Simple Chicken Tacos
- Prep time 1 hour 10 mins
- Cook time 20 mins
- Ready in 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield Serves 4
This is a quick, high-flavour taco filling that can be made with your choice of breast or thigh. The high acid and spice components of this marinade, coupled with thin pieces of chicken, mean that the flavor penetrates quickly. These pair perfectly with “Mexican Tzatziki” (AKA cilantro crema) and pickled jalapenos.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the chicken by flattening it. For the breasts, I like to remove the tender and slice the breast in half like a bagel to make two flat cutlets. For the thigh, I like to open it up and flatten with a mallet. Having thinner pieces of meat gives a better marinade-to-meat ratio and helps the chicken cook more quickly.
In a medium bowl, mix together the lime juice, lime zest, spices, salt, sugar, and oil. Add prepared chicken pieces and mix well to coat evenly. Let marinate at room temp for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
When ready to cook, make sure to have all your condiments prepared ahead of time, and have your tortillas wrapped in foil and heating in the oven.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken pieces until slightly charred on the outside and an instant read thermometer put into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 F (74 C). Move chicken to cooler part of the grill during cooking, if needed, to prevent the outside from burning while the inside finishes cooking. Remove cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest about 10 minutes.
Remove chicken to a cutting board and slice into thin slices. Place sliced chicken in a bowl, along with any accumulated juices. Toss to combine. Have everyone in your family build their own tacos with their choice of condiments.
I love to have these with shredded cabbage, cilantro crema, chopped tomato and pickled jalapeno. YUM!
