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Weeknight Chicken Tacos

Juicy seasoned chicken tucked into warm tortillas with fresh toppings. A taco-night classic you can cook in about half an hour.

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Weeknight Chicken Tacos plated Mexican meal

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Weeknight Chicken Tacos

Yield4
Prep15 min
Cook15 min
Total30 min

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Ingredients

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Method

4 steps

  1. 1

    Pat 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts dry and cut into bite-size strips. Toss with 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until every piece looks coated.

  2. 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, 8–10 minutes until browned and cooked through (165°F). Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons) and toss; taste for salt — the pan should smell smoky-citrusy.

  3. 3

    Warm 8–10 small corn or flour tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave until soft and pliable. Keep them wrapped so they stay warm.

  4. 4

    Build tacos: fill each tortilla with chicken, shredded lettuce or cabbage, avocado or guacamole, pico de gallo, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and a spoon of crema if you like. You want juicy weeknight chicken tacos with charred spice and fresh toppings — not dry bland strips or cold hard tortillas.

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