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Chicken Street Tacos

Chicken street tacos with charred corn tortillas and tender shredded chicken—quick, Mexican-style, and cooked for light charring. Juicy chicken is pan-cooked after a lime-garlic marinade, then tucked into warm tortillas with raw onion and cilantro.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 6 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
Tacos
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 0.5 cup white onion diced
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • lime wedges for serving
  • hot sauce for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken with lime juice, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Cover and let marinate for 10 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator, for improved flavor and juicier texture.
Cook and char the chicken
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, then spread the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through and lightly charred, so the edges develop color.
  2. As the chicken cooks, break it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon to help it cook evenly and shred naturally. Continue cooking until no longer pink in the center and the surface stays lightly charred.
Char the tortillas and assemble
  1. Char the corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until pliable with browned spots, about 10-30 seconds per side. Keep them warm as you work so they stay flexible.
  2. Fill each tortilla with the cooked chicken, then top with diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and hot sauce for a bright, street-style finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Use a very hot cast iron skillet and keep the chicken in a true single layer so you get charred edges instead of steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet for the best texture. Freezing is not recommended for best tortilla quality. Dietary swap: For a lighter option, swap chicken thighs for skinless chicken breasts to reduce fat while keeping the same lime-garlic spice profile.