Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos Recipe

Name: Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For the chicken:; 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried cumin; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest; 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 to 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1 1/4 pounds); To serve:; 8 small corn tortillas; 3 cups packed baby arugula (3 ounces); 2 medium ripe avocados, sliced; 4 radishes, thinly sliced; 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced; Roughly chopped cilantro; 1/2 cup sour cream thinned with 1/4 cup milk; 1 lime, cut into wedges

We have a family motto and it is this: Everything goes better in a tortilla.

Any and every kind of leftover can go inside a warm tortilla, usually with a healthy dose of pickled jalapenos. I can always sniff out a late-night snacker when the aroma of tortillas heating in a hot pan on the stove comes wafting through the house.

Today's tacos are more purposeful a deliberate meal instead of a secretive midnight snack!

First, I marinate the chicken briefly in a spicy paste of ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, and sweet orange juice while the grill is heating. You can also use this time to prepare the taco toppings.

Grill the chicken, then let it rest while you warm the tortillas. Now you are ready to assemble the tacos and dig in. The whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes!

Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos — Sally Vargas

The ancho chiles I use in the marinade are named for their wide shape. They are large, have a deep reddish brown color when dried, and are mild in flavor with just a hint of heat. You can find ancho chile powder at any markets that sell Mexican ingredients, or online.

I like to put all the toppings in little bowls on a big platter at the center of the table: avocados, radishes, tomatoes, red onions, wedges of lime, and a sour cream sauce. I add arugula, as well—this green isn't traditional for tacos, but we always seem to have some in the fridge and I think it adds a nice green crunch to the tacos.

Everyone can grab a warm tortilla from the pile and make their own tacos just they way they like them.

You could also easily double or even triple this recipe for a larger party. A taco and a cold beer on a warm day? Now that's living!

Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Look for ancho chile powder with the Mexican ingredients at your grocery store, on buy it online. (If you can't find ancho chili powder, you replace the ancho chili, the oregano, and the cumin with 2 1/2 tablespoons regular chili powder, though the flavor won't be quite the same.)

For the chicken:

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1 1/4 pounds)

To serve:

8 small corn tortillas
3 cups packed baby arugula (3 ounces)
2 medium ripe avocados, sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 lime, cut into wedges

Prepare the grill:

Prepare either a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high, direct heat.
Make the marinade and coat the chicken:

In a large bowl, stir together the chili powder, oregano, cumin, sugar, salt, garlic and orange zest. Stir in the orange juice and olive oil to make a loose paste. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat all over.

Set aside to marinate while the grill heats and you prepare the rest of the toppings.

Sally Vargas
Grill the chicken:

Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
Thin the sour cream with milk:

Stir together the sour cream and milk to thin out the sour cream to make it easy to drizzle.
Assemble the tacos:

Slice the chicken into strips. On each tortilla, place a small handful of arugula. Top with chicken slices, sliced avocado, radishes, tomatoes, and onion slices. Drizzle with the thinned sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.
Warm the tortillas:

Place each tortilla on the grill or on a hot, dry skillet over medium-high heat. As soon as you see pockets of the air start to puff up in the tortilla, turn it with tongs and heat for a few seconds on the other side.

Wrap warmed tortillas in a tea towel to keep them warm until serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
655	Calories
44g	Fat
32g	Carbs
41g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	655
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g	56%
Saturated Fat 11g	54%
Cholesterol 201mg	67%
Sodium 551mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 11g	40%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 28mg	141%
Calcium 140mg	11%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 1193mg	25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.