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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.
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.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Mix together the spices then season the chicken all over.
Step 2: Cook the chicken in a cast iron pan or skillet until cooked through.
Step 3: Let stand to absorb the juices then chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Step 4: Stir together the onion, cilantro and jalapeño and stir in lime juice and season with salt.
Step 5: 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.
Step 6: Top the warmed tortillas with a spoonful of the chicken and the onion mixture. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
The spiced chicken thighs can be used to top off your favorite salad or chicken burrito bowl.
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.
If you enjoy this chicken street taco recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
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.
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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!!