. Create separate stacks of about 5 tortillas each, then wrap each stack in foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (you can bake all stacks at once)

STEP 8: assemble

Assemble Chicken Street Tacos by layering warmed corn tortillas with chopped pollo asado, guacamole, pico de gallo, and cotija. Serve with optional lime wedges and hot sauce.

showing how to make chicken street tacos by adding chicken, guacamole and pico de gallo to a small corn tortilla

TIPS FOR making chicken tacos

Don’t over-marinate. Don’t marinate chicken thighs longer than 24 hours or the muscle fibers can break down and become mushy due to the acidic marinade. If using chicken breasts, don’t marinate longer than 12 hours.
Bring chicken to room temperature before cooking. Transfer the marinating chicken to your kitchen counter 30 minutes before grilling for juicier, more evenly cooked chicken.
Use a clean, hot grill. A clean grill ensures direct contact with the heat to create a beautiful sear and grill marks and helps prevent sticking. Don’t add the chicken until the grill reaches temperature or you won’t get that coveted street taco char.
Use a high smoking point oil. Grease your grill with a high smoking point oil such as vegetable oil. Do NOT use olive oil because it has a lower smoking point, which means that overheating will not only smoke you out but can adversely impact the oil’s flavor and produce low levels of harmful compounds due to the high antioxidant content in the oil.
Don’t over flip chicken. Resist the urge to flip the pollo asado more than once. The chicken needs constant direct heat to develop the intensely flavored, caramelized crust. If you keep rotating the chicken, it will brown, but won’t char.
Don’t overcook! Use a meat thermometer to eliminate all of the guess work to achieve succulent, juicy chicken every time. Use an inexpensive instant read thermometer from the grocery store or Amazon, or I am obsessed with this digital probe thermometer.
Let the chicken rest. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before chopping to reabsorb all of the juices that are pushed to the outside of the chicken while it cooks.
Use quality tortillas. You can taste the difference!
Char tortillas. It’s best to use the grill or the flame of a gas stove to achieve the authentic nutty char. Using the microwave or oven won’t achieve the same flavor.
Let pico de gallo rest. Letting the pico de gallo rest for at least 30 minutes makes a huge difference in flavor. If you taste it right away, I guarantee you will be disappointed.

How to serve Street Chicken Tacos

Serve your flavorful street tacos with one of more of the following:

Chips and salsa: up your salsa game with homemade salsa, grilled corn salsa, pineapple salsa, mango salsa, or avocado corn salsa
Rice: cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice, avocado rice
Corn: corn salad, elote, or Mexican street corn salad
Salad: Southwest salad, Mexican salad, or Mexican pasta salad
Fruit: pina colada fruit salad or perfect fruit salad

Street TAcos Meal Prep

You can prepare the entire Chicken Street Tacos recipe ahead and reheat, or prep elements in advance:

-Marinade: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without the chicken.
-Chicken: marinate up to 24 hours in advance.
-Pico de gallo: make and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance.
-Guacamole: make up to 24 hours in advance; store with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface before refrigerating. To further prevent oxidation/browning, I suggest stirring in a dollop of sour cream – it works magic!

Street Taco Recipe Chicken storage

-To store: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months. Refrigerate pico de gallo for up to 3 days.
-To reheat: Remove chopped chicken and reheat in a skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium heat or microwave for 30 seconds then at 15 second intervals until warmed though.

Street Tacos Recipe Chicken FAQs

What is the difference between a taco and a street taco?

Street tacos can be filled with grilled chicken, beef, pork or fish. They are characterized by their small, soft corn tortillas, opposed to crunchy shells or larger tortillas. The tortillas are usually double stacked and small enough to easily maneuver with one hand. The street tacos are served open faced piled with minimal toppings of guacamole or avocados, pico de gallo and sometimes Cotija cheese, then folded in half to eat.

Why do street tacos have 2 tortillas?

Street tacos often have two tortillas for a few reasons:

1. The double tortillas provide structural support, preventing the tacos from falling apart.
2. They help absorb moisture from the fillings, keeping the bottom tortilla from becoming soggy.
3. The two tortillas increase durability and reduce the chances of ingredients spilling out, making the tacos easier to handle and eat on the go.

What does street taco seasoning taste like?

The seasonings are what make this recipe! It’s nutty from the achiote, spicy from the chipotle pepper, earthy from the cumin and coriander, and smoky from the paprika with aromatic punches of onion and garlic to top it off. Orange and lime juice add bright tanginess to cut through the robust seasonings.

Are street tacos unhealthy?

Street tacos can be part of a healthy, well balanced diet:

1. Grilled meat: The meat is grilled, so it avoids additional fats from cooking and chicken itself is a very lean protein.
2. Toppings: The toppings include fresh ingredients like guacamole which is a good source of healthy fats, dietary fiber, and vitamins such as vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate. Pico de gallo is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber.
3. Corn tortillas: Lastly, street tacos are made with corn tortillas, which are healthier compared to flour tortillas. Corn tortillas are lower in calories and fat, higher in dietary fiber, and contain beneficial nutrients like iron and magnesium.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY CHICKEN IS DONE?

Always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness so you don’t undercook or overcook your chicken. A meat thermometer means perfectly cooked, tender, juicy chicken ever time. Dark meat, such has chicken thighs, are safe to eat when cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, but are more tender when cooked to 175 degrees. This higher temperature breaks down and melts the tough connective tissue and collagen.

Why should I let the chicken come to room temperature before grilling?

1. Cooks quickly: Room temperature chicken will cook more quickly because it starts cooking at a higher temperature which means the outside is less likely to overcook and there is less time for moisture to be released while cooking.
2. Cooks evenly: The chicken also cooks more evenly and you aren’t left with an overcooked exterior and cold interior.
3. Juicier: Lastly, bringing chicken to room temperature relaxes the cold muscle fibers so they release natural moisture which is then reabsorbed into the muscle for juicier results (otherwise the moisture stays trapped in the fibers).

more street taco Recipes

Carne Asada Street Tacos: stuffed with tender, juicy chopped carne asada (marinated skirt, flank or flap steak), guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, cotija and salsa and/or hot sauce on corn tortillas.

Baja Fish Street Tacos: made famous by Rubio’s, Baja Fish Tacos are always fried (never blackened), served on corn tortillas, with thinly sliced cabbage, pico de gallo, creamy white sauce and plenty of lime.

Street Tacos Al Pastor: pork (or chicken al pastor) is marinated in pineapple, chilies and spices then stacked and vertically roasted on a slowly turning spit with a pineapple on top which bathes the pork with its juices as it roasts and caramelizes. The meat is sliced off to-order accompanied by chunks of fresh pineapple, pico de gallo and avocados or guacamole cocooned in corn tortillas.

Carnitas Street Tacos: is traditionally made by simmering large chunks of cumin, chili, oregano, citrus seasoned pork in hot lard on the stove top then coarsely chopping, however, my pork carnitas recipe is made in the slow cooker! The carnitas are then piled in corn tortillas often with refried beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cilantro.

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Servings: -18 street tacos

Total Time: 5

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 15

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Ingredients

POLLO ASADO

2-2.5 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ounce achiote paste (see notes)
1/2 TBS EACH ground coriander, ground cumin
1 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt
1/2 tsp EACH pepper, chipotle chili powder

TACOS

18 corn tortillas (like La Tortilla Factory)
1 recipe pico de gallo
1 recipe guacamole
sour cream (optional)
Cotija cheese (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

MARINATE CHICKEN

Whisk all of the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer size plastic bag (except the chicken). Add chicken and turn to coat.
Marinate in the refrigerator 4 to 24 hours. If using chicken breasts (not recommended), only marinate up to 12 hours or they can become mushy.

Prep Toppings

Prepare pico de gallo and guacamole according to recipe instructions. See notes for Prep Ahead Instructions.

Let Chicken Rest

Let chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking, meanwhile remove pico de gallo from the fridge. Preheat grill the last 10 minutes.

COOK CHICKEN (SEE NOTES FOR OVEN/STOVE)

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, 425-450°F. Clean and grease grates with vegetable oil.
Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before chopping into small pieces.

WARM TORTILLAS

Warm tortillas in the microwave, in a skillet or char on the grill or open gas stovetop flame until warm but still pliable (detailed instructions in notes).

ASSEMBLE

Layer warmed corn tortillas with chopped chicken, guacamole, pico de gallo and cotija. Serve with optional lime wedges and hot sauce.

Video

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES

Achiote paste: This is typically sold in 3.5-ounce blocks in the ethnic or Latin section of your grocery store. It can also be found at any specialty Latin market. If you can’t find it near you, order it on Amazon here. I’ve gone into greater detail below.
Achiote substitute: Note, that the substitution will not provide the same authentic nuttiness, but it will still be tasty. Add the following seasonings in ADDITION to the ones listed in the recipe if you are not using achiote paste:
½ tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cloves

to bake chicken

Bake boneless chicken thighs at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

to pan sear chicken

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

How to Warm Tortillas

Option 1: Open Flame (gas stove or grill). This is the best method for charred smoky flavor. Add the tortillas directly to the burner of your grill or gas stove then flip with tongs once they are charred on one side. Take special care not to over-char, especially less quality tortillas or they will become brittle and break. You still want the tortillas soft and pliable.
Option 2: Skillet. Heat a skillet (or griddle if you have one) to medium high heat (do not grease). Heat each side of the tortilla for approximately 20 seconds until warm and soft. You are not looking for char marks with this method.
Option 3 Microwave. Working with about 5-7 tortillas at a time, stack tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then repeat at 10 second intervals if needed until warmed through.
Option 4 Oven. Create separate stacks of about 5 tortillas each, then wrap each stack in foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (you can bake all stacks at once).

Prep Ahead

Marinade: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without the chicken.
Chicken: marinate up to 24 hours in advance.
Pico de gallo: make and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance.
Guacamole: make up to 24 hours in advance; store with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface before refrigerating. To further prevent oxidation/browning, I suggest stirring in a dollop of sour cream – it works magic!

To Store and Reheat

To store: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months. Refrigerate pico de gallo for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Remove chopped chicken and reheat in a skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium heat or microwave for 30 seconds then at 15 second intervals until warmed though.

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8 Comments

Jennifer Fulk says

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Hi Jen! This looks wonderful. I have a couple questions about the paste. If the achiote paste comes in 3.5 oz block how do I measure 1 ounce? Also, I have seen in reviews on Amazon that it is a hard block, not a paste and people were having trouble incorporating it into their marinades. Any tips on that? I can’t wait to make these. Thanks!

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Hi Jennifer, I use a kitchen scale to measure 1 ounce, but if you don’t have one, I would eyeball a little less than one third of the block. Yes, it is a block but it crumbles pretty easily if it’s not old. If it’s not soft enough, I recommend microwaving it for a few seconds to soften. Hope this helps!
  
Hilary says

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These tacos are so darn good, this is the only street taco recipe you need! Thank you Jen for sharing it!

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  You are so welcome, Hilary! I am so pleased you love them!
  
Melanie says

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Great recipe! Delicious with great flavor. My family liked it.

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  So happy you and your family liked this recipe! Thank you, Melanie!!
  
Natalia says

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Jen, these tacos are so good. The pollo asado is so flavorfull. I found the achite paste at Walmart, here in Georgia. Best chicken tacos ever. I am planning to prepare them often. Wow, so yummy. Thank you!!!

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Hello Natalia! I’m so happy that you were able to find the paste and that this is going to be a repeat for you!!