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These are truly the best grilled chicken tacos, juicy, smoky, perfectly seasoned chicken with charred edges piled into warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings. The secret is a simple sweet and savory marinade that does double duty, tenderizing the chicken and giving it that gorgeous caramelized crust on the grill. They come together in about 25 minutes of active time, and they are an instant cookout favorite served with a bowl of our homemade guacamole for scooping.
A quick sugar and spice marinade is the secret to that caramelized, charred grilled flavor.
Grilled Chicken Tacos Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 320kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky, savory, and lightly sweet with a charred grilled edge
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a quick marinate and grill like our flank steak marinade
Quick Answer
Whisk together a marinade of sugar, vinegar, oil, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add chicken breasts to a bag with the marinade and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Grill the chicken over medium heat until it reaches 165 degrees, slice it up, and stuff it into warm tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Jump to:
- Grilled Chicken Tacos Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Grilled Chicken Tacos FAQs
- Other Recommended Mexican Recipes
- The Best Grilled Chicken Tacos
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Sugar gives you the char. A little sugar in the marinade caramelizes on the hot grill, creating those gorgeous charred edges and deep flavor.
- The marinade tenderizes. Vinegar and oil work together to tenderize the chicken and carry the smoky spices all the way through the meat.
- Smoky spices build flavor. Cumin and paprika give the chicken that warm, smoky, taqueria style flavor in every bite.
- Grilling adds real smoke. Cooking over an open flame gives the chicken a smoky depth you just cannot get from a skillet.
- It is endlessly customizable. Plain seasoned grilled chicken is the perfect blank canvas for any toppings your family loves.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The simple sweet and smoky marinade delivers juicy, flavor packed chicken every single time.
- They come together fast and are perfect for a summer cookout, taco night, or easy weeknight dinner.
- They are totally customizable with your favorite toppings, from fresh pico de gallo to avocado and lime.
Key Ingredients
A handful of pantry spices plus chicken is all it takes for incredible tacos. Here is what each one does.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless breasts grill up quickly and stay juicy thanks to the marinade. Thighs work great too.
- Sugar and vinegar: Sugar caramelizes for a charred crust while vinegar tenderizes the chicken and balances the flavor.
- Cumin and paprika: The smoky, warm spices that give the chicken its taqueria style flavor.
- Garlic and onion powder: They add savory, aromatic depth that rounds out the marinade.
- Oil, salt, and pepper: Oil carries the spices and keeps the chicken moist, while salt and pepper season it all the way through.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These grilled chicken tacos are easy to make your own.
- Use chicken thighs: Swap in boneless thighs for even juicier, more forgiving tacos.
- Add heat: Stir a pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder into the marinade for a spicy kick.
- No grill: Cook the marinated chicken in a hot grill pan, cast iron skillet, or under the broiler instead.
- Slow cooker version: For a hands off option, try our slow cooker shredded chicken tacos.
- Make a bowl: Skip the tortillas and serve the sliced chicken over rice with all the toppings for a taco bowl.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Tacos
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk the marinade together until smooth and well combined.
- Place the chicken in a zip top bag, pour the marinade over, and massage to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill and cook the chicken over medium heat, turning once.
- Grill until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees and the edges are nicely charred.
- Let the chicken rest, then slice it and stuff into warm tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Marinate at least 30 minutes. Give the chicken time to soak up the flavor. A few hours or overnight is even better.
- Do not overcook. Pull the chicken right at 165 degrees so it stays juicy. A thermometer takes out all the guesswork.
- Let it rest. Resting the chicken for a few minutes before slicing keeps all those juices locked in.
- Get the grill hot. A properly preheated grill gives you those signature char marks and a caramelized crust.
- Warm the tortillas. Char the tortillas right on the grill for a minute for extra flavor and a soft, pliable bite.
- Slice against the grain. Cutting across the grain of the chicken keeps every piece tender and easy to bite.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Set up a toppings bar and let everyone build their own grilled chicken tacos. Diced avocado, pico de gallo, red onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime are all classics.
Round out taco night with sides like Mexican street corn and a scoop of our homemade guacamole with chips.
Leftover grilled chicken is a meal prep dream. Slice it over a salad, tuck it into a burrito, or pile it into a taco bowl over rice all week long.
Grilled Chicken Tacos FAQs
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are quick and lean, while boneless thighs are extra juicy and forgiving on the grill. Both work beautifully, so use whichever you prefer.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes for good flavor, or up to overnight for the most tender, deeply seasoned chicken. Avoid going past 24 hours, as the acid can affect the texture.
Yes. Cook the marinated chicken in a hot grill pan or cast iron skillet, or under the broiler, until it reaches 165 degrees. You will still get great flavor and a nice sear.
Classic toppings include diced avocado or guacamole, pico de gallo, red onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and crumbled cotija or shredded cheese. Build them however your family loves.
Absolutely. Grill the chicken ahead and store it sliced in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat gently and warm fresh tortillas when you are ready to serve.
Both corn and flour tortillas work great. Corn tortillas are traditional and gluten free, while flour are soft and sturdy. Warming or charring them first makes either taste even better.
Want a hands off version? Try our slow cooker shredded chicken tacos next.
The Best Grilled Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Place the chicken in a gallon-sized plastic bag and pour the marinade on top.2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Massage the marinade into the chicken with the bag closed until it is evenly covering the meat. Let this sit in the fridge for at least an hour and up to three hours.
- Get your grill hot and grill the chicken over medium heat until the internal temperature is at least 165°F.
- Take it off the grill, slice it up, and stuff it into tortillas.
- Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Notes
- Marinate for Flavor: Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour to soak up all the delicious flavors.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Grill Over Medium Heat: Cooking over medium heat helps achieve a good sear without drying out the chicken.
- Prep Ahead: Marinate the chicken in the morning or the night before for a quick and easy dinner.
- Warm Tortillas: Warm the tortillas in a skillet or on the grill for a few seconds on each side for the best texture.
- Serve with Fresh Sides: Pair these tacos with Mexican rice, black beans, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Yes! The vinegar really helps the marinade process!!
LOL, thank you, you’re so sweet!
I LOVE this recipe too! You’re an amazing chef! Thanks for sharing at Party Thyme. This recipe has been pinned to my Party Thyme features board
These tacos look great! I love the idea of adding vinegar to the marinade I bet your chicken was so tender! Mmmm. Just pinned this one 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
Thanks sooo much, let me know how you like them!
Dana!!! This looks fabulous. I can taste it already!!! Thank you for posting/sharing it at http://www.finecraftguild.com . I shall try your recipe, it looks so good.
Thanks for coming!
Yum! Thanks again for sharing on my blog hop! NEW Blog hop #9