Description
Authentic Mexican street tacos made with charred chicken thighs, quick-pickled onions, and a bright cilantro lime crema. This forgiving, quick recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor in just 25 minutes using simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2–3 large limes (for juice)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican-style chili powder
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 small (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for seasoning)
- Olive oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Let sit while prepping other ingredients.
- In a small bowl, combine diced yellow onion with the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt. Stir and set aside to quick-pickle.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Add chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) to ensure proper charring. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until opaque and cooked through. Remove from pan.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-45 seconds per side until soft and slightly charred. Keep warm in a clean kitchen towel.
- Assemble tacos by placing charred chicken on warm tortillas, topping with quick-pickled onions, and drizzling generously with cilantro lime crema. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
Notes
Do not skip charring the chicken; the Maillard reaction is essential for flavor. Warm tortillas properly in a skillet rather than microwaving to avoid rubbery texture. The crema can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store cooked chicken and crema separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos per person
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: Mexican street tacos, chicken tacos, cilantro lime crema, quick dinner, easy tacos, authentic tacos, weeknight dinner