Street Chicken Tacos (Print)

Juicy thighs with zippy spices and fresh toppings tucked in warm tortillas—done and dusted in half an hour.

# Ingredients:

→ For the chicken

01 - 45 milliliters lime juice, freshly squeezed
02 - 30 grams unsalted butter, split in half
03 - 30 milliliters olive oil, split in half
04 - 60 milliliters taco seasoning, or use a taco spice packet
05 - 680 grams chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

→ For serving and garnishes

06 - Avocado tomatillo salsa
07 - Restaurant salsa, chunky style
08 - 2 radishes, sliced thin
09 - 1 jalapeño, thin slices
10 - 2 limes, quartered
11 - 120 grams Queso Fresco or Cotija, crumbled
12 - Mexican crema or use sour cream
13 - 1 small white onion, diced (you can skip if using Pico de Gallo)
14 - 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (ok to skip if you’ve got Pico de Gallo)
15 - 1 batch Pico de Gallo
16 - As many corn tortillas as you want, at least 12

# Steps:

01 - Put down one or two warm tortillas. Pile on the shredded chicken and whatever pan juice you managed to save. Sprinkle on Pico de Gallo, crema, crumbly queso, onions, cilantro, radishes, jalapeños, and whichever salsa you’re in the mood for.
02 - Toast those tortillas either straight on the burner for a few seconds each side or use a skillet. Toss them into a zip-top bag, sneaking a damp paper towel in every so often to keep ‘em soft.
03 - Chop or tear the cooked chicken across the lines of muscle so you get little bite-sized pieces. Pile it in a bowl, then pour over that tangy lime juice and any pan drippings you’ve got.
04 - Do the whole cook-and-brown process again for any leftover chicken, using the rest of the oil and butter.
05 - Turn the thighs over with your tongs. Drop in the remaining butter and swirl it around so it melts. Turn the stove down a touch and let it cook a bit more, about two minutes, until golden and cooked through (aim for 71°C on your thermometer). Take the chicken out and loosely cover with foil.
06 - Place your pan on medium-high and wait about three minutes for it to get hot. Pour in half the oil, then swirl. Lay the chicken pieces flat so they’re not crammed. Let them cook without moving for about 3-4 minutes till they’re really browned.
07 - Let the spicy chicken chill out on your counter for 15 minutes (or up to a whole day in the fridge) so it soaks in all the flavor.
08 - Lay chicken thighs out. Shake the taco spice everywhere and really rub it in so all the pieces get covered. If you’re using store mix, add a spoonful of cornmeal to the packet first.

# Notes:

01 - Giving your chicken a longer marinate makes it tastier and juicier.
02 - Don’t crowd the pan or nothing will brown right—work in smaller groups if you need to.
03 - Mixing cornmeal into premade taco seasoning helps it stick better and gives the sauce a better feel.
04 - Steaming the tortillas after heating makes them fold without cracking for that classic, soft texture.

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