These Chicken Street Tacos will have everyone begging for Taco Tuesday (coming from a San Diegan taco connoisseur)! Theyโre 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.
Watch How to Make chicken tacos
You will love this Chicken Street Tacos Recipe
ย Chicken Street Taco Recipe ingredients
The chicken taco marinade is tangy from the orange and lime juice, nutty from the achiote, spicy from theย chipotle pepper, earthy from the cumin and coriander, and smoky from the paprika with aromatic punches of onion and garlic to top it off.ย
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):
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.ย The paste is slightly sweet, peppery, nutty and smoky.ย It is what gives these chicken tacos and al pastor, their signature red-orange color and intense flavoring. ย If you canโt find it near you,ย order it on Amazon here.
ACHIOTE PASTE SUBSTITUTE
If you canโt get your hands on achiote, you may substitute the following spice blend.ย Note, that the substitution will not provide the same authentic nuttiness, but it will still be tasty.ย 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
Chicken Street Taco Recipe Substitutions and Variations
How to make Chicken Street Tacos
This Chicken Street Taco recipe is easy to make โ just marinate, cook and prep the toppings! Hereโs how (full recipe measurement are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
STEP 1: MARINATE CHICKEN
STEP 2: BRING CHICKEN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
STEP 3: Prepare toppings
STEP 4: Prep GRILL
STEP 5: COOK POLLO ASADO
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.ย You can pick up an inexpensiveย instant read thermometerย at any grocery store or Amazon, or Iโm obsessed with myย digital meat probe thermometer.ย ย 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.ย Youโll never overcook chicken again! ย
STEP 6: rest and chop chicken
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:
STEP 8: assemble
TIPS FOR making chicken tacos
How to serve Street Chicken Tacos
Serve your flavorful street tacos with one of more of the following:ย
Street TAcos Meal Prep
You can prepare the entire Chicken Street Tacos recipe ahead and reheat, or prep elements in advance:ย
ย
-Marinade:ย store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without the chicken.
-Chicken: marinate up to 24 hours in advance.ย
-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 โ 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.ย
Street Tacos Recipe Chicken FAQs
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.ย The tortillas are usually double stacked and small enough to easily maneuver with one hand.ย 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.
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.
The seasonings are what make this recipe! It’s nutty from the achiote, spicy from theย chipotle pepper, earthy from the cumin and coriander, and smoky from the paprika with aromatic punches of onion and garlic to top it off.ย Orange and lime juice add bright tanginess to cut through the robust seasonings.
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.
Always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness so you donโt undercook or overcook your chicken.ย A meat thermometer means perfectly cooked, tender, juicy chicken ever time. Dark meat,ย 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.
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.ย
2. Cooks evenly: The chicken also cooks more evenly and you arenโt left with an overcooked exterior and cold interior.ย
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:ย stuffed with tender, juicy chopped carne asada (marinated skirt, flank or flap steak),ย guacamole,ย pico de gallo, sour cream, cotija and salsa and/or hot sauce on corn tortillas.
Baja Fish Street Tacos:ย ย made famous by Rubioโs, Baja Fish Tacos are always fried (never blackened), served on corn tortillas, with thinly sliced cabbage,ย pico de gallo, creamy white sauce and plenty of lime. ย
Street Tacos Al Pastor:ย 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 orย guacamoleย cocooned in corn tortillas.ย
Carnitas Street Tacos:ย 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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Chicken Street Tacos
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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, 425-450ยฐF. 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:ย ย This is typically sold in 3.5-ounce blocks in the ethnic or Latin section of your grocery store.ย It can also be found at any specialty Latin market.ย If you canโt find it near you, order it on Amazon here. Iโve gone into greater detail below.
- Achiote substitute: ย Note, that the substitution will not provide the same authentic nuttiness, but it will still be tasty.ย 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.ย ยto pan sear chickenย
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.ย ยHow to Warm Tortillas
Prep Ahead
- Marinade:ย store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without the chicken.
- Chicken: marinate up to 24 hours in advance.ย
- 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 โ 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.ย
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Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Jennifer Fulk says
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
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
These tacos are so darn good, this is the only street taco recipe you need! Thank you Jen for sharing it!
Jen says
You are so welcome, Hilary! I am so pleased you love them!
Melanie says
Great recipe! Delicious with great flavor. My family liked it.
Jen says
So happy you and your family liked this recipe! Thank you, Melanie!!
Natalia says
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
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!!
Kathy says
It’s weird to call for an ingredient that may be hard to find, &/or not be able to use it all up. Does it keep long in the fridge? Can we just leave it out? This recipe looks really good, but it’s easier to use familiar & easy-to-find ingredients I’ll have to think about this one….
Jen says
Hi Kathy, most of my recipes are made with easy-to-find ingredients but some recipes require authentic ingredients for authentic flavor. I hope you end up making this one – it’s worth it!