Taco Tuesday calls for these flavorful, smoky, mouthwatering chicken street tacos! They’re double wrapped in warm, soft corn tortillas and topped with a tasty onion topping, freshly squeezed limes and sour cream. They taste even better than a trip to the food truck. An easy, quick and fun weeknight dinner!

If you’re a sucker for good Mexican food, then street tacos are probably no stranger to you. They’re always jam-packed with authentic flavor and everyone loves them! In my opinion, you can never have too many taco recipes. I have so many favorites, I can’t just pick one! 😉 After having these street tacos, you will feel like you just took a quick lunch run to the taco food truck downtown! The topping takes these tacos to a whole ‘nother level and you’ll be making them again and again and again!! Don’t skip with the extra lime wedges before devouring them. Trust me! It adds a delicious kick of freshness.

Do you know why you’re going to love this recipe? Not only do the tacos taste AMAZING but it’s one of those meals that can be thrown together rather quickly and you can get a head start on the prepping hours in advance! As in the day before. 😉 The chicken can be used in burrito bowls, taco salads and a variety of other chicken tacos. 

Why do I need to use chicken thighs?

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs are much more tender and flavorful than chicken breasts. They don’t dry out as easily and they char much better. 
• Chicken thighs are a bit more fatty but you can trim it off before using and they’ll still turn out to be moist.
• If you prefer breasts they will work, just keep an eye on the temp and cook just to 165F in the center. Longer will result in dry, stringy chicken. 
• If you’ll be using breasts, make sure to pound the chicken to an even thickness.

 I serve these tacos with a fresh, slightly spicy topping of red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. But you can use whatever toppings you like. The possibilities are endless! I wanted to keep it more simple and serve them up taco-truck style, tucking chicken into warm corn tortillas and topping them with fresh produce.

Topping Ideas

• Tomatoes
• Avocados 
• Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Refried Beans
• Guacamole 
• Cilantro
• Pico de Gallo
• Queso Fresco 
• Cotija (Mexican Cheese)
• Taco Sauce 
• Shredded lettuce
• Chopped Onions or Scallions
• Cheese: Pepperjack, Cheddar, Colby jack 
• Lime wedges

Do you heat up your corn/flour tortillas before serving tacos? If you don’t, you NEED to. It’s a game-changer!! Heat up a skillet (I love using a cast iron skillet for this) on medium-high heat and warm tortillas for 15-30 seconds per side. Once they start bubbling up and getting a little crisp around the edges, they’re good! To keep them warm, as soon as you take them off the skillet, cover them with a slightly damp paper towel and cover that with a clean kitchen towel.

You don’t have to wait for the summer food trucks or for a Mexican date night! 😉 You can get the same delicious chicken street tacos at home that are so flavorful and easy to make.

Yield: serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 12-16 small corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular is fine, too)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• Juice from 1 lime 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

Topping

• 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeds removed 
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dry pat the chicken thighs with a paper towel, trim any excess fat and put them into a large ziplock freezer bag. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, coriander, oregano and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Add olive oil, lime juice, and garlic to the seasonings, then whisk until smooth. The mixture will be thick.
3. Add the mixture to the freezer bag, seal it and spread the ingredients around and to make sure the chicken thighs are covered. Marinate it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then roughly chop it into strips.
5. While the chicken rests, heat the tortillas. Heat up a skillet (I love using a cast iron skillet for this) on medium-high heat and warm tortillas for 15-30 seconds per side. Once they start bubbling up and getting a little crisp around the edges, they’re good! To keep them warm, as soon as you take them off the skillet, cover them with a slightly damp paper towel and cover that with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.  
6. To serve, place chopped chicken in each tortilla (I love stacking two together to keep it from breaking or for a more authentic “street taco”) and top with onion mixture, sour cream and a wedge of lime squeezed over the taco. Serve immediately and enjoy!