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Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos
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These easy chicken tacos are packed with flavor and ready in 30 minutes! It’s a fun dinner idea starring juicy chicken and fresh toppings: a simple recipe everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ pounds, organic if possible)*
  • 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the lime crema (or cilantro sauce or chipotle sauce for dairy-free)

  • 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema (or ¾ cup Greek yogurt plus ¼ cup mayonnaise)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus the zest of ½ lime
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the tacos

  • Guacamole
  • Red onion, minced (or pickled red onions)
  • Cilantro, finely chopped 
  • Shredded lettuce or slaw (optional)
  • Cotija, queso fresco, or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
  • 8 small flour or corn tortillas

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season the chicken with the salt (if you’re using 1 1/2 pounds, use 1 1/4 teaspoons salt). In a small bowl, mix the seasonings together. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning mix. (If desired, you can do this up to 12 hours in advance and allow the chicken to sit marinate before cooking.)
  2. Stovetop instructions:** Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned (and seasoning is starting to blacken), on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate and rest for 3 minutes. Then slice the chicken into strips.
  3. Make the lime crema by stirring all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
  4. If desired, char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. Or warm them in a skillet or in the oven (see How to Warm Tortillas).
  5. To make the tacos, spread guacamole onto a warm tortilla, then top with chicken strips, red onion, cilantro, cheese, and lime crema. Leftover chicken stores up to 3 days refrigerated.

Notes

*If you buy the chicken as breasts that are not already butterflied or cutlets, butterfly the chicken: Place your hand over the top of each chicken breast. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book (or butterfly!). Unfold the breast like a book, then cut along the fold to separate the two halves.

**For grilled chicken tacos, preheat a grill to high heat (450 to 550°F). Grill the chicken breasts until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until no longer pink in the center and the internal temperature is 165°F, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes for maximum juiciness, then slice.