Healthy Chicken Tacos
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Published Feb 27, 2023, Updated Jul 14, 2023
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These healthy chicken tacos come together in about 30 minutes, making them perfect for busy weeknights. They’re packed with flavor and totally customizable!
I LOVE tacos… fish tacos, cauliflower tacos, tempeh tacos… if it has the word taco in the name I’m here for it! That said, I figured it was about time to share my go-to healthy chicken taco recipe.
These tacos are so flavorful and delicious and the entire recipe comes together in 30 minutes from start to finish, which is ideal when you’re wanting to make a healthy dinner during those busy weeknights!
Why You’ll Love These Tacos
- Easy to make! These tacos cook up in about 30 minutes, making them perfect for a weekday taco night!
- Packed with tons of flavor. The marinated chicken is chef’s kiss!
- Totally customizable. Feel free to make this recipe your own with different seasonings and toppings.
Ingredients Needed
- chicken – the star of the show! I love using chicken thighs because they are fattier so have more flavor, but boneless skinless chicken breasts will also work and still be delicious. If you prefer breasts, try my easy grilled chicken recipe.
- olive oil, lime juice, garlic, sea salt, cumin and chili powder – all these ingredients combine to make a super simple marinade for the chicken.
- tortillas – I used small corn tortillas to keep this recipe gluten-free, but feel free to use flour tortillas or your favorite style of tortilla.
- toppings – my go-to taco toppings are red onion, cilantro, avocado, pico de gallo (or salsa), queso fresco, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt), but feel free to use your favorite toppings!
How to Make
Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, salt and cumin in a small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken thighs and let marinate for 15-30 minutes. You can definitely marinate the chicken longer (even overnight) if you want, but it’s not necessary!
Grill chicken thighs using an indoor or outdoor grill or cook the chicken on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked throughout (internal temperature should be 170-175°F). Once cooked, pull chicken from heat and let rest for 3-5 minutes.
Dice chicken thighs into cubes. Place chicken into a warm taco shell and add toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Customize Your Tacos
I love this recipe as is, but feel free to make these tacos your own! Here are some ideas:
- Spices: Experiment with different spice blends in the marinade, such as chipotle powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano or even a taco seasoning blend.
- Meat: If you prefer chicken breast you can use that instead of thighs. You can also try using pork, beef or tofu for a different protein option. I also have a ground turkey tacos recipe!
- Toppings: Feel free to switch up the toppings to your liking. Some ideas: jalapeño slices, pickled red onions, fresh tomatoes, hot sauce, pineapple salsa or shredded lettuce.
- Tortillas: I prefer to use either flour or corn tortillas, but you can also use a hard shell taco, grain-free tortillas or lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
- Cheese: You can skip the cheese altogether if you need a dairy-free option or switch it up and use cheddar, pepper jack or a blend of shredded Mexican cheese.
How to Serve Chicken Tacos
These chicken tacos are a meal on their own, but it’s always fun to have a few sides and a festive drink… especially if you’re hosting dinner. Here are some options:
- Sides: chips and salsa, black beans or refried beans, black bean dip, healthy guacamole, avocado salad or Mexican street corn salad
- Drinks: skinny paloma or skinny margarita
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Store any leftover toppings in separate containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. For reheating, I recommend warming the chicken over the stovetop to crisp it up a little.
More Mexican Favorites
- Healthy Guacamole
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
- Healthy 7-Layer Dip
- Tempeh Tacos
- Vegan Enchiladas
- Red Chilaquiles
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Cauliflower Tacos
- Healthy Taco Salad
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
Be sure to check out all of the chicken recipes as the full collection of Mexican recipes on EBF!
Healthy Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, juice of 1 lime
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Chopped red onion, for serving
- Cilantro, for serving
- Avocado or guacamole, for serving
- Salsa or pico de gallo, for serving
- Queso fresco, for serving
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, salt and cumin in a small bowl.
- Pour marinade over chicken thighs and let marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- Grill chicken thighs using an indoor or outdoor grill or cook on the stove top in a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked throughout (internal temperature should be 170-175°F). Once cooked, pull chicken from heat and let rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Dice chicken thighs into cubes. Place chicken into warm taco shell and add toppings of choice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
SO GOOD!!! Chicken came out great 🙂
WOO! Glad you are loving this recipe, Katie. Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!