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Chicken thighs are so underrated! It’s a great cut of protein that is packed with flavor, doesn’t dry out as quickly as a breast and absorbs marinates and spices well. Simple, savory seasoning and fresh homemade salsa is all you need to make the perfect Grilled Chicken Tacos. Easy, simple and fast to make. It should be a weekly dinner staple.
Love making homemade tacos, try out my marinated steak tacos, spicy shrimp tacos or my quick and easy al pastor tacos.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Tacos.
- Chicken: I prefer using chicken thighs for tacos. They are fattier and have more flavor.
- Seasoning: I used my taco seasoning that has the perfect balance of cumin and zesty lime.
- Salsa veggies: I made a homemade salsa verde using tomatillos, lime, onion, jalapeno and cilantro.
- Tortillas: I used small street style flour tortillas.
Step 1: How to make the perfect homemade salsa verde.
Salsa is a great way to elevate a dish bringing a burst of flavor to what could be a plain meal otherwise. It’s fresh, simple and versatile. And it’s the perfect compliment to the grilled chicken tacos.
Preheat the grill to 400 degrees and set it for direct heat. Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, tomato and white onion on the direct side of the hot grill. Let the veggies get a nice char before removing.
Transfer the grilled veggies into a food blender, add a batch of cilantro, chicken bullion, minced garlic and freshly squeezed lime juice. Blend the ingredients together until you get a nice thick liquid consistency. Add water if the salsa is too chunky.
Recipe Tip
Since this is a topping salsa, you want the consistency to be chunkier than a chips salsa. Don’t pure the veggies to liquid form.
Add the cilantro at the end and pulse a few more times to chop up the veggie.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Step 2: How to grill the perfect chicken tacos.
For the chicken thigh seasoning I went with Dad’s Taco seasoning. It has the perfect level of cumin, chili powder and lime zest. To give the protein and extra boost, I added some freshly squeezed orange juice and let the chicken sit in it for a few minutes.
Place the seasoned chicken on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side or until the internal temp is 170 degrees. Once cooked, remove it off the grill and allow the grilled thighs to rest for 10 minutes.
Recipe Tip
Grilling chicken thighs to 175 degrees internally allows the fat to render down and add flavor to the meat. It will not dry out the protein.
To make the perfect grilled chicken tacos, warm up some tortillas, cube up the grilled chicken, pour some salsa and top with chopped white onion and more cilantro. Squeeze a wedge of lime juice over and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, any chicken thigh recipe can be replaced with the breast. The breast is leaner than the thighs, therefore remove the meat at 160 degrees and let it rest. This will ensure a tender and juicy chicken breast.
Chicken thighs are best cut of a bird for tacos. They are naturally fattier than the breast, more flavorful and more forgiving if you overcook them.
Spice up your life with these taco recipes::
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Grilled Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Boneless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp Dad's all purpose rub
- 1 Lime
Salsa Verde Ingredients
- 2 Tomatillos
- 1 Jalapenos
- 1/2 White onion
- 1 Batch of cilantro
- 1 Lime
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Chicken bullion
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Taco seasoning
Instructions
Salsa Verde Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees and set it for direct heat.
- Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, and white onion directly on the hot grates. Let the veggies get a nice char before removing.
- Transfer the grilled veggies into a food blender, add a batch of cilantro, some water, chicken bullion, taco seasoning, minced garlic and freshly squeezed lime juice. Blend the ingredients together until you get a nice thick and chunky liquid consistency.
- Add in cilantro and pulse a few more times.
Grilling Chicken Thigh Instructions
- Drizzle freshly squeezed lime juice all over the raw chicken thighs and season with both sides with taco seasoning.
- Place the seasoned chicken on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side or until the internal temp is 170 degrees. Once cooked, remove it off the grill and allow the grilled thighs to rest for 10 minutes.
- Warm up some tortillas, cube up the grilled chicken, pour some salsa and top with chopped white onion and more cilantro. Squeeze a wedge of lime juice over.
Notes
Nutrition
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