Chili Lime Chicken Tacos are tender grilled chicken marinated in bright citrus flavors with a kick of spicy heat. Perfect to serve as keto chicken lettuce wraps or everyday spicy tortilla tacos, these Chili Lime Chicken Tacos are the perfect combination of rich and tangy flavors.
What are we talking about today? Tacos, yo!
As a girl who thought tacos only came as ground beef mixed with that magical seasoning packet we all know and love, served up on the hard shell and topped with shredded cheddar and sour cream, the awakening that came from learning that delicious taco recipes can take on a multitude of forms was … well … earth shattering!! We’ve got ground beef tacos, chicken tacos, pork tacos (hello? Carnitas.. is that you?), shrimp and fish tacos… heck, there are even beef tacos, keto tacos and tofo tacos! All so easy to make and delicious in so many different ways, the variety of flavors and techniques when it comes to whipping together an easy taco recipe are endless.
Then comes the homeade taco toppings … corn salsa, pineapple jalapeno salsa, tomato salsa, tangy cabbage slaw and garlic cilantro sauce… are you getting hungry? Because I am getting hungry …
So now that we have figured out that delicious taco recipes are easy to make and with infinite possibilies, what about THIS Chili Lime Chicken Tacos recipe? What’s so great about it?
Ohhhhhhh, let me tell you why this is my new favorite way to serve up chicken tacos. As much as I love the pillowy happiness that comes from a warm flour tortilla, I am trying to eat a bit healthier, a bit more carb conscious. That being said, I thought why not jump on the low-carb bandwagon and try serving up my Chili Lime Chicken Tacos on a crisp leaf of romaine lettuce instead of my carby tortilla?
Did I really just say that? Did I really just buy romaine lettuce and then second guess myself that I bought the wrong ‘shape’ of romaine lettuce? Am I really THAT person right now?
(sigh …… )
Jump in feet first and own your particular brand of crazy!!! Yes, I AM that lettuce wrap taco girl right now and these are simply the BEST chicken taco lettuce wraps you will ever serve up and enjoy and you won’t even miss the carbs!
SECRET TO CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS?
If you ask me, the secret to any great chili lime chicken recipe is going to be the chili lime marinade. The longer you marinade you chicken, the more flavor you will work through the surface of your chicken and since I add an extra lime to my chili lime marinade recipe, the acidity from the lime tenderizes the chicken a bit more than most marinade recipes.
HOW DO YOU ZEST A LIME?
What is lime yest, you ask? Lime zest is the outmost rind of the lime, the green layer on the outside of the lime. It’s most loved for the strong lime flavor it brings to food due to the aromatic oils in the rind. To zest a lime, use a sharp paring knife, veggie peeler or a zester. Simply drag the utensil lightly but firmly across the rind of the lime, removing only the outside green rind layer. The white layer below it is called the pith and can be quite bitter so you want to be careful not to include that with your zest.
HOW DO YOU GRILL CHICKEN WITHOUT A GRILL?
There are a few ways to grill chicken for this Chili Lime Chicken Tacos recipe but honestly, don’t overthink it. If you have an outside grill, simply heat your grill to medium heat and cook your chicken for 5-6 minutes, flip your chicken and grill for another 5-7 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from the heat, cover with some foil and let sit for 5 minutes before shredding and serving.
If you do not have an outside grill, you can use one or two different cooking methods to achieve tender oven grilled chicken. First, if you have a grill pan, spray with non-stick spray and heat over high heat. Add your chicken breasts to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes each side and then finish them off in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
No grill pan? No worries, lay your chicken breasts in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Easy peasy!
WHAT TO DO WITH FAT CHICKENS?
Ok… so every grocery store and farmers market is differnt so look at the chicken breasts you just took out of your refrigerator and decide if they are a bit too fat for the party. What I mean by that is my farmers market chicken breasts are HUGE!! I mean, how big are these freakin’ chickens? The chicken breasts are huge and fat and I normally slice them in half lengthwise because no one needs a 2 1/2 inch thick chicken breast for .. anything!! Since you are marniating the chicken for these Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, you want that extra surface layer of flavor so if your chicken is a bit thick, feel free to slice it in half lengthwise.
MODIFICATIONS, IF YOU PLEASE …
- Carbs are life and you don’t need no stinkin’ lettuce wraps? Word! … substitute the lettuce leaf with your favorite corn or flour tortillas and live your best life, my friend!
- Not a fan of chicken tacos? That’s cool.. this chili lime marinade works perfectly with flank steak of pork butt. Simply marinate your meat overnight and cook per your favorite method.
- Don’t know how to top your Chili Lime Chicken Tacos? Check out a few of these suggestions: corn salsa, pineapple jalapeno salsa, tomato salsa, tangy cabbage slaw and garlic cilantro sauce.
- This recipe calls for boiling off the used marinade to make a thicker sauce to top your grilled chicken with. It is completely safe but if it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to reserve out some of the marinade prior to adding in your chicken so that your have it to use for the sauce later on.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS?
Easy! To make Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, start by adding soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice and lime zest, crushed fresh garlic, spices and sriracha to a large ziptop bag.
Wash, dry and if needed, slice chicken lengthwise and then add to the ziptop bag with your chili lime marinade. Push out the extra air and seal tightly. Move your chicken around to make sure everything is covered in marinade, add your bag to a bowl or pan large enough to hold your chicken and move to the refrigeratore for 1-2 hours. Once marinated, prepare your grilling method (see above). I cook mine using a grill pan , so spray the grill pan with non-stick spray and heat over high heat. Remove your chicken from the marinade (do not discard the marinade!) and add your chicken breasts to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes each side and then finish them off in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
While your chicken is cooking, pour the saved chili lime marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes and then lower the heat to medium low to simmer while your chicken cooks. Your marinade will start to reduce and thicken slightly. It is imperative you bring the marinade to a full rolling boil to kill any foodborne bacteria. Once your chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes.
Using two forks, shred your chicken breasts and top with the marinade sauce and mix together. Lay out the romaine lettuce leaves and add your chili lime chicken and any toppings your like. Serve immediately.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS
- Add your large ziptop bag to a large measuring cup or tumbler.. makes it much easier to add your marinade ingredients without the bag tipping over.
- To easily crush your garlic cloves, simply place your garlic clove on a flat surface, lay a large knife or cutting board on top and using the heel of your hand, push / pound down to crush your clove. Remove the paper peel and add to your marinade.
- Leftovers? This Chili Lime Chicken reheats beautifully with just a minute or two in the microwave or heated up in a saucepan on the stove. Repurpose your chicken in a salad, more chicken tacos or if you have a lot left over or made a double batch, perfect in enchiladas!
Enjoy!
CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 7 large garlic cloves ... paper removed, crushed
- 2-3 limes ... juiced and zested
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 2-3 tablespoons sriracha sauce .. to taste
- 3 chicken breasts
- 8 large romaine lettuce leaves
- 4 ounces cojita crumbling cheese
- 8 ounces salsa
- 1 lime .. sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro .. diced
To make Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, start by adding soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice and lime zest, crushed fresh garlic, spices and sriracha to a large ziptop bag.
- Wash, dry and if needed, slice chicken lengthwise and then add to the ziptop bag with your chili lime marinade. Push out the extra air and seal tightly. Move your chicken around to make sure everything is covered in marinade, add your bag to a bowl or pan large enough to hold your chicken and move to the refrigeratore for 1-2 hours.
Once marinated, prepare your grilling method. To make using a grill pan , spray the grill pan with non-stick spray and heat over high heat. Remove your chicken from the marinade (do not discard the marinade!) and add your chicken breasts to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes each side and then finish them off in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
- While your chicken is cooking, pour the saved chili lime marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes and then lower the heat to medium low to simmer while your chicken cooks. Your marinade will start to reduce and thicken slightly. It is imperative you bring the marinade to a full rolling boil to kill any foodborne bacteria.
- Once your chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes. Using two forks, shred your chicken breasts and top with the marinade sauce and mix together. Lay out the romaine lettuce leaves and add your chili lime chicken and any toppings your like. Serve immediately.
This marinade can be made as mild or spicy as you like. The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of cayenne and 2-3 tablespoons of sriracha ... feel free to use less or even more depending on your taste for spicy.
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