My family goes crazy for these grilled Chicken Street Tacos, and I love how EASY they are to make! Marinated chicken thighs are grilled to perfection and served with warmed corn tortillas, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
Looking for more grilling recipes? Try Easy Grilled Pizza, Hawaiian Bowls, Cajun Chicken and Sausage Kabobs, or Grilled Corn on the Cob!
Why I love this recipe:
- BEST flavor! – These chicken street tacos pack a punch of fresh flavor, and every person in my family devours them. It's no surprise they're such a popular recipes among TBFS fans!
- 30 Minute Meal – Start to finish in less than 30 minutes? Yes please! I love to marinate the chicken hours ahead, or the night before, to make this meal even more effortless.
- Grill – best summertime meal on the grill, so I can keep the house cool and mess-free. Plus, whether you're making Fish Tacos, a Steak, Hamburger or Grilled Pizzas, the grill adds so much flavor!
What are street tacos?
Mexican street tacos are smaller tacos, typically served on corn tortillas. They are small in size, making it easier for a “street traveler” to enjoy a quick meal. The filling is served on two small corn tortillas so that they don't rip or tear when piled high with toppings.
How to make Chicken Street Tacos:
Marinate Chicken: Make chicken marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken thighs and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Grill Chicken: Preheat grill over medium-hight heat. Grease the grill and place chicken from marinade on the grill. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once (thickest part of the chicken thigh should register about 165 degrees F).
Chop Chicken: Transfer chicken to a plate and allow to rest for several minutes before chopping into small pieces.
Assemble: Warm tortillas on dry grill or skillet on the stove for a few seconds on each side. Layer two warmed mini street corn tortillas together. Top with chopped chicken, pico de gallo, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Feel free to add hot sauce, sour cream, pickled red onion, or other desired toppings. Serve with a side of Mexican Rice, Elotes (Mexican Corn), and a glass of Horchata.
Tips for Perfect Street Tacos:
- Use Chicken Thighs: I like using chicken thighs because they're a little more forgiving on the grill, super flavorful, and don't dry out as easily as chicken breasts. That said, you can definitely use chicken breasts for this recipe!
- Let the Meat Rest: Whatever cut of chicken you decide to use, let the meat REST for a few minutes before chopping it up. This is super important in allowing the meat to absorb all of the yummy juices before you cut into it. (The same goes for pretty much any other meat/steak you cook).
- Use the Right Tortillas: Corn tortillas are the BEST to use for these chicken street tacos. I love these mini corn tortillas that are specifically intended for street tacos, but you can use regular corn tortillas instead. Heat corn tortillas on a griddle or skillet for a few minutes on each side, or throw them on the grill for a few seconds.
- Fresh Pico: As with most tacos, the toppings make the difference between average and fantastic, and homemade pico de gallo is the perfect accompaniment to these tacos! It's incredibly easy to make yourself, or you can even buy a small container from the grocery store (usually in the produce section). As a last resort, substitute regular salsa.
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The marinade can be made and kept in the fridge for a few days. Marinate the chicken for a few hours, up to overnight to make this meal even easier. Fresh Pico de Gallo can be made one day ahead.
Serve With:
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Homemade Refried Beans
- 7-Layer Bean Dip
- Tres Leches Cake
- Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn)
More Taco Recipes:
- Baked Tacos
- Birria Tacos
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Tacos Al Pastor
- Walking Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
- BBQ Chicken Tacos
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Recipe
Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs , or breasts
- 24 white corn tortillas , warmed
- 2 cups Pico de gallo
- 1 /2 cup fresh cilantro , chopped
- 6 lime wedges
- More optional toppings: guacamole, sour cream, pickled red onion, hot sauce
For the Marinade:
- 4 Tablespoons orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1½ Tablespoons chipotle chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Make chicken marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken thighs and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Grill Chicken: Preheat grill over medium-hight heat. Grease the grill or spray generously with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade and place on hot grill. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once (thickest part of the chicken thigh should register about 165 degrees F). Transfer chicken to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes before chopping into small pieces.
- Assemble: Warm tortillas on dry grill or skillet on the stove for a few seconds on each side. Layer two warmed mini street corn tortillas together. Top with chopped chicken, pico de gallo, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, pickled red onion, or desired toppings. Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing on top.
- Serve with a side of Mexican Rice, Elotes (Mexican Corn), and a glass of Horchata.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe June 2017. Updated May 2023.
This post contains affiliate links.
These were so amazing! I did use chicken breasts with a 2.5 hour marination time (the flavor was fantastic!) I browned them in a frying pan using 2 tbs olive oil, and finished them in the air fryer. I did add thinly sliced green Cabbage and radishes, along with homemade pico & salsa (yes, both..lol), shedded cheese, Avocado and sour cream. I made the tacoswith “Mission Hawaiian flour Street taco tortillas”. These were the best thing I’ve made all year! Thank you for this recipe!! This will go into our monthly rotation….forever! <3
I made my tacos with this marinade, and it was OUTSTANDING!! Paired with my homemade tortillas and fresh Pico. Wow!! Made them for Cinco de Drinko and they were a huge hit. Didn’t even get any leftovers to take home. Gotta make more next time.
This was wonderful and a life saver. I was making dinner and ran out of beef for tacos so I needed to use up the chicken breast I had on hand. Without the lime (I didn’t have any) it was still delicious. Would definitely do again. Can’t wait to try with dark meat chicken. Thanks a billion!
Nothing makes me happier to hear! So happy it worked into your meal so well. Thanks for sharing 🙂
We made these last night as the second course of our ‘tacos + tequila pairing dinner’ for about 16 friends- everyone RAVED about them!! As one of the previous commenters suggested, I used the juice from a can of pineapple in the marinade (which I did for at least 24 hours) and used the crushed pineapple in the pico recipe. It made a TON of pico, but it was gone in no time! I was asked repeatedly for both of these recipes, so I’ll be sending the link to this recipe out shortly!
Rather than grilling the chicken, I dumped the thighs with the marinade into a baking dish and threw it in the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes or so. I was frantically trying to keep up making margaritas, so I didn’t have time to grill anything- turned out phenomenal. Will absolutely make these again!
What a fun dinner idea–I’m so thrilled they were a hit at your party! Thank you for sharing. Also, thanks for the tip about baking them, and I love your idea of adding pineapple juice and crushed pineapple to the pico. YUM!
Next time you should totally try the carne asada ones on my site. I make them “street taco” style to, and they’re amazing! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/carne-asada-tacos/
These tacos are so good!! I have been looking for a recipe for Mexican marinated chicken like the chicken my daughter buys at a Mexican market in the central valley. This was so good the only thing I changed was I added 1/4 of a cup of canola oil. We had it with mango, avocado, cilantro and red onion. Big hit!! Next time we will try it with radishes, onion and cilantro. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Thank you so much JoAnne! I love your topping ideas–fantastic. I’m happy you found me, and I hope you get to try some more recipes soon!
Hi Lauren! I’ve chosen this recipe as part of a tequila pairing dinner we’re having with some friends next weekend. I’m wondering how much adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo) you think would be adequate to swap out for the chipotle powder in the marinade. I don’t want to overdo it…
Looking forward to hearing back & trying out the recipe!
Hi Kristin, I would try about 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce. Sounds like fun–I’d love to hear how you like them!
These are so delicious. Love this marinade. We’ve made them 4 times in three weeks!!!
I am so happy you have liked them so much! Thanks Eva!!
Best tacos ever. The marinade is so flavorful! We added avocados, cilantro, feta cheese, pico de gallo, a little organic salsa and sprinkled the top with just a touch of lime juice. I could literally eat this EVERY DAY. Thank you! Bookmarking this recipe for life.
Thank you so much Brittney, I’m so happy you loved these as much as I do! And I agree, I could totally eat these every day 🙂 (You should try the carne asada tacos next time because those are my other favorite! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/carne-asada-tacos/ ) Thanks again for taking the time to comment <3
First time ever making chicken tacos. These were great! Even my very finicky eater son enjoyed them.
Thanks for the recipe!
Have just started following you. Love what I see so far.
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m happy you found me–hope you get to try some more recipes soon! 🙂
side note to my post, I did use canned chicken for a super fast meal. marinated it just the same.
made these with my mum they were delicuos
Made these tonight, very very good. Love the cinnamon flavor that sneaks up at times. I would put less chipotle chilli powder next time tho, I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy ?
I’m craving these, but alas, it’s winter and not really grilling season. Could I cook the chicken on the stove top? What’s the best way?
Hi Stephanie, Absolutely! I would recommend using a grill pan. (If you don’t have one, they are AMAZING and not very expensive). You could also broil them in the oven on the top rack (for 5 minutes or so on both sides) and I think they would turn out great. I would love to hear how it goes!