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Mexican Chicken Street Tacos
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With it’s close proximity to California, Mexican cuisine is everywhere. Living in Los Angeles you can find any type of taco you can ever dream of but I love these reliable street tacos because they are typically cheap and they can be found at just about every food truck, stand or shop. These Mexican chicken street tacos can be seasoned and marinated ahead of time. They come together quickly! As the chicken cooks in the cast iron the spices caramelize and almost char on the outside of the chicken adding plenty of flavor. Serve on their own or with a side of chips and salsa!
If you like Mexican food like these chicken street tacos I’ve got some ideas for what to try next! I recommend these creamy poblano tacos (rajas poblanos con crema) and this authentic birria tacos recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re simple! What these tacos lack in crazy toppings they make up in flavor. The seasoned chicken thighs are topped with a mix of cilantro, onion, jalapeño and a squeeze of lime served on small corn tortillas.
- Weeknight perfection. The chicken can either be marinated in advance or just before cooking to keep things quick and easy.
More About Street Tacos
The stand I visit most frequently is set up outside the Whole Foods in Venice off Lincoln. Whenever I get groceries and they are set up, I stop and get several street tacos for eating on the sidewalk or in my car and a burrito to go to heat up and press in a skillet the next morning!
Street tacos are the authentic, yet simple tacos that you can get from street stands – they consist of various cooked meats with a topping on small corn tortillas.
Key Ingredients in Chicken Street Tacos
- Chicken thighs – When I make street tacos, I use chicken thighs as a filling because they are much more flavorful than chicken breasts and they are a cheaper cut. Chicken thighs are also much more juicy and tender than chicken breasts. They don’t dry out when they’re cooked.
- Corn tortillas – I use two tortillas per taco for this particular type of taco because they are so small and thin; doubling them up makes them more durable. This is the way they are traditionally served. Warm them in a griddle pan or skillet or directly over the gas flame using tongs.
- Seasonings – For this recipe I use a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, chili powder and salt. The seasoning blend adds a bit of spice, flavor and bright red color to the chicken.
- Onion – Yellow onion has strong flavor and is the main component of the topping for the chicken street tacos. It is like a pico de gallo without the tomato.
- Cilantro – Cilantro has a complex, citrusy flavor which pairs well with the spice of the chicken.
- Jalapeño – While jalapeño is classic in this topping, it can be easily substituted with serrano a similar pepper with great flavor.
- Lime – The lime adds a bit of acidity and brightness to this recipe.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro tip
The spiced chicken thighs can be used to top off your favorite salad or chicken burrito bowl.
Swaps and substitutions
- Spices: I like to make the seasoning blend with chili powder though a bit of sweet paprika and omitting the cayenne makes for a mild spice mix.
- Tortillas: These can also be served on flour tortillas. If using flour you do not need to double up on the tortillas for each taco.
- Toppings: I serve the chicken street tacos topped simply with a little onion salsa through you can add other favorite toppings like pico de gallo, hot sauce, refried or black beans, sour cream or avocado.
- Chicken: The chicken thighs can be swapped for chicken breasts if desired for a leaner meat.
How to make with crispy cheese
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a bit of shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese in the shape of your tortilla. Add the tortilla over the top and let it melt. When the cheese is crispy use a metal spatula to scrape the cheese up and flip it over. Remove and top with the chicken as instructed below.
How to Make Chicken Street Tacos (Step-by-step)
In a small bowl whisk together the chili powder, ½ teaspoon of the salt, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne until combined then season the chicken thighs on all sides.
Heat a medium sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Cook the chicken until cooked through on both sides and lightly browned, about 8 minutes total.
Remove to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together the onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Season with lime juice and remaining salt.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and top two mini tortillas on top of each other then warm the tortillas on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas. To serve, top the warmed tortillas with a spoonful of the chicken and the onion mixture. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Thighs stay juicier and richer in flavor, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you prefer a leaner option. I recommend adjusting the cook time as needed.
Yes! I recommend using two tortillas per taco because doubling them up helps them to be more durable. You can use flour tortillas too – no need to double up on those!
Yes! While the recipe seasons and cooks immediately, you can marinate up to a day in advance to deepen the flavors.
Chicken is safe when it hits an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Aim for even browning and no pink in the center.
The spiced chicken thighs can be used to top off your favorite salad or chicken burrito bowl.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this chicken street taco recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Mexican Chicken Street Tacos
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Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or another neutral oil)
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- ½ packed cup cilantro, diced
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño
- Juice from one medium lime
- 20 mini corn tortillas
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions:
- In a small bowl whisk together the chili powder, ½ teaspoon of the salt, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne until combined then season the chicken thighs on all sides.
- Heat a medium sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Cook the chicken until cooked through on both sides and lightly browned, about 8 minutes total.
- Remove to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together the onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Season with lime juice and remaining salt.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and top two mini tortillas on top of each other then warm the tortillas on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- To serve, top the warmed tortillas with a spoonful of the chicken and the onion mixture. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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I have made many, many tacos in my lifetime. This recipe is simplicity at its best! These Chicken Street Tacos are phenomenal. My husband wanted Carne Asada Street Tacos for his family birthday celebration this year, and I have a favorite recipe for those, but I wanted to offer guests a choice between beef or chicken, or to enjoy both flavors like I did that day. I love that these tacos have a dry rub rather than a marinade. The recipe has just the right amount of spices to make the chicken the star of the taco, but the toppings compliment the flavor of the chicken. Next time, I plan to make a large batch of the spice rub and store it in my pantry to have it on hand for a very quick preparation anytime we want chicken tacos. I almost always use chicken thighs for most chicken dishes unless there is a very good reason to use breast meat, so I am totally with you on the choice of thighs for this recipe. A cast iron pan is the way to go if you have one … the chicken had a nice sear but remained very moist. I am going to use the leftover chicken for some quesadillas tonight. With the flavor of this chicken, I know the quesadillas will be great! Thank you, Kylie, for this terrific recipe. It has quickly become a family favorite!
Wow thank you so much for the review and kind words Lisa!!! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!!
Omg!! Best tacos ever!! Thank you so much Kylie
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing Beatriz!
Been making this recipe for more than a year and never had a chance to tell you how much we love it ❤️❤️❤️
Since we eating kosher and we can’t find kosher My husband is dreaming about chicken taco like a used to eat in the street .
Your recipe made it happened.
Every-time We making and a success.
Thanks again 😘😘
I am so happy to hear that you enjoy the recipe Merav! Thank you so much for sharing, hearing that makes my night!!
Made these for the first time tonight and they were AMAZING! Thank you so much!
I’m SO happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! Nice, fresh flavors. Will definitely make again. Yum!
So happy to hear you enjoyed!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I’m so glad I found this!
YAY!!! So happy to hear that!
These tacos are fabulous and I even forgot to add the lime. We have a favorite authentic Mexican restaurant down the street and my husband commented that there’s no need to go anymore because these are as good as theirs.
I’m so happy to hear that!! Makes me so happy!!
OMG!!!
I would’ve never thought to use chicken thighs!! The chicken is soooo moist!! This entire recipe was PERFECT!! Everyone in the house LOVES it!! I’ll definitely be making this again!!
So happy to hear that!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Amazing. Shared with my Small Group and they kept coming back for more. I share this with everyone I can.
That makes me so happy!!! So glad you enjoyed, thank you for sharing!
Such a good weeknight dinner recipe! The chicken is super flavorful with the spice combo. I add tomato to the cilantro & onion topping to make it more of a pico. Can’t wait to try more recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for sharing Jennifer!
So delicious! I used this chicken recipe in my homemade burrito bowls — tasted just like Chipotle. Loved that it was so easy to make. Will definitely be using this recipe again.
so happy to hear you enjoyed! thanks for sharing!
Family favorite recipe for years. My youngest son asked me this evening if I could make this for dinner tomorrow and include extra for his lunches this week. This from a kid who has eaten turkey sandwiches for lunch for years. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
That makes me soooo happy to hear!!! I was a picky eater as a kid too so there’s hope!!
Delicious and authentic! Ill try this after my shift and pair it with grilled cornthanks for sharing!