Charred and Tender grilled chicken spiced with a special blend of homemade taco seasoning can be grilled or cooked on the stove-top. It’s delicious in tacos, burritos, on salads, or for meal-prep!
Perfectly charred and crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, this really is the BEST Mexican spiced grilled chicken. It’s seasoned with my favorite blend of homemade taco seasoning. With the addition of garlic, lime, and olive oil, you’ve got yourself delicious chicken that’s great for tacos, burrito bowls, salads, wraps and just about anything else.
A batch of perfectly grilled chicken can go a long way. I like to season a few pounds of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts and keep them in zip seal bags in the fridge and freezer. When needed, just pop a bag out of the fridge or freezer and grill on an outdoor grill or right in a pan on the stove top. Use it to make tacos, wraps, on a salad or rice.
Just like Chipotle, I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs rather than breasts because they are always tender and won’t dry out. Chicken breasts will also work for this recipe but be sure not to over-cook them. 
The Best Grilled Chicken For Tacos, Burritos, or Salads
Ingredients
- 1 pound Boneless, Skinless chicken thighs or breasts, we prefer thighs
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon corn starch , optional
Instructions
- Add the chicken, garlic, olive oil, lime, spices, and cornstarch to a large bowl or zip-seal bag.
- Place in fridge and let marinate for at least 15-30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place chicken on a grill or pan heated to medium-high heat. Let chicken cook until it is no longer pink on the inside, about 6-7 minutes per side (or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
- Serve chicken in tacos, burritos, on salads or rice.
Equipment
Found this recipe a month ago and have lost count on how many times I’ve made it. This is absolutely the best chicken marinade! It’s meal prep perfect. Huge thank you..
Made this tonight for tacos. We loved it!! Thanks for sharing. We will definitely make it again
Cannot count the number of times I have made this in the past few years or how many people I have given the recipe to, but it’s a lot. Simple and Delicious.
I am overdue to review this recipe. I make it several times a year and it is my ‘go-to’ if we have a larger group at our house. It usually becomes a make your own burrito/taco/rice bowl bar so that everyone can add foods they like. But the chicken is the real winner and it is so nice to marinade/prep the night before and then throw it on the grill. Our sides usually include the following: yellow rice (NYT recipe), black beans, refried beans, cojita, Mexican cheese blend, limes, cilantro, sauteed bell peppers and onions, scallions, avocado, salsa, and I am sure I am forgetting something. I am working on my grocery list now for a team dinner we’re hosting on Friday!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!!
So delicious! Turned out perfect and my family was happy!
I have a hard time finding recipes I like online but I have to say this recipe was great! I absolutely loved it! It was super easy and I didn’t have to change the recipe at all. My husband and I loved it so much I’m making it again tomorrow. Just wanted to say thank you!
I make this recipe all the time and our entire family loves it. I am having surgery soon and would like to prep a lot of meals. Can I put the marinade in this and freeze so that my family only has to cook? Or not because of the lime juice?
So easy and versatile. I use it in combination with this Salsa Con Queso mac and cheese recipe I found. It’s great! https://sarahscucinabella.com/2013/01/16/salsa-con-queso-macaroni-and-cheese/
I’m trying this now and noticed, my marinade is not very liquidity at all. How do I separate from the chicken as recipe asks? It’s all just stick to chicken.
Exceptional!
We used the marinade for a burrito recipe on bone in, skin on thigh. Removed the skin after cooking, but honestly, removing the skin was silly(not for burrito) but next time I’d keep it on, as the flavour was unbelievable.
Juicy, gorgeous taste.
A new staple in my house.
Thank you!!
This was unbelievably good. Definitely a keeper!
great combo of seasonings- great tip on the corn starch- I was rushed on prepping this recipe this time– we only marinated for 30 mins- everyone enjoyed the taste– def remake this over and over-
This is the best chicken taco. I wish I could give it 10 stars. If you are on the fence about trying this recipe get off it & get to cooking. You will not regret it
From Maggie S. I made this on June 4, 2022, and it was absolute perfection! I doubled the recipe and used bone-in chicken thighs because they have so much more flavor and don’t dry out like chicken breasts.. I marinated the thighs in this excellent “paste” for 8 hours, scraped it off, then put the thighs on a medium-high charcoal grill for 9 minutes on each side, while monitoring it carefully. Set it aside wrapped in tin foil. Chopped it up into smaller pieces when it cooled down. I HAD TO EAT AT LEAST ONE BECAUSE IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!
Separately, I made black beans with garlic, onions and herbs with a splash of white wine and a little sugar.
Separately, I sauteed fresh tomatoes — hell, use canned diced tomatoes — with a little garlic, fresh cilantro, cumin and a little olive oil.
Then, spoon the whole mix into giant tortillas, fold them up and fry them with cheese.
THANK YOU FOR THIS DIVINE RECIPE!!
I love this!! Can you cook it in the oven? I am cooking for 100 people so looking for easy
Cut the chicken in cubes before or after cooking?
So good!! Our family loved this!
I’ve used this recipe for chicken tacos several times, both on the grill and in cast iron on the stove, and they’re fantastic. Sometimes I’ll toss the cut up chicken in cilantro and extra lime juice. Pairing this chicken with homemade flour tortillas makes it even better.
Oops, I forgot to add a rating to that comment. Definitely 5 stars!
This is so tasty! Whether the chicken is grilled or cooked on the stovetop, this is my favorite for chicken tacos and salad.
I haven’t tried this yet but I am so stocked to do so. I have a question though… Is there a similar tomato salsa (like the one in the Costco kit)? I have several taco salsas that we made, but those kits are like the perfect flavor meld and I’d surely love to replicate it. Yum!
Are you referring to the saucy salsa? I don’t have a recipe for it but we love this salsa with tacos: https://gimmedelicious.com/pico-de-gallo/
Great recipe. A hit with everyone!!!
I am so happy I found this recipe. So delicious and I like how it can be used in quesadillas for dinner or a salad the next for lunch. My husband adds some sumac to being out a more tangy flavor.
Happy to hear that!
I add this to a Mexican style Mac and cheese. It’s great!
Can I use ground chicken for this recipe?
You sure can!
Hi! Just curious, what is the point of the cornstarch? It does say optional, but just want to know what it does for the recipe if added?
Thanks so much!!
Cornstarch will give the exterior a slight crust.
Oops. Forgot to leave 5 star rating
I was looking for the spices for a Mexican grilled chicken to match a dish I get from a local restaurant. This is the first recipe I tried and it is SPOT ON! No need to look any further. Thank you. 💕
Best recipe ever! I add half a white onion and a small handful of coriander (cilantro). I hate coriander, however with all the other flavours in this marinade, it works very well! I also blend it all to make like a paste, I think it gives it more of an even flavour.