Go Back

Grilled Chicken For Tacos, Burritos, or Salads

Juicy grilled chicken with a citrus spice marinade that works perfectly for tacos, burritos, bowls, or salads.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 6

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.