Easy Chicken Street Tacos with Rice and Guacamole

Sometimes the best dinners happen when you simply look in the refrigerator and work with what you already have.That is exactly how these easy chicken street tacos came together.I had two chicken breasts, small tortillas, rice, lettuce and guacamole, and I was simply tired of making chicken the same way over and over again.

So taco night it was!

The chicken is seasoned with smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic, oregano and fresh lemon juice, then cooked in a hot skillet until juicy with those delicious golden-brown edges. Add warm little tortillas, seasoned rice, creamy guacamole and fresh lettuce and you have an easy chicken dinner that feels much more like something you picked up from your favorite taco place.

And here’s the funny part — I didn’t even have cumin.

We didn’t miss it one bit.

Easy Chicken Street Tacos Made at Home

I love dinners like this because there really aren’t many rules.Traditional street tacos are usually very simple, but at home I like to use the same small tortilla idea and load them with whatever we happen to enjoy.

For us that meant:

• Seasoned skillet chicken
• Warm small tortillas
• Seasoned rice
• Guacamole
• Shredded lettuce
• A little red cabbage for color and crunch
• Salsa or hot sauce if desired

That’s the beauty of homemade tacos.Start with flavorful chicken and warm tortillas and then make them your own.

Ingredients for Easy Chicken Street Tacos

For the Lemon Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Black pepper to taste

For the Seasoned Rice

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• Water according to package directions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Small pinch chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Assembling the Street Tacos

• Small flour or corn tortillas
• Guacamole
• Shredded lettuce
• Thinly sliced red cabbage, optional
• Salsa or hot sauce, optional
• Shredded cheese, optional
• Sour cream, optional
• Chopped onion or cilantro, optional

How to Make Chicken Street Tacos

Step 1: Cut and Season the Chicken

Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces or short strips.

Smaller pieces work especially well for street tacos because you get plenty of seasoning and browned edges in every bite.

Place the chicken in a bowl and add:

Olive oil, lemon juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and black pepper.

Toss everything together until all of the chicken is evenly coated.

Allow the chicken to marinate for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

You don’t need to leave it in the marinade for hours. Because the chicken is cut into small pieces and the marinade contains lemon juice, it will pick up plenty of flavor quickly.

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Step 2: Cook the Street Taco Chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken in a single layer as much as possible.

The trick is not to overcrowd the skillet.

You want the chicken to brown and caramelize around the edges, not sit in liquid and steam.

Let the chicken cook for a couple of minutes before moving it around.

Continue cooking and tossing occasionally until the pieces are golden, lightly charred in places and completely cooked through.

Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat.

Taste it and, if you like, add one tiny splash of lemon juice to brighten all those spices.

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Step 3: Make the Seasoned Rice

While the chicken is marinating, cook 1 cup of rice according to your package directions.

Instead of serving completely plain rice, I like to give it just enough flavor to complement the chicken.

Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, a small pinch of chili powder, salt and a teaspoon of butter or olive oil.

When the rice is finished cooking, fluff it with a fork.

Stir in approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

You can serve the rice on the side or add a small spoonful right inside each taco.

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Step 4: Warm the Small Tortillas

Don’t skip this part!

Warm each tortilla in a dry skillet for approximately 20 to 30 seconds per side.

You want them soft and warm with just a few lightly toasted spots.

That tiny extra step makes homemade chicken street tacos taste so much better.

Because street taco tortillas are small, don’t overload them with rice or toppings.

A little of everything is all you need.

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Step 5: Assemble Your Chicken Street Tacos

Now comes the fun part.

Layer your tacos however you like.

I built ours with:

Warm tortilla → seasoned rice → skillet chicken → guacamole → shredded lettuce

Then we added a little thinly sliced red cabbage for extra crunch and a pop of color.

Finish with salsa, hot sauce, onion, cilantro, cheese or sour cream if you like.

There is no reason every taco has to look exactly the same.

That’s part of what makes taco night so much fun.

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Why Small Tortillas Work So Well

Using the small tortillas is what gave this dinner that street taco-inspired feel.

They’re easy to pick up, fun to load with different toppings, and everyone can build several tacos instead of one enormous one.

They’re also perfect for casual dinners when you simply put all the ingredients on the table and let everyone assemble their own.

No fancy plating required.

Although if you’re taking pictures before dinner like I usually do, that’s a different story!

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What Toppings Are Good on Chicken Street Tacos?

You can keep your chicken street tacos very simple or turn dinner into a complete taco bar.

Try:

• Guacamole
• Fresh avocado
• Shredded lettuce
• Thinly sliced red cabbage
• Pico de gallo
• Tomatoes
• Salsa
• Hot sauce
• Chopped onion
• Cilantro
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Fresh lemon or lime juice

The red cabbage is especially nice if you want extra crunch.

You only need a small amount.

It also adds that beautiful purple color against the golden chicken and green guacamole.

Can I Use Corn or Flour Tortillas?

Absolutely.

Traditional Mexican street tacos are commonly served on small corn tortillas, often doubled.

At home, however, use whatever your family enjoys.

Small flour tortillas work wonderfully with this chicken and stay soft and easy to fold.

If you love corn tortillas, use those instead.

Just be sure to warm either type before serving.

Can I Make Chicken Street Tacos Ahead of Time?

Most of this dinner can easily be prepared ahead.

You can cut and season the chicken earlier, although because this marinade contains lemon juice, I prefer not to leave small chicken pieces sitting in it overnight.

The cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheated in a skillet.

The rice can also be cooked ahead.

Keep the lettuce, cabbage, guacamole and other cold toppings separate and assemble your tacos just before serving.

What to Serve with Chicken Street Tacos

These tacos can absolutely be dinner all on their own, especially when you add rice.

For a bigger meal, serve them with:

• Extra seasoned rice
• Black beans
• Corn
• Chips and guacamole
• Chips and salsa
• Mexican-style corn
• Tomato and avocado salad
• Fresh fruit

Another easy idea is to put everything into individual bowls and let everyone build their own tacos.

That way everyone gets exactly what they want.

An Easy Restaurant-Style Dinner at Home

What I love most about this recipe is that it wasn’t planned.

I wasn’t shopping specifically for chicken street tacos.

I simply had two chicken breasts and wanted to make something different for dinner.

With some spices, lemon juice and small tortillas, those two ordinary chicken breasts turned into a completely different meal.

The warm tortillas, seasoned chicken, rice, creamy guacamole and crunchy fresh toppings made it feel like we had ordered dinner from a restaurant.

Except we made it right at home.

Those spontaneous meals often turn into some of my favorite recipes.

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Yield: 4

Lemon Chicken Street Tacos

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Easy lemon chicken Street Tacos with seasoned rice , guacamole , fresh toppings . Simple restaurant style dinner made at home

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste
• Seasoned Rice
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• Water according to package directions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Pinch of chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Toppings
• Small tortillas
• Guacamole
• Shredded lettuce
• Thinly sliced red cabbage, optional
• Salsa or hot sauce, optional
• Cilantro or onion, optional

Instructions

Cut chicken into small bite-size pieces.
Add olive oil, lemon juice and all chicken seasonings.
Toss well and marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken until golden brown, lightly charred around the edges and completely cooked through to 165°F.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.
Season cooked rice with garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and butter or olive oil.
Stir lemon juice into the finished rice.
Warm small tortillas in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Add a small amount of seasoned rice to each tortilla.
Top with chicken, guacamole and shredded lettuce.
Add red cabbage, salsa or your favorite taco toppings.
Serve immediately.

The next time you’re staring at a couple of chicken breasts and have absolutely no desire to make the same dinner again, remember these easy chicken street tacos.

They’re simple, flavorful and completely customizable.

You don’t need a long ingredient list.

You don’t even need cumin.

Use what you have, warm those little tortillas and make taco night happen.

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