- Prep time20 mins + 30 min marinate
- Cook time12 mins
- Servings4 (about 12 tacos)
- DifficultyEasy
- CategoryMexican
Street-style tacos are minimalist: small tortillas, well-seasoned meat, onion, cilantro, lime — nothing that needs a fork. The chicken marinates in lime, garlic and chili, then sears hot so the edges char. Warm the tortillas directly over the flame for a few seconds per side; that char and pliability is what separates great tacos from wraps with ambitions.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges and salsa verde, to serve
Method
- Toss the chicken with the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Marinate 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
- Sear the chicken in a hot skillet in a single layer, 8 to 10 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- Warm the tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet, 20 seconds per side, and keep wrapped in a clean towel.
- Fill each tortilla with chicken, then top with diced onion and cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges and salsa verde.
Tips for success
- Thighs stay juicy; breast dries out in the fierce heat tacos need.
- Double up the tortillas if they are thin — street vendors always use two.
- Do not skip the direct-flame warming; it is half the flavor.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from YouTube walkthrough covers the same chicken tacos step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.