Chicken Tacos with Lime and Cilantro
This chicken taco recipe is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that still feels a bit special.
Don’t skip the toppings – they really take the tacos up a notch. The quick-pickled radishes provide a nice pop of acidity. If you are not a radish fan, quick-pickled shallots or red onions would also be good instead of the radishes. Use the same method substituting thinly sliced onions for the radishes.
I like to use chicken thighs in this type of recipe because they provide a richer flavor than chicken breasts.
Chicken Tacos with Lime and Cilantro
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ lg onion, (or 1 small), diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 12 oz chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, divided
- 2 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp chipotle powder
- 2 limes
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped + extra for topping
- 3-4 small radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Start by making quick pickled radishes. Combine juice from 1 lime (~2 tbsp) and ¼ tsp salt. Add sliced radishes and stir. Let sit at room temperature to quick pickle while making the tacos. Stir occasionally.
- Warm a large frying pan over medium to low heat. Add the vegetable oil and diced onion. Cook 2-3 minutes until onions are just starting to soften. Add garlic and jalapeno. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until chicken is browned.
- Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 tsp salt, chili powder, cumin and chipotle. Add spice mixture to chicken and vegetables. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so to finish cooking chicken through. Add juice from ¾ of a lime (save remaining ¼ for wedges for serving) and ¼ cup cilantro. Stir to mix.
- Warm corn tortillas (either in a skillet on the stovetop or wrapped in foil in the oven – microwaving is not recommended). Top tacos with pickled radishes, chopped tomatoes, crumbled queso fresco, a few cilantro leaves, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Mark is an experienced food writer, recipe developer, and photographer who is also Umami’s publisher and CEO. A passionate cook who loves to cook for friends, he can often be found in the kitchen or by the grill testing new recipes.
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