Bring those bold, authentic taco truck vibes straight to your kitchen—no grill, no marinade, no long prep, no fuss! These Chicken Street Tacos come together in under 20 minutes with a smoky spice blend that packs a punch. It’s simple, speedy, and seriously delicious.
Picture this: juicy, flavorful chicken with just the right amount of spice and zest, loaded up in warm corn tortillas and your favorite toppings. It tastes like they came off the grill but were made easy on the stovetop.
As a Texas-born food blogger with a slight obsession for Tex-Mex cuisine, Mexican food has a permanent spot in our dinner rotation. We're talking at least once a week. When we want to kick it up a notch from our go-to ground beef tacos but are looking for something a little less time-consuming than a fully marinated fajita situation, it's these Mexican chicken street tacos for the win.
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Why This Recipe Works
Weeknight Friendly | While chicken street tacos are typically cooked over an open flame, this recipe calls for a quick pan-sear indoors in less than 20 minutes, start to finish. Don't worry, you won't miss out on flavor one bit.
Authentic Flavors | These chicken street tacos taste like they came straight off the taco truck, but unlike the other chicken street taco recipes that take over an hour to build flavor, this one's ready to cook as soon as the seasoning hits the chicken. It's all thanks to our smoky, homemade chicken taco seasoning and a big squeeze of fresh lime juice. It's all the flavor of a marinade without the time.
So Easy | I've made just about every type of chicken taco you can imagine, from fajitas to tinga de pollo, all the way down to birria. I love circling back to this version. It's so simple and easy. This is a recipe that the family loves (even the picky eaters). Feel free to double up, because these street tacos are also perfect for entertaining and totally company-worthy.
And if you're looking for more super-easy, family-friendly Mexican dinners to make in 30 minutes or less, add chicken taco casserole and ranchero chicken to your dinner rotation!
What Makes a Taco a "Street Taco"?
Mexican street tacos are all about simplicity, flavor, and freshness. They come down to three main elements:
- corn tortillas,
- juicy, flavorful chicken (typically grilled),
- and simple toppings, like chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime.
While street tacos are typically cooked over an open flame, I created this recipe with the busy home cook in mind. Rather than firing up the grill, we're heating up the skillet and pulling from the spice cabinet for bold, street taco flavor.
Authentic Chicken Street Taco Ingredients
Corn Tortillas | Double up on the corn tortillas for an authentic chicken street taco. Bonus points if you warm them before serving! (For a taco dish that uses flour tortillas, hit up flautas de pollo.) Thanks to the corn tortillas, chicken street tacos are naturally gluten-free, making them a fairly healthy Mexican meal.
Chicken | The debate over chicken breasts or chicken thighs for tacos is in the air. Juicy, shredded chicken breast is the winner for traditional chicken tacos or chicken fajitas in the crockpot. But chicken thighs are by far the best candidate for chicken when it comes to Mexican street tacos, in our humble opinion. Chicken thighs have a higher fat content than breasts, making them extra juicy, flavorful, and much more forgiving if you leave them on the stovetop a little too long.
Spices | This classic seasoning mix is like a spice-fiesta in your pantry with Kosher salt, cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. It's super similar to the flavor in our crockpot chicken tacos.
Toppings | This is arguably one of the most important elements of a street taco. Traditional toppings are chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime. That's it! However, if you want to get extra with it (and who could blame you), sour cream or Mexican crema, sliced avocado, salsa rojo and pico de gallo are all excellent companions.
How to Make Chicken Street Tacos
Season the Chicken | Combine all the spices in a medium-sized bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the juice of 1 lime, followed by 1 tablespoon of oil, and whisk until blended. Place the chicken thighs into the bowl and massage the seasoning evenly onto the meat. Set aside.
Heat Oil | Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over medium heat and wait until it reaches the desired temperature.
Cook Chicken | Position the chicken thighs in the pan and cook for 8 minutes. Turn them over and continue cooking for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.
Deglaze the Pan | Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a cutting board to cool. Add the juice of lime to the pan and use a spatula to deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Then turn off the heat.
Slice the Chicken | Once the chicken is cool, cut it against the grain into ½-inch-thick strips. Then slice the strips into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the skillet, toss to coat.
Assemble, Serve, + Enjoy! | Stack two warm tortillas and add the chicken and any desired toppings. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Tacos
Wondering what to serve with your Mexican street tacos? We've got the ultimate Mexican side dish lineup to make your taco night unforgettable! Pair those flavorful tacos with a warm, melty bowl of Chile con queso, creamy refried bean dip, and a scoop of fresh guacamole. Add some color with sizzling fajita veggies, a ladle of crockpot pinto beans, and a spoonful of salsa fresca for that bright, zesty kick. It’s a flavor-packed spread that’s sure to turn any meal into a fiesta!
Craving More Mexican Food?
When the Mexican food cravings hit, that's the sign to keep the fiesta going! These recipes below are great ways to use up any extra chicken thighs from your street taco prep.
- Chicken Empanadas are packed with green chiles, cheese, and chicken. This recipe is a great way to use up any chicken from your Mexican street tacos!
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas are creamy, comforting and a guaranteed crowd favorite.
- Fajita Salad is another great use for leftover chicken street tacos--top with flavorful cilantro lime dressing.
- Keep the Mexican food magic going with Green Chicken Enchiladas -- so much flavor and a bright, zesty sauce.
- Got leftover chicken? Make these loaded Chicken Nachos. A super quick-fix recipe and perfect for weeknights!
Chicken Street Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 2 limes, separated
- 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, separated
- 1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 16 corn tortillas warmed
- Optional toppings: sliced avocado, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, green or red salsa, and Mexican crema
Instructions
- Add all of the spices to a medium-sized bowl and mix to combine. Add the juice of a lime, followed by 1 tablespoon of oil, then whisk. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and massage the seasoning onto the meat. Set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium heat, and allow to come to temperature.
- Place the chicken thighs in the pan, and cook for 8 minutes. Flip and cook 6-7 minutes more, or until fully cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the pan and set aside to cool on a cutting board. Squeeze in the juice of a lime, use a spatula to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Then, turn off the heat.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice against the grain into ½” thick strips. Then, cut the strips into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat.
- Stack two warm tortillas, and add the chicken and any desired toppings. Serve and enjoy!
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