Best Grilled chicken for tacos, burritos, or salads

Best Grilled chicken for tacos, burritos, or salads is the kind of meal prep that actually gets used. ♡

You know the problem. You cook chicken on Sunday, it’s fine for one meal, then it turns bland and dry and you start avoiding it. This version fixes that with a simple marinade that hits all the right notes: citrus for brightness, a little sweetness for balance, and warm spices that taste good in basically anything.

Make a batch, slice it, and suddenly dinner is easy all week. Tacos on Monday, burrito bowls on Wednesday, big salad on Friday. Same chicken, totally different vibe.

Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)

• 2 tablespoons orange juice (or more lime juice)

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

• 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon honey (optional, helps browning)

Optional add ins

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder for heat

• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotles for smoky spice

Tips

• Thighs stay juicier. Breasts work too, just don’t overcook them.

• Marinate at least 30 minutes. If you can do 2 to 6 hours, even better.

• Oil your grates. Chicken plus citrus marinade can stick if the grill is dry.

• Let it rest 5 minutes before slicing. Juicier, always.

• Slice against the grain for the most tender bites.

Variations

• Taco style: add extra chili powder and a pinch of cayenne.

• Fajita style: add sliced onions and bell peppers to the grill and toss everything together.

• Salad style: keep seasoning lighter and add extra lime juice at the end.

• Burrito bowl style: add a little smoked paprika and serve with rice, beans, salsa, and avocado.

• No grill: use a grill pan or cast iron skillet on medium high heat.

FAQ

Grilled Chicken For Tacos, Burritos, or Salads

Juicy grilled chicken with a citrus spice marinade that works perfectly for tacos, burritos, bowls, or salads.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 2 limes about 1/4 cup
• 2 tablespoons orange juice or more lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro optional
• 3 cloves garlic grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon honey optional
• chipotle powder or adobo sauce optional for heat

Method

 

1. Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl or zip bag, whisk olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, and honey. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate 30 minutes to 6 hours.
2. Preheat the grill. Heat grill to medium high. Lightly oil the grates.
3. Grill. Remove chicken from marinade and let excess drip off. Grill thighs about 5 to 7 minutes per side, or breasts about 4 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through (165F for breasts, 175F to 185F for thighs is ideal).
4. Rest and slice. Rest chicken 5 minutes, then slice or chop.
5. Serve. Use immediately for tacos, burritos, bowls, or salads, or store for meal prep.

Notes

For meal prep, store sliced chicken in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to keep it juicy.

If using breasts, pounding them to an even thickness helps them cook evenly.