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    Home » Recipes » Poultry

    Chicken Tacos with the BEST Marinade

    Published: Apr 19, 2021 Modified: Apr 19, 2021 by Candice This post may contain affiliate links.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Close up of three tacos with title text.
    Top view of three tacos.
    Close up of three tacos next to lime wedges.
    Three tacos under title text.

    This delicious and easy way to cook boneless chicken thighs and is just as great as tacos as it is with your favorite side dishes. Marinade overnight, then cook down the marinade for an extra flavorful sauce.

    Top view of three tacos.
    TABLE OF CONTENTS hide
    1 Why You Should Make These
    2 Ingredients & Substitutions
    3 How to Make this Recipe
    4 Roast or Bake
    5 Grill
    6 Pan (Stovetop)
    7 Chicken Tacos FAQs
    8 Chicken & Tacos
    9 Chicken Tacos

    Why You Should Make These

    Marinating the chicken for these tacos the night before means you're only 25 minutes away from dinner.

    The marinade has a great balance of acidic, sweet, and spicy. This not only helps break down the chicken to make it tender, but adds a huge amount of flavor to the chicken.

    Nothing goes to waste! We cook down the marinade while the chicken is cooking and use it as a sauce.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Labeled ingredients on a white countertop.

    citrus - you will need ⅓-1/2 cup of orange juice and ¼ cup of lime juice for this recipe. It is about 1 large orange and 2 limes worth of juice.

    chicken thighs - I love the tenderness of thighs and how quickly they cook compared to chicken breasts. You can also use breasts, but it does yield a less flavorful, and often drier finished recipe.

    chili powder - I love the sweetness of the chili powder in this recipe. If you're looking for more of a kick, cayenne pepper tastes great in this recipe, too.

    oil - you can use olive oil, canola, vegetable, avocado seed, sunflower seed, and many other oils for this recipe. Use what you have on hand.

    agave - you can substitute with brown sugar or honey.

    How to Make this Recipe

    The key step to great tasting chicken tacos is the marinade. Marinate your chicken in the refrigerator overnight in the mixture of orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, agave, minced garlic, oregano, chili powder, and salt. Mix up the ingredients with a whisk and then add the chicken and make sure the marinade covers the chicken.

    Mixing chicken and a marinade in a glass bowl.

    NOTE: Take the chicken out of the refrigerator twenty to thirty minutes before you intend to cook it. This gets the chicken to room temperature so it can cook more evenly.

    Pour the juices from the marinade into a sauce pan. Bring to boil, lower to a simmer, and reduce the marinade by half. Takes 10-15 minutes. You can cook your chicken in the meantime.

    Saucepan with brown sauce.

    There are a few different methods you can use: grilling, broiling, or stovetop cooking in a pan.

    Roast or Bake

    Preheat the oven to 425F. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F (check using an instant-read thermometer, link opens in new tab).

    Chicken thighs on a baking sheet.

    Grill

    Grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F (check using an instant-read thermometer, link opens in new tab).

    Pan (Stovetop)

    Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F (check using an instant-read thermometer, link opens in new tab). I use a cast-iron pan.

    Whichever cooking method you choose, set the chicken aside and let it rest for five to ten minutes before slicing.

    Sliced chicken on a plate.

    Assemble your tacos with the cabbage on the bottom, then the chicken, and top with the salsa. For the final touch, add a squeeze of lime and drizzle the reduced sauce on top.

    Chicken Tacos FAQs

    What goes in tacos?

    Tacos usually include a main like meat, chicken, seafood, or a hearty vegetable, and are topped with salsa or onions. They are often served with extra toppings like lime wedges, guacamole, cilantro, diced onions, salsa, cabbage, and cheese.

    How do you cut chicken for tacos?

    You can rough chop or thinly slice chicken for tacos. You can cook them pre-cut, or cut them after they are cooked.

    How do you know boneless chicken thighs are cooked?

    Chicken thighs are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F.

    Do boneless chicken thighs cook faster?

    Yes, all poultry and meat cook faster without the bones.

    Close up of three tacos next to lime wedges.

    Chicken & Tacos

    You can check out all my favorite poultry recipes here, or make my favorite boneless skinless chicken thighs. And here are the best tacos:

    • Quick & Easy Steak Taco Recipe
    • Three tacos topped with green salsa.
      Swordfish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa
    • Salmon Fish Tacos (Baja-Style)
    • Top view of sliced chicken on a plate.
      Balsamic Herb Chicken Thighs

    I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

    Top view of three tacos.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Chicken Tacos

    This delicious and easy way to cook boneless chicken thighs and is just as great as tacos as it is with your favorite side dishes. Marinade overnight, then cook down the marinade for an extra flavorful sauce.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Resting Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course: Main, Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 1573kcal
    Author: Candice

    Equipment

    • Thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 lb. chicken thighs boneless & skinless
    • 1 orange juiced and zested, ~½ cup
    • 2 limes juiced and zested, ~¼ cup
    • ¼ cup oil olive, canola, avocado, etc.
    • ¼ cup agave nectar honey, or 3 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 5 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • ¼  teaspoon kosher salt

    Pico de Gallo Salsa

    • 1 large tomato diced
    • ½ red onion diced
    • 1 jalapeño finely diced, seeds removed for a milder salsa
    • 1 lime juiced
    • sea salt to taste

    Tacos

    • 24 small tortillas flour or corn, heated just before serving, use 2-per taco
    • 2 avocados sliced (or smashed if fancy looks don't matter to you)
    • ¼ purple cabbage shredded or thinly sliced
    • limes cut in wedges, for serving
    • hot sauce for serving
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Salsa: Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Can be made a day in advance.
    • Marinade the chicken thighs in the refrigerator overnight (or minimum 2 hours) in the orange juice, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, agave, minced garlic, oregano, chili powder, and salt. Take it out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before you cook it.
    • Pour the juices from the marinade in a sauce pan. Bring to boil, lower to a simmer, and reduce the marinade by half. Takes 10-15 minutes. You can cook your chicken in the meantime.

    ROAST/BAKE

    • Preheat the oven to 425F. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F.

    GRILL

    • Grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F.

    PAN (Stovetop)

    • Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F. I use a cast-iron pan.

    To Finish

    • Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing serving.
    • Assemble your tacos with the cabbage on the bottom, then the chicken, and top with the salsa. A squeeze of lime makes it just right. Drizzle the reduced sauce on top.

    Video

    Notes

    Take the chicken out of the refrigerator twenty to thirty minutes before you intend to cook it. This gets the chicken to room temperature so it can cook more evenly.
    Marinade overnight if you can, 2 hours minimum. I like to take the leftover marinade, bring it to a boil, and simmer it for 20-30 minutes. It reduces down into a delicious sauce.
    Whichever cooking method you choose, set the chicken aside and let it rest for five to ten minutes to rest before cutting.
    Recipe inspired by Giada de Laurentis's fajitas.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1573kcal | Carbohydrates: 174g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 2052mg | Potassium: 1272mg | Fiber: 31g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1986IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 611mg | Iron: 10mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.

    This post was originally published in August of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in October of 2020, and with a video in April of 2021.

    « Quick & Easy Steak Taco Recipe
    Peruvian-Style Chicken with Aji Verde »
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    1. Maria

      May 02, 2023 at 9:59 am

      5 stars
      I could drink this marinade, it's that good! We will definitely be adding this recipe to our monthly roster of meals.

      Reply
      • Candice

        May 02, 2023 at 1:13 pm

        Aww yay! Thank you for sharing, Maria... I'm so glad you liked it! I use it on my steak tacos, too 🙂

        Reply
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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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