These grilled chicken thigh tacos are easy enough for a weeknight meal and flavorful enough for a serious taco lover. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are seasoned with warming spices, grilled, then rough chopped and tucked inside a warmed corn tortilla. Add, avocado, Cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime = easy Mexican fiesta. With no marinade time these are ready in about 20 minutes.
Want more easy chicken thigh recipes? Don’t miss this one for Pan Fried Chicken Thighs. Served in a lemon cream sauce and with white beans, it’s a delightful weeknight dinner idea.
If you’re a regular reader, you know that tacos are a favorite here on The Ranch. And this recipe for grilled chicken thigh tacos using chicken thighs is so easy and loved that I make them about once a week.
This chicken tacos recipe require no marinade time, in fact the only pre-prep is a simple 3-ingredient seasoning and time to get those grill grates nice and hot.
The end result is a quick simple taco with some delicious zesty personality. And just right spicy, your family will love them.
Let’s take a look.
A Very Friendly Ingredient List
Keeping seasonings simple will keep that chicken flavor coming through nice and clear.
- Chile powder. New Mexico Chile Powder preferred. Or use Ancho chile powder, or cayenne.
- Kosher Salt: Chefs prefer kosher salt due to it’s pure salty flavor.
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- Keep it simple with toppings, Cotija Cheese and Avocado. A shake of hot sauce is always welcome.
Pro Tip: Serving any type of tacos with a wedge of lime is traditional. Why? A squeeze of lime juice brighten flavors.
How To Make Grilled Chicken Thigh Tacos
- Step 1: Preheat your grill to 450 degrees to get those grates nice and hot. I like to use a meat mallet to pound the thighs. This not only evens out the thickness, but also serves as little indents to capture those seasonings.
- Step 2: Season the thighs and place them on the grill.
- Step 3: Cook the chicken until the pieces start to become dark and crispy in spots and a digital read thermometer reads 165 degrees when placed in a thicker piece of the chicken.
Once off the grill simply rough chop the chicken and add your favorite fresh taco toppings to warmed tortillas.
The simple combination of chicken and taco toppings make a great little meal. Both corn or flour tortillas work here. Try serving with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa for a green, zesty and lively twist.
Questions You Might Have
A single chile powder is important here rather than a chili powder (with an i), which is a blend of spices used for chili recipes. If you have a New Mexico Chile Powder, it’s a wonderful choice. Ancho Chile Powder is a good substitute.
Anchos are the sweetest of all dried chiles. Also known as poblano peppers when fresh.
Chipotle Chile Powder, which is ground smoked jalapeno peppers, will add a smoky flavor to these tacos. Chipotles are fully ripened jalapenos, meaning they’ve been allowed to mature and turn red on the vine. They are dried by smoking and it takes about ten pounds of fresh peppers to make one pound of dried. Chipotles are native to Mexico but the canned versions with adobo sauce have become wildly popular in the United States.
You can’t just take a corn tortilla out of the package and fill it with taco ingredients. They’ll be rubbery and break. You have warm them into a pliable taco shell. I’ve always found the Rick Bayless method to yield best results. Drizzle about three tablespoons of water over a clean kitchen towel. Wrap your corn tortillas in the towel. Slide the package into a gallon sized plastic bag. Don’t seal the bag. Microwave the tortillas at 50% power for four minutes. This creates a steamy packet. Let sit 2 -3 minutes inside package before making tacos.
These can easily be made stove top by using a grill pan. Tip: oil the grill pan before adding the chicken thighs. You can also use your oven broiler to make these tacos. Just place the seasoned thighs on a sheet pan. Place 5 inches below the broiler grates. Cook, turning often until thighs become dark crispy in places and a digital real thermometer reads 165 in the thickest part of one of the thighs.
The grilled chicken will store well in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Just reheat using your microwave. Any heated corn taco shells should be tossed. They simply won’t keep well or reheat well. Use new corn tortilla shells for making tacos with leftover chicken meat.
White corn tortillas, yellow corn tortillas and if you’re lucky enough to be able to purchase New Mexico blue corn tortillas, they’ll all make a great canvas for a grilled chicken taco. You can even purchase smaller street-style tortillas shells. Just be sure to warm them to make them pliable. Small flour tortillas work well for these street-style chicken tacos.
Variations
- Purchased pre-cut chicken breast tenders will make the an equally easy taco dinner. Just adjust the cooking time as to not over-cook which would result in a dry texture.
- Throw some jalapeno peppers and onions on the grill next to those chicken thighs. Cut the onions into wedges and use a grill basket for easy grilling.
- Instead of regular freshly ground black pepper, try using Savory Spice Whiskey Barrel Smoked Black Pepper. It will bring a subtle smokiness to the over all flavor. We’re hooked on it.
Additional Topping Ideas
We like to keep our chicken tacos simple with just a sprinkling of Cotija cheese, some avocado, sliced or chopped and cilantro. And of course a shake of hot sauce is the norm. But here are some more taco topping ideas if you’re wanting to pile those tacos high.
- Friends don’t let friends eat Mexican food without Mexican Pickled Onions. Always a welcome treat for any taco.
- Pico de Gallo or Salsa.
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage.
- Mexican Crema or Sour Cream.
- Guacamole.
- Sliced fresh jalapeno peppers.
Tips
- What cut of chicken do you recommend for the best grilled chicken tacos? Stick with boneless skinless chicken thighs for these grilled chicken tacos. Dark meat cooks up nice and juicy and is loaded with chicken flavor.
- Make sure the grill grates are nice and hot, those crispy edges on the chicken are the best part.
- Use a digital read meat thermometer to make sure those thighs are cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Because of the firm texture of cooked chicken thighs, just rough chop them rather than try to shred them to make tacos.
What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Thigh Tacos?
- Grilled Corn is always a good choice. Simply coat the ears of corn with an oil such as butter or mayonnaise. Grill alongside the chicken, turning often. Or check out this recipe for Southwestern fried Coyote Corn.
- Easy Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans. Made with canned beans.
- Refried Beans
- Mexican Mac and Cheese.
Recipe for Easy Chicken Thigh Tacos
I hope you give this easy peasy grilled chicken taco recipe and try. It’s so easy, it most certainly will become part of your weeknight meal plan rotation. Ready in under 15 minutes, this is a taco you and your family will love.
And if you’re looking for more taco recipes, don’t miss my Taco Category. You’ll find lots of fun taco recipes, including the most popular taco recipe on my site for Fried Tacos.
Related Recipes
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Easy Grilled Chicken Thigh Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless skinless Chicken Thighs
- Salt and Pepper To taste
- 2 teaspoons chile powder single blend such as Ancho or New Mexico Red.
- 1 lime wedges for squeezing
- 6 Corn Tortillas Warmed. Flour tortillas will work here also.
Instructions
- Use a meat mallet to pound the thighs to even thickness. Those mallet marks will also aide in holding on the seasonings. Season each thigh with salt, pepper and chile powder.
- Using a paper towel and vegetable oil, oil the grates so the chicken won't stick. Heat the grill to 450 degrees. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, turning often.
- Cook the chicken, turning often, until the pieces are starting to become dark and crispy in spots and a digital read thermometer reads 165 when placed in a thicker piece of the chicken.
- Rough chop the cooked chicken thighs rather than trying to shred the meat.
- Serve with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, guacamole, or hot sauce. Serve with warm Corn or flour tortillas and lime wedges.
- Toppings: Crumbled Cotija Cheese. Lime wedges for squeezing. Raw chopped sweet onion, or sliced green onions work nice here. Sliced or chopped avocado and cilantro are traditional.
Notes
- I recommend sticking with boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Dark meat cooks up nice and juicy and is loaded with chicken flavor.
- Make sure the grill grates are nice and hot, those crispy edges on the chicken are the best part.
- Use a digital real meat thermometer to make sure those thighs are cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165.
- Because of the firm texture of cooked chicken thighs, just rough chop them rather than try to shred them to make tacos.
Nutrition
Easy Grilled Chicken Thigh Tacos … It’s What’s for Dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
OMG! looking so much delicious!
I love roasted green chile chicken. Absolutely it is soft tacos! I know, Ancho Chile Powder is a good substitute if we don’t have New Mexico ground chile.
Thanks so much Mira. And thanks for the visit and the comments on my blog.
Tacos are a standard meal in this house so I’m all for a taco fad. The more recipe ideas the better. 🙂 Love these simple chicken tacos and what a great complement of the tomatillo salsa. Love that method of steaming corn tortillas! I usually set up my steamer which can be a pain. Four tortillas are easy, but finding a corn tortilla that steams up nicely for soft tacos can be hard. That’s why I’ve started making my own corn tortillas. These tacos are going into my taco folder. Thanks Lea Ann!
I usually warm my tacos the same way — so easy, and it really works. Love tacos, and these look exceptional. Thanks!
I could eat tacos every day and I agree they are probably going to be a food fad. (I had to laugh at the dessert mention—remember those ice cream taco things????) Great recipe.
Looks and sounds very good LA.