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    Chicken Street Tacos

    June 26, 2024

    Inspired by the rich street food culture of Mexico, our easy chicken street tacos recipe is here to rock your weeknights.

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    chicken street tacos with mango slaw being on corn tortillas, garnished with avocado and lime wedges
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    We can probably all agree that taco night is the best. While we mix up the taco fillings a bit week to week, this chicken street taco recipe is a forever favorite. They’re called “street tacos” because the flavors of the marinade and seasonings are inspired by the delicious flavors of the world-famous street food of Mexico. A zippy orange-and-lime marinade makes boneless, skinless chicken thighs so tender, juicy and flavorful, and a crunchy, quick mango slaw takes the chicken street tacos from yummy to restaurant-level. For more easy chicken taco recipes, check out our Jerk Chicken Tacos, our cheesy Crispy Chicken Tacos, or the very simplest Easy Chicken Tacos.

    chicken thighs, tortillas, spices, mango, cabbage, avocado, cilantro, limes and salsa verde in prep bowls

    Simple Chicken Street Taco Ingredients

    • Chicken thighs

    • Tortillas (Homemade Corn Tortillas would be amazing, but store bought corn or flour tortillas are fine)

    • An orange

    • A lime

    • Fresh garlic

    • Ancho chili powder

    • Onion powder

    • Smoked paprika

    For the slaw:

    • Fresh mango

    • Red onion

    • Shredded red cabbage (we like red for color, but if green cabbage is all you have, that’s OK)

    • Cilantro (skip it if you hate it!)

    • More fresh lime

    orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl
    orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper stirred together in a bowl
    marinated chicken thighs on a rack inside a foil lined baking sheet
    mango slaw in a bowl made with mangos, red onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, and salt

    How to Make Chicken Street Tacos

    1. Marinate the chicken thighs in a large container in the fridge. If all you have is 30 minutes, that’s OK! But you can also marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours.

    2. Roast or grill the seasoned chicken thighs. We love to eat chicken street tacos year-round and so we’ve focused on the oven-roasted method for cooking the marinated chicken. However, feel free to grill it up on a charcoal or gas grill. Yum, either way. Then, while the cooked chicken thighs rest, you can….

    3. Make the mango slaw! Toss together the mangos, red onion, red cabbage, cilantro, lime juice and salt. You could do this a day ahead of time, if you’re making street tacos for a crowd and want to spread out the work.

    4. Slice the chicken. Many people shred the chicken thighs for their street tacos, but we like to slice it thinly. You do you — it doesn't really matter how you get the chicken into taco-bite-sized pieces.

    5. Assemble the chicken tacos! Or, better yet, let everyone DIY! Lay out an assembly line of warm tortillas, mango slaw, sliced chicken thighs, extra limes, tomatillo salsa, Homemade Salsa Verde (if you’re up for it) and avocado slices.

    6. Eat the chicken street tacos! The best part!

    baked chicken thighs seasoned with orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper
    baked chicken thighs being sliced on a cutting board
    baked chicken thighs being sliced on a cutting board
    chicken street tacos with mango slaw being assembled on top of corn tortillas, garnished with avocado and lime wedges

    Tips For The Best Chicken Street Tacos

    chicken street tacos with mango slaw on corn tortillas, garnished with avocado and lime wedges

    More Chicken Taco Recipes

    Street Tacos 4Ever

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    Chicken Street Tacos

    Updated on June 26, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  30 min
    • Cook Time:  20 min
    • Calories:  505
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    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
    • 6 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons onion powder
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt
    • 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
    • 2 mangos, diced
    • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
    • Sea salt, to taste

    For Serving

    • 18 (5-inch) corn or flour tortillas, warmed
    • 2 avocados, pitted and sliced
    • ½ cup salsa verde (optional)
    • 2 limes, cut into wedges (optional)

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

      orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl

    2. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil. Set a metal cooling rack inside the prepared sheet. Place the marinated chicken on the cooling rack and roast the chicken for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

      marinated chicken thighs on a rack inside a foil lined baking sheet

    3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.

      baked chicken thighs being sliced on a cutting board

    4. Meanwhile, make the slaw. In a large bowl, combine the mangos, red onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

      mango slaw in a bowl made with mangos, red onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, and salt

    5. Divide the chicken evenly among the tortillas. Add the slaw, avocados, and salsa verde, if using. Serve the tacos with lime wedges for squeezing, if desired.

      chicken street tacos with mango slaw on corn tortillas, garnished with avocado and lime wedges

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 505
    • Protein 30 g
    • Carbohydrates 59 g
    • Total Fat 20 g
    • Dietary Fiber 12 g
    • Cholesterol 120 mg
    • sodium 342 mg
    • Total Sugars 22 g

    Chicken Street Tacos

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Chantel

      Hi, I love Absolutely love this site, thanks for creating it. My question is can frozen or canned mangoes be used? They are not in season now.

      We haven't tried with either of those but it should be ok, just drain well before using.

    • greg

      how far in advance can u make the mango slaw? day before? morning of?

      A day or two ahead would be fine! Hope you enjoy Greg!

    • Stephanie

      Great super easy weeknight dinner that is full of flavor! We love the slaw and the chicken is so simple but packs a lot of flavor. Have made this multiple times now.

      Thanks Stephanie, we are so happy that you are loving it!

    • Mary

      Delicious! My family has asked me to put this on the “rotation”. Really a hit.

      YAY! Thanks Mary, so glad you enjoyed it!

    • Karen

      This recipe was OMG good!!! I’d rate 10 stars !!!

      YAY! Thanks Karen!

    • Jenn

      The marinade for this chicken was incredible, the chicken was so flavorful and that mango slaw was such a beautiful addition!

      Thanks Jenn, we are so glad you loved it!