Does the perfect taco exist? Trick question! All tacos are perfect. But these Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos are extra special. A bold and tangy cilantro lime marinade brings tons of flavor and juiciness to grilled chicken thighs. Wrap ’em in a warm tortilla and serve with your favorite toppings for non-stop chef’s kisses.
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Though this easy grilled chicken taco recipe was designed to feed a family of four – and easily multiplies to feed a group of more – I want to take a moment to give a special shout out to everyone who might be making solo tacos.
While some people may struggle with cooking for one, tacos are actually one of life’s greatest glass-half-full opportunities. In this house, tacos don’t exist past one meal. (Leftovers? What are those?) But for a solo diner or a conscientious meal planner, cilantro lime chicken makes 2-3 magical meals. (And if you want to mix up the flavors a bit, you can do this with our classic grilled chicken taco recipe too!)
Marinated and grilled chicken thighs are simple, fast, flavorful, and versatile. They hold up beautifully for a round of tacos, and leftovers easily transition into a bowl, taco salad, or quesadilla.
Bottom line, not all of us are fortunate enough to have Taco Tuesday-through-Thursday without extra cooking or furtive trips to a nameless fast food joint, so count your blessings…and enjoy!
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Once the warm weather hits, we’re eager to ditch the oven and fire up the grill. Super easy Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos marry citrus and smoke for a flavor that pairs perfectly with loads of your favorite toppings. The marinade is a breeze to whip up, and these grilled tacos go from marinade to plate in under 20 minutes!
- Make the marinade. Whisk lime juice, lime zest, fresh cilantro, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Add the chicken and toss until well coated with marinade. Cover tightly and marinate at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 hours and up to 8.
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat (450°F), or a grill pan under a high flame.
- Grill the chicken thighs 5-6 minutes per side with the lid open, flipping once.
- Remove chicken from grill, then rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board.
- Slice the chicken against the grain, then sprinkle with the remaining fresh cilantro.
- Portion into tacos and garnish with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tips!
- You can marinate the chicken in as little as 30 minutes, but the flavor and crust will really improve with a 2 hour marinade.
- Always check the internal temperature for chicken using an instant read thermometer. The chicken should reach 165°F before removing from the grill.
- Rest yo’ chicken. This allows the juices to settle, resulting in more tender chicken.
- Slice against the grain. We’ve all bitten into tough chicken – YUCK! Slice against the grain of the fibers running through the chicken for tender bites every time.
How Long Should I Marinate the Chicken?
Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes in order to develop a flavorful crust, but a 2 hour soak is your best bet for allowing the flavor to develop and to tenderize the meat.
Extended marinades (more than 12 hours) won’t make your chicken more flavorful, and will make your chicken tougher – eventually the acid in the marinade will start to slowly break down the proteins in the meat after too much time. For that reason, don’t marinate longer than 8-9 hours.
How do You Cut Chicken for Tacos?
Always slice chicken AGAINST the grain to maintain tenderness. You’ll notice long fibers running along the length of the chicken – slice perpendicular to those fibers for extra tender bites. Slice into ½″ strips, and then into a small bite-sized dice if preferred.
I like to use the chicken as a guideline for the other taco veggies too – i.e. if I’m slicing the chicken, I’ll slice the avocado and other veggies too; the same holds true if I’m dicing. This lends to more consistent bites.
Can I Use Chicken Breast?
Boneless and skinless is the way to go for obvious reasons, but whether to use chicken thigh or chicken breast for grilled chicken tacos is really up to you.
I personally prefer chicken thighs because they’re a bit fattier (more flavor! and more crispy bits!), more uniform in size (they cook evenly), and when cooking for a crowd, they’re slightly more economical.
You can absolutely use chicken breast, but I suggest the following modifications for best results: (1) pound out the chicken breasts to make them a uniform thickness throughout; (2) double the salt to give them some extra brine, and therefore extra juiciness.
Can Cilantro Lime Chicken be Made in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot?
Yes! But the change in cooking method will produce different results (namely shredded chicken, not sliced or diced). It’s still just as delicious, though! Learn how to cook slow cooker cilantro lime chicken, or click here for the instant pot version.
Toppings
Cilantro lime chicken is already very flavorful, so I prefer mild toppings like avocado, cojita cheese, and diced red onion. But don’t stop there! Plenty of additional toppings work well with a cilantro-lime flavor canvas:
- Shredded red cabbage, romaine, or shredded or thinly sliced radishes
- Avocado, guacamole, or heck, both!
- Pickled red onions or pickled radishes
- Queso fresco or shredded monterey jack
- Grilled corn, sliced from the cobs
What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
You cannot go wrong with a side of rice and beans to accompany just about any taco. But level up that flavor! Mexican green rice and Instant Pot pinto beans are great complementary side dishes.
Want more veggies next to, but not necessarily on, your grilled chicken tacos? Go for Mexican cauliflower rice or even cilantro lime cauliflower rice. Salads like Mexican street corn salad or our “deconstructed guacamole” salad are also great pairings.
Did you make these cilantro lime chicken tacos? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 limes
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, up to 1 tsp total for additional heat
- ¾ c chopped cilantro, divided
- ⅓ c olive oil
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh, excess fat trimmed
For the Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas, warmed
- Pickled red onions
- Avocado slices
- Queso fresco, or cojita cheese
Instructions
- Zest one lime to create about 1 teaspoon lime zest. Juice two limes to create ¼ cup fresh lime juice. Slice the third lime into wedges and reserve for garnish.
- Combine the lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, ½ cup cilantro, and olive oil into a bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the chicken and toss until well coated with marinade. Cover tightly and marinate at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 hours and up to 8.
- Light a charcoal or gas grill to high heat (450°F), or light a grill pan under a high flame.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place on the grill. Grill 5-6 minutes per side with the lid open, flipping once, or until the internal temperature registers 165°F using an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the grill, place on a cutting board, and rest 5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken against the grain, then sprinkle with the remaining fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, and enjoy right away.
- Portion the chicken into tacos and garnish with avocado, red onions, and cheese. Serve right away.
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