Marinated chicken for tacos

Marinated Chicken for Tacos & More

Marinated chicken for tacos

This marinated chicken is so easy and flavorful, it’s the perfect chicken for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more! This recipe can be prepared in bulk and frozen for super easy meals that don’t sacrifice flavor. I like to make this recipe using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you could substitute breasts if desired. I’m usually one to choose chicken breasts over thighs, but for this kind of taco filling, I love the juiciness and meatier texture of the thighs.

My recommendation for cooking this chicken is to use a grill or smoker, but it can also be cooked low and slow in the oven, which achieves a similar texture to smoked chicken, but without the added smoky flavor.

If you want to meal-prep this chicken for the freezer, you have two options. Either freezing the raw chicken in the marinade and cooking it after, or cooking the chicken and freezing cooked meat that’s ready to use. Cooking the meat just before eating it will be a little higher quality, but the convenience of the pre-cooked meat makes throwing together a meal a snap. Both options are a great way to save time in the kitchen! Note, this is the same marinade as my Tri-Tip Street Tacos, so it’s easy to prep both at once!

My recipe for Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos using this chicken is now live, check it out!

Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos (Tacos de Pollo y Queso)
Easy and delicious cheesy chicken street tacos that are just like what you'll find on the streets of Los Angeles. This recipe calls for my marinated chicken thighs, which can be prepared in bulk and frozen to pull out for an easy meal whenever the craving hits!
Check out this recipe
Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos
Marinated chicken for tacos
Marinated chicken thighs (bottom left) in my smoker along with some Dry Rub BBQ Chicken Breast and ribs.

Key Tips – Marinated Chicken for Tacos & More

Prepare in bulk and freeze for later!

  • My favorite way to prepare this meal is prepping the meat in bulk in my smoker! Cooking low and slow in the smoker results in super tender and juicy meat. A similar result can be achieved by cooking low and slow in the oven, just without the added smoky flavor. Grilling is another great option for these thighs!
  • The meat can also be frozen raw in the marinade, then cooked after defrosting. I recommend placing the chicken in the freezer just after it’s packaged in the marinade. To prepare from frozen, just thaw the package and store in the refrigerator at least 6 hours before cooking, to give the meat time to marinate.
  • To reheat precooked chicken, defrost it then warm it in a pan over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if the chicken seems too dry as it’s reheating.
Marinated chicken for tacos
Marinated chicken, ready to cook.
Marinated chicken for tacos
Chicken after smoking and ready to slice.

Use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more!

  • This is great chicken to use in many classic Mexican dishes. My favorite way to use it is in cheesy chicken street tacos, which I’ll be posting a full recipe for soon!
  • Some other ideas for using this chicken are burritos, quesadillas, flautas, crunch wraps, tostadas, and loaded nachos.

Save the marinade and brush on more as the chicken cooks.

  • To get the most flavor out of the marinade, save what’s left over in the container and brush it onto the chicken as it cooks! Just make sure you don’t do this right at the end, so the marinade has enough time to reach a food-safe temperature before you remove it from heat.
  • Do NOT toss the chicken in excess marinade after cooking, unless you set the marinade aside before it came into contact with raw chicken.

Freeze after vacuum sealing for best results.

  • A vacuum sealer is definitely a bit of an investment, but if you plan on frequently meal prepping meats in the freezer, it’s a tool you will quickly fall in love with. Vacuum sealing keeps the meat super fresh in the freezer and prevents freezer burn completely.
  • I recommend this vacuum sealer, which is one of the cheaper options among the name brands. I also love these vacuum bags!
Marinated chicken for tacos
Chicken vacuum sealed and ready for the freezer.

Dietary Restrictions – Marinated Chicken for Tacos & More

This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.

This dish is naturally Gluten-Free.

Marinated chicken for tacos

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. One pound of raw boneless, skinless chicken thigh results in about 12 oz of cooked meat. I’ve listed one serving as 3 oz of cooked chicken, but many people may prefer to have more than one serving per meal.

Marinated chicken for tacos

Marinated Chicken for Tacos & More

Simple and incredibly flavorful marinated chicken thighs – perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more! This recipe is ideal to prepare in bulk and freeze for easy meals, I usually prepare at least 3 lbs at a time.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinade Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or sub chicken breasts

For Marinade:

Instructions
 

To prepare:

  • Combine all ingredients of the marinade and mix. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and place in a zip bag or airtight container with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cooking, I typically marinate mine overnight.
    Marinated chicken for tacos

To smoke or bake:

  • Preheat a smoker or oven to 250 °F. If using an oven, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil (if available, if not just a rimmed baking sheet will do). If using a smoker, place directly on the grill grates. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 1 to 2 hours. If desired, brush on excess marinade mixture partway through. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]
    Marinated chicken for tacos

To grill:

  • Preheat your grill to ~350 °F. Grill, flipping once, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 10-15 minutes. If desired, brush on excess marinade after flipping. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]

To serve:

  • Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice it into small pieces. Use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or as desired. See my recipe for Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos for one idea on how to use this chicken!
    Marinated chicken for tacos

To prepare in bulk for freezer:

  • To freeze before cooking: Place the chicken and the marinade mixture in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible. Place in the freezer before allowing any time to marinate.
  • To freeze after cooking: Let the chicken cool completely after slicing into small pieces. Place in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible, then put in the freezer.
    Marinated chicken for tacos

To prepare from frozen – uncooked:

  • Defrost the chicken at least 6 hours before you plan to cook it, giving it time to marinate. I suggest moving from the freezer to fridge the night before you plan to cook it. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.

To prepare from frozen – precooked:

  • Defrost the cooked chicken, then warm in a pan over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if the chicken seems too dry as it's reheating.

Notes

See my recipe for Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos for one idea on how to use this chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 3oz cooked chickenCalories: 180kcal
Keyword Burritos, Chicken, Chicken Tacos, Chicken Thigh, Marinated Chicken for Tacos, Tacos
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If you like this recipe, you may also like…

If you like this recipe, you might like my Tri-Tip Street Tacos, Dry Rub BBQ Chicken, or Blackened Cajun Chicken.

Tri Tip Street Tacos
Tri tip steak marinade for tacos! Served with simple street taco style fixings – onions, cilantro and lime. It only takes about 15 minutes to prep the steak and marinade, and is very freezer-friendly!
Check out this recipe
Tri-Tip Street Tacos
Dry Rub BBQ Chicken
Barbecue chicken breast coated in a brown sugar dry rub, ideal for cooking in a smoker, but still delicious when made in the oven. Make this recipe in bulk and freeze the cooked chicken for later use in sandwiches, pasta, salads, and more!
Check out this recipe
Smoked Chicken Breast
Blackened Cajun Chicken with Light Fettuccine “Alfredo”
Incredibly flavorful blackened Cajun spiced chicken, served over fettuccine in a light Alfredo-like sauce that's made with Greek yogurt! This healthy Cajun chicken pasta is perfect for a weeknight meal!
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