Grilled Chicken Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions
Mix up your taco routine with these zippy and flavorful tacos. They're a snap to prepare, making them an excellent weeknight meal option. You'll have leftover pickled onions from this recipe -- they're also fantastic as a topping for bean soup or a veggie sandwich. This recipe makes 8-10 tacos.
PREP TIME
30 minutes
COOK TIME
15 minutes
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice from 2 fresh oranges, plus 1 tablespoon zest
Juice from 2 fresh limes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, grated or smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the pickled onions:
1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
For the taco assembly:
8-10 8 inch flour tortillas, lightly grilled
1 cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
4-5 ounces Cotja cheese, crumbled
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh lime wedges, for garnish
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice from 2 fresh oranges, plus 1 tablespoon zest
Juice from 2 fresh limes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, grated or smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the pickled onions:
1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
For the taco assembly:
8-10 8 inch flour tortillas, lightly grilled
1 cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
4-5 ounces Cotja cheese, crumbled
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh lime wedges, for garnish
Directions
Marinade the chicken: Whisk all chicken marinade ingredients together in a large nonreactive bowl. Add chicken breasts to bowl and with your (clean) hands, rub marinade into chicken, making sure the chicken is coated thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and chill for at lease one hour and no more than two hours.
While the chicken is marinading, make the pickled onions. Pack the onion slices into a lidded glass jar. Heat water, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan to a simmer on medium-low. Be careful not to boil the mixture as the sugar will burn; just heat the liquid until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture is simmering, pour into the glass jar containing the onions. Let stand, uncovered, until the jar cools. Once cooled, cover and store at room temperature until ready to use.
Once the chicken has rested for 1-2 hours, heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess liquid and discard remaining marinade. Grill chicken for 10 minutes, flipping once in the middle of the cooking process. Remove chicken from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before shredding with a fork or slicing.
To assemble the tacos, add a scoop of chicken to a grilled tortilla shell. Add corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheese, pickled onions and a sprinkle of cilantro. Repeat until all ingredients are used and serve immediately.
While the chicken is marinading, make the pickled onions. Pack the onion slices into a lidded glass jar. Heat water, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan to a simmer on medium-low. Be careful not to boil the mixture as the sugar will burn; just heat the liquid until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture is simmering, pour into the glass jar containing the onions. Let stand, uncovered, until the jar cools. Once cooled, cover and store at room temperature until ready to use.
Once the chicken has rested for 1-2 hours, heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess liquid and discard remaining marinade. Grill chicken for 10 minutes, flipping once in the middle of the cooking process. Remove chicken from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before shredding with a fork or slicing.
To assemble the tacos, add a scoop of chicken to a grilled tortilla shell. Add corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheese, pickled onions and a sprinkle of cilantro. Repeat until all ingredients are used and serve immediately.
Looking for inspiration? Try these recipes:
Grilled Veggie Salad
Sweet Onion Mashed Potatoes
Spicy Shrimp with Spaghetti
