These tasty Chicken tacos are a quick and satisfying meal perfect for any day of the week. With simple ingredients, these tacos will be your next go-to dinner. Everybody in your family will love it, even the picky eaters.
Grilled Chicken Tacos | Tacos de Pollo Asado
As you may know, we love grilled meats in Mexico, especially carne asada, but did you know that grilled chicken is a popular meal In Sinaloa and all over Mexico? Pollo asado or Pollo al adobo involves seasoning the chicken pieces in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, and herbs before grilling. The result is a flavorful and tender chicken dish with a tangy taste that pairs well with rice, warm tortillas, a good salsa, or, my favorite way as tacos.
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In Mexico, it is common for families to prepare special dishes like grilled chicken for weekend meals, especially on Sundays. Weekends are the days families often gather for larger meals and celebrations. So, believe me when I tell you that having an easy, economical, and delicious meal like this one is a lifesaver. Not only will everybody enjoy their meal, but you will have time to relax and enjoy time with your family. So grab some grilled chicken and a warm tortilla to make this easy chicken tacos recipe for dinner today!
How to Make Chicken Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients in this recipe:
- 4 Boneless chicken breast pieces, About 6 ounces each
- Salt to season
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup lime juice
- Smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- Corn tortillas or flour tortillas
Optional Toppins
- Pico de Gallo Salsa (tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, cilantro, and limes) or your favorite salsa
- Avocado diced
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Mexican crema or sour cream
Instructions:
Even though this recipe is straightforward, I will separate it into steps for easy following:
Make the marinade
- Mix the spices and fresh lime juice in a ziplock or glass baking dish.
Marinate the Chicken
- Add the chicken and season thoroughly after mixing all the seasonings in a ziplock bag.
- Place it in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer for a deeper flavor.
Grill your chicken
- Heat the oil on medium heat in a cast iron pan or large skillet.
- Place two of the chicken breasts into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Turn your chicken to the other side to continue cooking.
- After thoroughly cooking your chicken, place it on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it.
- Continue to cook the rest of the chicken.
Chicken Taco Assembly:
- While your chicken rests for a few minutes, warm the tortillas before assembling them to make them pliable. You can do this on a hot skillet, in the oven, or wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave.
- Now chop the chicken to small bite sizes and start assembling your tacos.
- Garnish tacos with chopped cilantro, avocado, pico de gallo, or drizzle your favorite salsa.
Enjoy!
-Mely
Notes and Tips:
- For this recipe, we are using chicken breasts; however, you can always use boneless skinless chicken thighs for extra flavor.
- Even though you can season your chicken and cook it immediately, consider marinating it for a couple of hours for a deeper flavor.
- Allow each side to develop a nice golden-brown crust for better taste.
- Even though it is unnecessary, you can always add your favorite spices or more heat. Some people like adding spices like cayenne pepper or chili powder.
What to Serve with Chicken Tacos.
These tacos are a meal by themselves and can be enjoyed with many optional toppings, like pico de gallo salsa or a salsa taquera, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime. But if you are considering serving tacos as a whole meal, try with easy Mexican rice, Corn on the cob, and a side of black beans topped with queso fresco (Mexican cheese) for a complete and satisfying meal.
More Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe, take a look at some of these taco recipes and light protein recipes you would love:
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Tacos
Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions you may have about this recipe.
What cut of chicken is best for tacos?
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are commonly used for chicken tacos. While chicken breasts are healthier, chicken thighs add more flavor. They cook quickly and are an excellent meat for this tacos.
Are chicken tacos healthy?
Yes, these tacos are among the healthiest you can eat, especially if you use chicken breast. For a light, nutritious meal, try toppings such as salsa, pico de gallo, or fresh cilantro.
What toppings are good for chicken tacos?
Toppings can include pico de gallo, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado or guacamole, Mexican crema or sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
What's the best way to store leftover chicken tacos?
Store leftover chicken separately from the tortillas and toppings. Refrigerate the chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days, and assemble fresh tacos when reheating.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 Piece Boneless Chicken breast About 6 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- ¼ cup Fresh lime juice
- Optional Toppings
- Pico de Gallo or salsa
- Fresh Cilantro
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
- Mexican crema
Instructions
Make the marinade
- Mix well the spices and fresh lime juice in a ziplock plastic bag or glass baking dish.
Marinate the Chicken
- After mixing all the seasonings in the plastic bag, add the chicken and season thoroughly.
- Place it in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer for a deeper flavor.
Grill your Chicken
- Heat the oil on medium heat in a cast iron pan or large skillet.
- Place two of the chicken breasts into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5minutes per side.
- Turn your chicken to the other side to continue cooking.
- After thoroughly cooking your chicken, place it on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it.
- Continue to cook the rest of your chicken.
Chicken Taco Assembly:
- While your chicken rests for a few minutes, warm the tortillas before assemblingthem to make them pliable. You can do this on a hot skillet, in the oven, orwrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave. Also, you can warm your tortillas over the stove flame to get an extra flavor and char tortilla edges.
- Now chop the chicken to small bite sizes and start assembling your tacos.
- Garnish tacos with chopped cilantro, pico de gallo, or drizzle your favorite salsa.
- Enjoy!
Notes
boneless skinless chicken thighs for extra flavor.
● Even though you can season your chicken and cook it immediately, consider
marinating it for a few hours for a deeper flavor.
● Allow each side to develop a nice golden-brown crust for better taste.
● Even though it is not necessary, you can always add your favorite spices or more
heat. Some people like adding spices like cayenne pepper or chili powder.
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Liz Perez
Great recipe! Super easy to make, and my whole family enjoyed it!Thank you.
Margaret
This method of preparing chicken sounds delicious, but the details are somewhat confusing. At the beginning of the recipe, it says 4 servings; the recipe calls for 4 chicken breasts that cook, 2 at a time, for about 10 minutes. To cook this quickly, one would assume you’re using boneless breasts. Correct?
At this point, it appears that a serving is the meat of one breast. However, in the Nutrition section at the end of the recipe, it says “8 servings”, which would mean half a breast per person. Which is it?
Both the beginning and ending info say 1438 kcal. Presumably per serving. If so, I cannot figure out how a grilled chicken breast, one or two corn tortillas, and some vegetables can total that many calories per serving. If this figure is truly correct, sadly I won’t be making these…that’s practically my total calorie count for the whole day.
Could you please clarify the actual number of servings and what the calorie count is per serving? I hope it’s low enough to warrant making these delicious sounding tacos.
Thanks so much!
Mely Martinez
Hi, Margaret,
Thank you for asking all the right questions. You are correct; the chicken is boneless breast for a quick meal and low in calories. For some reason, the calculation of the calories came as a total, but I adjusted it to servings. Now, regarding the servings, this is for four people or about 8-10 tacos, depending on how much chicken you want to add. I hope you give them a try, they are really delicious and thank you so much for asking for more clarification.