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Three chili lime chicken tacos on a white plate topped with avocado, cilantro, radish, and crumbled cheese.
Linda

Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

Juicy, charred chicken thighs with a bright, tangy marinade that makes weeknight tacos taste like summer on a plate.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Calories: 385

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, pounded to even thickness
  • 3 lime zest and juice, about 1/4 cup juice
  • 3 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more for finishing
  • 1 tsp honey optional, balances the acidity
For Serving
  • 12 corn tortillas warmed
  • 0.5 red onion thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
  • 4 oz cotija cheese crumbled, or feta
  • 1 jalapeño sliced, optional

Equipment

  • Large Skillet or Grill Pan
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Tongs

Method
 

Marinate the Chicken
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together lime zest, lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and honey if using. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 4 hours. If chilled, let sit out 10 minutes before cooking.
Cook the Chicken
  1. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Cook thighs 5-6 minutes per side until deeply browned and charred in spots, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
  2. Slice chicken against the grain into thin strips. Pour any accumulated juices from the board back over the meat. Taste and sprinkle with more salt if needed - the lime can mute seasoning.
Assemble and Serve
  1. Char tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until blistered and pliable, about 30 seconds per side. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
  2. Pile chicken onto tortillas and top with red onion, cilantro, cotija, and jalapeño if using. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts, but if using breasts, pound to 1/2 inch thickness and reduce cooking time to 4 minutes per side. The marinade works beautifully on shrimp too - just marinate 15 minutes max and cook 2 minutes per side. For a quick slaw, toss thinly sliced cabbage with lime juice and salt while the chicken cooks.