Enjoy an easy dinner with this recipe for Chicken Street Tacos. So simple, but so delicious, these tacos can easily feed a crowd or be adapted to a grain-free lettuce wrap.
I grew up in Southern California where Mexican food reigns — and for good reason. Made from inexpensive ingredients and packed with flavor, Mexican food is something that I could eat every day of the week.
And honestly, as fast as we’re going through that ginormous bottle of Cholula, I think we might be!
My favorite items to order at a restaurant or to make at home are street tacos. Traditionally, made easily portable and often sold on the street, street tacos differ from the crunchy corn or soft flour tacos you might be used to. However, growing up going to Olvera Street, street tacos are the kind of tacos I know well. No shredded cheese necessary!
And there was never anything easier to make!
Chicken street tacos at home
We’ve got an authentic, family-owned Mexican diner around the corner where FishPapa and I often go for dinner on date nights. I often order the street tacos plate, but it’s so easy to make at home!
By now you’ve heard about my love affair with Trader Joe’s frozen chicken tenders. I just bought seven bags to fill my freezer. They cook up so tender and juicy. And they go great in this dish.
Chicken street taco ingredients
- Chicken tenders – or boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Taco Seasoning Mix – You could buy it, or save yourself some pennies and make your own taco seasoning mix
- Corn tortillas – You can use store bought ones, or make your own corn tortillas. You can also use lettuce wraps if you want to cut a few calories.
- Sweet Onion –(If you can’t find sweet onions, just be sure to rinse your onions well under cool water; it takes away some of the bitterness.)
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce
How to cook the chicken for the street tacos
Typically I throw the chicken tenders (still frozen) in the slow cooker with a generous dousing of homemade taco seasoning mix. Within just a few hours, the chicken is fully cooked and easy to shred. A few slashes of the tongs and the meat practically falls apart.
If you don’t want to wait for the slow cooker, you can also cook the chicken in a bit of oil in a skillet, season, and shred.
Which should I use- flour or corn tortilla?
Corn tortillas are the traditional wrapper for street tacos. It’s best to make your own.
However, if you’re eating paleo, Whole 30, or grain free, the chicken filling and toppings go great in lettuce leaves. Not quite authentic, but super good.
How should I serve these street tacos?
Now, street tacos are typically served quite simply: top with some hot pepper sauce, like Chalula, and diced sweet onions and chopped cilantro. So good!
Extra chicken street tacos toppings
You could also add on some of these extra toppings if you wanted:
- Pico de Gallo
- Super Easy Salsa
- Easy Guacamole Recipe
- Sour cream
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
What should I serve with these chicken street tacos?
- 2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken pieces, cut into strips
- 2 to 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix*
- corn tortillas* or lettuce wraps
- diced sweet or white onion
- chopped cilantro
- hot sauce
- Place the chicken pieces in the crock of a slow cooker. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix. Cover and cook for two hours on high or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
- If you prefer, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet until shimmering. Add the chicken and seasoning. Cook, turning, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Shred the chicken and serve in tortillas or lettuce wraps, topped with onion, cilantro, and hot sauce.
- Cooked chicken meat can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
If you're trying to avoid certain ingredients, like gluten or soy, be sure to read the ingredients label on your taco seasoning as well as the corn tortillas. I make my own whenever I'm concerned about what's inside.
* If you’re trying to avoid certain ingredients, like gluten or soy, be sure to read the ingredients label on your taco seasoning as well as the corn tortillas. I make my own whenever I’m concerned about what’s inside.
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We have one restaurant here that serves tacos like this (except I’m not sure they do chicken) and it’s one of our favorites! Do yours come with the onion/carrot/jalapeno pickles? If so, and you like them, this recipe turns out really close to those: http://theviewfromgreatisland.com/minimal-monday-pickled-red-onions/ I do half onions, half carrots and add some cloves (ground or whole).
I’ll have to try these with chicken soon–thanks for the idea! I bet the cooked filling freezes well too.
I’m making chicken fajitas tomorrow- very similar. 🙂 I like using spices or homemade spice mixes to flavor things. I think they taste better, and you can do without the preservatives.
These look delicious. My crew only like beef tacos for some reason but I think these might win them over.
This may seem like a silly question but I love street tacos and my big problem is how do they/you get the corn tortillas soft and moist??? I’ve tried wetting them in microwave to no avail, heating in oven in foil, also a taday dry. Help!!!
The best way is to use homemade corn tortillas. My local taqueria fries them in a bit of oil and drains well. They’re oily obviously, but soft and moist. Other restaurants steam them in foil wrappings.