Chicken Tacos Recipe (Street-Style with Tomatillo-Habanero Sauce)
The best chicken tacos ever, moist and flavorful with a quick citrus marinade, char grilled, served on warm corn tortillas with spicy verde sauce. So good!
Servings: 8
Calories: 235kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (olive oil is good)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Juice of 2 limes
- Juice of 1 small orange
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (use ancho or guajillo for depth, árbol or cayenne for heat, or a mix)
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Tomatillo-Habanero Sauce
- 4-5 medium tomatillos husked, rinsed, and quartered
- 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- 1 fresh habanero pepper stem removed (cored and seeded for less heat)
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
For Serving
- Warm corn tortillas street-size
- Toppings. Chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, garlic, lime juice/zest, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Add chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. (Longer than 2 hours in acidic marinades can start breaking down the meat too much.)
- Heat your grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grates.
- Grill chicken thighs 5-6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove and let rest 5 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Skillet Option: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add marinated chicken and cook 6-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Rest, then chop.
- Make the Tomatillo-Habanero Sauce. Combine tomatillos, avocado, habanero, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust salt or lime. Note: This is a raw, vibrant sauce - bright, creamy, and fiery.
Build the Tacos
- Warm corn tortillas on the grill or in a dry skillet until pliable.
- Add chopped chicken, spoon over tomatillo-habanero sauce, then top with onion and cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges and extra sauce on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 434IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg