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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 made these tacos and the family loved them ..
I am so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband and I love these!
i’m so glad you enjoyed them meaghan! 🙂
I was wondering if anyone had a reciepe for beef tounge tacos they make some really good ones in a taco truck down the street from my place and wanted to try and make them at home but I can’t find I the right reciept. Can you help?
At this time I don’t have a recipe for beef tongue tacos sorry Kerri! If I find a good one I will let you know!
I just want to say THANK YOU for not suggesting CUMIN in your recipe. Living in LA I’m sure you know cumin isn’t a spice used in Mexican food. I loved the flavor of these tacos. With my husband being stationed in NY it’s so hard to find good tacos. These were perfect.
haha so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!! 🙂
Not trying to attack you personally Ms. V, but it peeves me a bit when people are quick to make uninformed blanket statements.
Cumin most certainly is used in authentic Mexican cuisine. It’s just that it’s used way, way more abundantly in Tex-Mex style food because Tex-Mex uses cumin as one of the main flavorings (a whole lot of Tex-Mex style dishes contain a decent amount of cumin), so many people come to associate cumin with Tex-Mex and not traditional Mexican food, even though it is indeed used in the latter. In traditional Mexican fare it’s used much more sparingly as subtle supplemental flavor, not nearly as pronounced as in Tex-Mex. It is commonly found in many recipes for mole and red chile sauce for tamales, as well as more regional dishes, like cortadillo norteno and gallina boracha, as well as many other recipes.
And of course, as with the cuisine from any country, the culinary styles vary by region. Cumin is commonly found in many dishes in the Northern regions of Mexico, but is hardly used, if at all in the Southern regions. Hope this helps.
I miss the cumin, since it is a common spice in authentic Mexican dishes. But otherwise it is a very good recipe. I just put it in anyway.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe
These are so easy and so delicious! I am addicted!!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Do you have any authentic street fish taco recipes? My girlfriend has been eating fish tacos from all over Oregon and California and can’t find any that taste authentic to her…..we’re both pretty obsessed with fish tacos, I must say…..I also love crab and shrimp or prawn tacos….YUM!
Thank you
I love fish tacos and have a few different versions!!
This is my favorite recipe for battered fish tacos: http://www.cookingwithcocktailrings.com/mains/2017/beer-battered-baja-fish-tacos-with-herb-yogurt-sauce?rq=taco
This is my favorite for grilled fish tacos:
http://www.cookingwithcocktailrings.com/mains/fish-tacos-with-cilantro-lime-sauce?rq=taco
And then here are some more fun seafood tacos that I also have on my blog that you may enjoy!:
http://www.cookingwithcocktailrings.com/mains/2016/1/26/grilled-honey-lime-shrimp-tacos?rq=taco
http://www.cookingwithcocktailrings.com/mains/2016/southern-blackened-catfish-tacos-with-fried-corn-old-bay-aioli?rq=taco
Hope you enjoy the recipes!! Thanks for reaching out.
-Kylie
So stinkin’ good! I don’t care if it’s authentic, overly authentic, or not authentic at all. We have made this multiple times and it’s one of the very few recipes I don’t have to tweak. Yes…self professed tweaker! Thanks for all the deliciousness!!! Prepping it again, right now!
Cindeelou I am so happy to hear that you enjoy the recipe!! Hearing that makes my day!
I cooked these for my boyfriend and I and he literally can’t stop raving about them. I’m addicted to my local taco truck in Seattle and gave these a try. Best street tacos ever!
Makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing 🙂
These are so easy to make, healthy and delicious! I will definitely make these again.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Karen!
Things that are great about this recipe:
-THE SEASONING IS INCREDIBLE
-The chicken is super tender when you cook it this way (nothing worse than dry meat in tacos)
-So easy, even the worst cooks (me) can execute perfectly
-Very inexpensive and quick to prepare
-Makes great leftovers + you never get sick of these tacos
-All your friends will be impressed
Thank you so much for your kind words Kelsey!! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for sharing!
These tacos are amazing, a new go to meal! I use double the amount of seasoning listed for 3 chicken thighs, fyi. Not sure how much the thighs weigh because I don’t have a scale, but I’ve made these twice and that seems to be the perfect ratio for me.
You can never go wrong with extra spices in my opinion! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I’m engaging a crowd for cinco de mayo and wondered if this could be made in a crock pot.
Hi Dede!
While I don’t see why the chicken could not be made in a crockpot it will definitely be more of a pulled chicken. For a large group I would recommend grilling the chicken as the best option.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Oops meant*entertaining. LOL
I made this recipe over Memorial Day and it is outstanding. Easy to make, I did grill as I had a crowd and I warmed up later and served from a crock pot. The topping is easy and fantastic with the chicken and warmed tortillas. Our guests loved, complimented and devoured. This is a keeper!
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe Marcia! Thanks for sharing!!