Chicken Tacos (Mexican Street Style)

Here in my kitchen, tacos are a regular thing, not just on Taco Tuesday. But this is the one we keep coming back to more often than others. Chicken Tacos!!

Perfected seasoned and well marinated tender juicy chicken is all you need to make this taco dinner a huge HIT!

There is no magic formula here. Simple, good food you don’t mind eating every single time. These are chicken tacos, Mexican street style! The one similar to what you get at all the Mexican food trucks and street stands…

Seriously, we eat a lot of tacos. Maybe one day you will hear all about it. There is so much you can put in between that fold of a tortilla, and not just limited to Mexican theme. Our Korean Bulgogi Tacos show that.

Sometimes we go all out with the most popular Mexican Birria Tacos, dunking them in consommé.

Today though, I am talking about the most basic, yet very deliciously satisfying, tacos out there. Simple chicken tacos with minimal toppings. You will nod your head with satisfaction when you bite into this one.

What are Mexican Street Style Tacos?

Street style tacos are what you would typically get at Mexican street style vendors, selling from their food trucks, stands or small shops. They are smaller than the conventional tacos you get in stores, and are mostly corn tortillas, either white or yellow.

These mini corn tortillas can be stuffed with various cooked meats, with simple toppings of onion and cilantro, or some kind of salsa, and a good splash of lime. They are cheap street food enjoyed as a quick meal.

One neat thing I’ve noticed is that most of the times, they serve the filling on two small tortillas instead of one to keep everything sturdy while you eat.

What Cut of Chicken To Use

I always use boneless skinless thighs for these Mexican street style chicken tacos. Once marinated well, they give you juicy and tender bites.

However, if you’re a fan of white meat, chicken breast can also work here. Just keep in mind that it’s not as fatty, so it won’t be as juicy. To help with that, I suggest butterflying the chicken breast, as it cuts down on cooking time and helps retain moisture. It’s a simple trick that can make a big difference in the final dish.

Chicken Taco Marinade

In my opinion, the taco marinade is the star of this recipe. It’s what really sets these chicken tacos apart from the rest and makes them so delicious. This marinade doesn’t skimp on seasonings and adds lots of tang, spice and herbs.

My chicken taco marinade is an olive oil and lime juice base with Mexican staples of cilantro and jalapeño, along with all their earthy spices like cumin, oregano, red chili flakes and chili powder (we use ancho chili powder, but you can use regular chili powder in its absence). And enough salt and pepper, of course.

Street Style Chicken Taco Recipe

1. Make the marinade and marinate chicken: I start by mixing all of the marinade ingredients in a big bowl. Once everything’s well combined, I add the chicken thighs to the marinade, making sure they’re nicely coated. This step ensures that the chicken gets infused with flavors before hitting the pan.

Then I cover the bowl with cling wrap and pop it in the refrigerator to marinate. I like to let it sit for at least 1 hour, but preferably around 6 hours for the flavors to really soak in. You can even marinate it overnight, but I wouldn’t go beyond 24 hours.

When I’m ready to cook, I take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes beforehand to let it come to room temperature. This helps ensure that it cooks evenly.

2. Cook the chicken: I heat up some olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, I add the chicken thighs and let them cook without moving them for about 6-7 minutes on each side. I keep an eye on them until they’re cooked through and look nicely browned. It’s a simple way to get juicy, flavorful chicken!

3. Rest the chicken: Then I rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then cut it into bite-sized chunks.

4. Assemble the tacos: Next I heat up a large griddle or skillet over high heat and warm the tortillas on both sides. Then, I serve the warm tortillas topped with chopped chicken and any desired toppings, along with plenty of lime juice.

Grilling Method

1. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat (about 425°-450°F).

2. Grill the chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side, or until chicken has cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Can I Bake the Chicken?

You can bake the chicken, although you won’t get the char marks that add to the flavor. Bake on a sheet pan at 425°F for 30 minutes (or until cooked through and crisp on the edges).

Topping Ideas

Mexican street style tacos are typically topped with only onion and cilantro and served with lime and some kind of hot sauce. They’re absolutely delicious in this simple form, as the main flavor punch comes from the well seasoned chicken. Saying that, you can always load them with these other topping suggestions.

1. Diced avocado is always best with chicken.
2. Diced tomatoes
3. Pico de gallo
4. Guacamole
5. Any of your favorite salsa
6. Mexican cheeses like cotija, queso fresco, or Monterey jack cheese.
7. Shredded lettuce
8. Sour cream

Alpana’s Tips

• I find that marinating the chicken for a longer time really makes a difference in flavor and tenderness. Just letting it sit for an hour won’t give you that same flavor punch. So, I like to marinate it for longer to let the flavors really soak in and tenderize the meat. It’s worth the extra time.
• I always use chicken thighs, as those are the best for this recipe.
• Make sure your griddle or grill is hot enough to get good char marks, and sear the meat beautifully.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before chopping it into bites. If you cut it immediately it might loose some of the juices.
• If you are filling these chicken tacos with more toppings than just onion and cilantro, I suggest using regular sized tacos, as they will hold more toppings better than small street style tacos.
• To hold more meat on the tacos, I use two tortillas instead of one, so they don’t tear while eating.

Make this easy taco recipe, Mexican Street Style Chicken Tacos!! They highlight the well seasoned chicken bites, and are so addictive with just a splash of lime and a little onion and cilantro.

Go authentic Mexican style. Go easy, with tons of flavor the next time those taco cravings hit hard. Try our chicken taco recipe, which we have been eating for ages around here.

Let me know how you like it. Taco time is good time. Taco time is family time. Taco time is fun, happy times.

Mexican Street Style Chicken Tacos, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other great taco recipes!
Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos
Ground Beef Tacos
Tacos Gobernador
Steak Tacos
Breakfast Tacos
Baja Fish Tacos
Ground Turkey Tacos

Chicken Tacos (Mexican Street Style)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These easy authentic Mexican Street Style Chicken Tacos are packed with flavor from a great marinade, and can be your easy weeknight dinner, meal prep, or feed a crowd!

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Ingredients

Marinade

• ¼ cup lime juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ jalapeño, finely chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder (you can sub it with chili powder)
• ½-1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Chicken Tacos

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
• 12-18 mini street style corn tortillas or flour tortillas, warmed up
• lime wedges

Toppings suggestions

• red onion, diced
• cilantro, chopped
• pico de gallo
• guacamole
• diced avocado

Instructions

Stovetop Method

1. Mix in all the marinade ingredients in a big bowl and add chicken thighs to marinade. Toss the chicken thighs well with the marinade. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably at least 6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, place chicken thighs and cook undisturbed 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and lightly browned.
3. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
4. Heat a large griddle or skillet over high heat and warm the tortillas on both sides.
5. Serve the warm tortillas (see note 1) topped with chopped chicken, along with your desired toppings, and plenty of lime. (Mexican street style tacos are typically topped with only onion and cilantro, and served with lime.)

Grilling Method

1. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat (about 425°-450°F).
2. Grill the chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side, or until chicken has cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.
3. Assemble tacos.

Notes

1. You can serve these tacos with single tortilla, or double it up on tortillas for single serving. When you serve the meat on two tortillas, they can hold more meat without tearing.
2. Leftovers: This chicken taco meat is great as leftovers, and refrigerates and freezes well. You can use the same chicken taco meat in your future meals in various different ways. To refrigerate, place the chicken in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 461Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 155mgSodium 717mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 4gSugar 2gProtein 36g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.