The best Mexican Street Tacos are made with chicken! This mouthwatering dish has all the delicious flavors and ingredients that we love - chicken marinated in aromatic spices, wrapped in soft tortillas, and topped with fresh, zesty toppings. Cook the chicken on the grill, pan or oven!
Whether you're an experienced taco lover or a newbie, you'll love how quick and easy this recipe is and it's packed with so much flavor. Try my Mexican chicken next!
Celebrate Taco Tuesday and make an epic Taco Board or easy Shrimp Tacos, Steak Tacos, or Tuna Tacos. These will not disappoint!
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⭐ More Mexican cuisine inspired dishes you'll love! Try these everyone's favorite Enchilada Stuffed Peppers, baked Taquitos, or veggie Tostadas.
Ingredients
My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
- Chicken breasts or thighs - use what you have but thighs are the best option here, they are quite forgiving and will result in extra juicy and tender chicken. Both options are fine with the marinade.
- Tortillas - typically you'll find that street tacos are served in very small tortillas (mostly corn tortillas) which are about 4-5 inches in diameter. However, in our version, you can use whatever you like or cut out smaller ones from 8 inches if this is what you have. And don't forget to warm these before assembling. I used warmed GF tortillas. I explain more below in this post.
- Seasonings - you’ll be surprised but generally, Mexican street tacos have very limited seasonings and most of the flavor comes from the hot sauce. We are using a little mix of different tacos or you can use your own or store-bought taco seasoning mix.
- Lime juice - I used the classic option but feel free to use more exotic flavors such as pineapple or orange juice.
📋 JULIA'S TIP For these street tacos you can use any leftover chicken (Chicken Parm, Chicken Thighs, Asparagus Chicken and etc ) - either slice it thin, dice it or shred it.
Instructions
Place the chicken into a zip lock bag or a bowl together with seasonings, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of oil.
Close the bag and massage the chicken until fully coated in the mixture. Marinate for 3-6 hours (ideally) or if in a rush - 1 hour.
For better results pound the chicken first. We will cut them into cubes later.
Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, and once hot add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes, then flip and cook another 6-8 minutes until done.
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS: Bake the chicken in the oven: place the chicken on a sheet pan or baking dish lined with foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
GRILL INSTRUCTIONS: Cook the chicken on the grill: cook the marinated chicken on a hot preheated grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes, then dice into small cubes.
Check for doneness with meat thermometer, it should register 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Then dice into small cubes. Serve with more lime juice, taco shells, onion, cilantro and sour cream.
What Are Mexican Street Tacos?
Street tacos are typically simple and small tacos served in mini tortillas, around 5 inches rather than standard 8-inch taco shells. They are usually served with meat (steak, chicken, or pork).
The meat is seasoned with a few spices, cooked on the grill, and served with onion, cilantro and lime juice, and occasional hot sauce.
Today you may find more taquerias serving tacos with more toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and guacamole.
Toppings
What goes on Mexican street tacos? These tacos are down-to-earth and simple! Traditionally, they are served with just some onion, lime juice, hot sauce.
These are not your ‘’loaded tacos’’ that are popular in the United States. But you can add plenty of add-ons, and here are some great taco topping ideas:
Simple toppings
- diced tomatoes
- diced onions
- fresh avocado slices
- shredded lettuce
- sliced radishes
- shredded cheese such as Monterey Jack cheese, crumbled cotija cheese, queso fresco
- sour cream or creme fraiche
- sliced jalapeno fresh or canned
- sliced or sauteed bell peppers
📋 JULIA'S TIP: If you’re planning to load these tacos, go for standard taco size rather than mini. Small ones will break easily once stuffed with many toppings.
More complex topping ideas
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Coleslaw
- Mexican crema, avocado crema
- Guacamole
- Corn on the cob
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Sauces: Tapatio, Cholula, Secret Aardvark Habanero Sauce, Cilantro Lime sauce
- Pickled red onions, radishes
🥗Make It Healthier
- Serve tacos in lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.
- Use corn tortillas instead of wheat.
- Use turkey for a leaner meat option.
- Bake the chicken in the oven, slow cooker or air fryer.
Best Ways To Heat Tortillas
Warm corn tortillas - To make your tortillas pliable and not break easily, we need to heat them before use. There are 4 methods I recommend.
- Skillet: Place the tortillas one by one on a dry pan over medium heat and let warm through and get charred to your liking.
- Oven: wrap a stack of tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven for 5 minutes.
- Microwave: Place a stack of tortillas on a plate, cover it with a barely damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 seconds until warmed through. Repeat if still not warm.
- Grill: place the tortillas directly onto the grill in small batches. Heat for about 30 seconds, or until the bottom gets charred, flip it over and cook for another 30 seconds until charred on the bottom again.
Recommended Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Nonstick Skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight containers
- Air Fryer Cosori
Tips
- Flavor - you can taste flavors of cumin, and little lime, with added smokiness and heat from chili and cayenne. Kids can eat this too! If you want to make it hot, double the amount of chili & cayenne.
- Got a slow cooker? Place the chicken + seasonings in the crock pot in the morning or the previous night, let it cook through, and serve with tacos.
- Chicken should get charred nicely and crispy on the outside with a juicy and tender inside.
- Marinade - Make sure to give your chicken enough time to marinate in the spices and lime juice, ideally for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to fully blend.
- To ensure that your chicken is safely cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat. Chicken is ready once its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. It will absorb all the tasty juices so much better.
- If you are worried about the meat being dry, stick with chicken thighs instead. They are almost guaranteed to be always juicy and tender.
What To Serve With Tacos
- Sides: tortilla chips + dips + homemade salsa, Mexican corn or street corn salad, black bean salad, Mexican rice.
- Mains: rice and beans (refried beans and cilantro lime rice), slow cooker frijoles charros, Taco salad, enchiladas.
- Drinks: Skinny Watermelon Margarita, and Spicy Watermelon Basil Margaritas (Frozen) for dessert!
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To store. Cooked leftover chicken without the taco shells will be good in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep the filling and tortillas separate from each other. Keep the filling in an airtight container or in a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap.
- To Reheat. To reheat the chicken, add a little cooking oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until it's piping hot. Or you can use the microwave. Make sure to cover the chicken with a microwave-safe lid with holes. I also like to splash some water or milk on top of the filling so it is not dried out by the end of reheating.
- To Freeze. Place the chicken in an airtight ziplock bag or container and then freeze. You can freeze the meat for up to 2-3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Make Ahead
- Marinate the chicken for 3-6 hours or overnight. This will help the chicken to soak up all the juices and make it even more tender.
- Slice the toppings or make sauces ahead of time as well.
- Keep the chicken and toppings separately in the food containers until ready to use.
- On the day of making, warm the tortillas, cook the chicken and assemble the tacos.
Variations
This mouthwatering dish has all the delicious flavors and ingredients that we love - chicken marinated in aromatic spices, wrapped in soft tortillas, and topped with fresh, zesty toppings.
Whether you want to upgrade your taco game or looking for some variety, try one of those for a change:
- Vegetarian street tacos - vegan meat tacos or sweet potato kale tacos are a delicious way to satisfy your taco cravings and get the needed nutrition.
- Ground beef tacos - cook the meat with ground beef and taco seasonings.
- Carne Asada street tacos - steak tacos are typically made with skirt or flank cut of beef, which is marinated and then grilled.
- Pork Street taco - Carnitas street tacos are traditionally made with very tender and well-seasoned slow cooker shredded pork. Often served with refried beans, guacamole, and fresh cilantro. Or make street tacos Al Pastor: pork is marinated in rich flavors and served with pineapple and onion.
- Serve as a rice bowl - Mexican rice + chicken filling + a few toppings.
- Baja fish street tacos - fried fish served on a corn tortilla + sliced cabbage + pico de gallo + creamy white sauce + lime juice.
- Chicken for street tacos - For the chicken, you can either cook it in the skillet, grill or oven and then dice into small cubes or shred it. Pulled chicken, and rotisserie chicken will be also delicious.
- Keto: serve the chicken in lettuce wraps, check out our chicken or beef lettuce wraps for some inspiration.
- Make it spicy - add jalapenos, green chilis or adobo peppers to the mix!
- Healthy Veggie alternative - use meaty mushrooms such as large portobellos.
FAQs
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free taco shells. If you want to make your own taco seasoning blend, make sure to use gluten-free spices. And if you're unsure about any other ingredients, be sure to check the labels or do some research online to ensure that they are gluten-free.
There's 4 ways...Oven, grill, stovetop, microwave.
A street taco is an authentic Mexican taco, which is typically served on small corn tortillas (4-5 inch) with grilled meat, onions, and cilantro. It comes as it is with no toppings or dipping sauces. However, it may be occasionally served with a drizzle of hot sauce.
Mexican street tacos generally don’t come with cheese, but you can load these up with Monterey Jack cheese or crumbled Cotija on top.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes
Looking for more amazing taco recipes? Don't miss our tasty Mexican recipe collection. Here are some of our favorites:
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Recipe
Mexican Street Tacos With Chicken
INGREDIENTS
For Tacos
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breast, or chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
For serving
- hard or soft corn tortillas, 8 inch
- cilantro leaves
- chopped brown or red onion
- bell peppers
- lime wedges
- sour cream
- 1 recipe pico de gallo, (optional)
- 1 recipe guacamole, (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the chicken to a bowl together with seasonings, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Marinate for 3-6 hours (ideally) or if in a rush - 1 hour. For better results pound the chicken first. We will cut them into cubes later.
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, and once hot add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes, then flip and cook another 6-8 minutes until done. Check for doneness with meat thermometer, it should register 165 F.
- Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.Then dice into small cubes. Serve with more lime juice, taco shells, onion, cilantro and sour cream.
- Serve with favorite toppings: freshly made guacamole on the side, pico de gallo, salad, jalapenos, and lots of lime juice.
NOTES
- Nutrition is calculated with the main ingredients + white corn tortillas but minus the toppings.
- For original flavor, serve these tacos with just cilantro, lime juice and onion.
- You can also bake the chicken in oven: place the chicken on a sheet pan or baking dish lined with foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. It will absorb all the tasty juices so much better.
- To Reheat. To reheat the chicken, add a little cooking oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until it's piping hot. Or you can use the microwave. Make sure to cover the chicken with a microwave-safe lid with holes. I also like to splash some water or milk on top of the filling so it is not dried out by the end of reheating.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
We love serving mexican street tacos for a lazy dinner meal anytime!