Cilantro Chimichurri sauce serves as both a marinade and a flavor-packed condiment for these Grilled Chicken Chimichurri Tacos. These tacos are a fresh and delicious choice for summer entertaining.
Summery tacos like these and my Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa are light and wholesome warm weather meals.
After mixing up my first batch of Cilantro Chimichurri I knew instantly that tacos had to happen.
These Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Tacos are the perfect example of the versatility of this amazing sauce. It is used in this recipe both as a marinade for the chicken and one of the most delicious taco toppings in existence.
The marinated and grilled chicken would be wonderful all on its own, but we’re taco folks here. I like to get them on the menu about once a week so I’m always looking for new things to stuff inside a tortilla.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: This recipe is great with either boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. I recommend using thin-sliced chicken OR slicing thicker pieces right through the middle to create a thinner cut. They will cook more quickly and evenly and result in better tacos!
- Cilantro Chimichurri: This herby homemade chimichurri sauce is loaded with garlic, cilantro, fresh parsley, and red onion. It’s quick to make in your food processor and can be made in advance so it’s ready to go. It stays fresh for several days if stored in an airtight container.
- Grilled corn, tomato, and avocado relish: Corn on the cob and your favorite neutral oil for coating the corn before it’s grilled. I’m a fan of avocado oil but vegetable or canola oil will work too. You’ll also need bright red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, a large avocado, fresh lime, and a little salt.
- Tortillas: Either corn tortillas or flour tortillas are great for these tacos. I’ve used the small street taco-size tortillas and can toast 3 of them at a time in my 12-inch skillet. Regular taco-size tortillas are fine too!
- For serving: Crumbled cotija cheese and finely shredded cabbage. I use Fresh Express brand Angel Hair Coleslaw to save time but it’s just finely shredded green cabbage.
How to Make Chimichurri Chicken Tacos
- Marinate the chicken: Toss a couple of pounds of thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken pieces with some chimichurri sauce, cover the dish, and refrigerate it for at least an hour or until you are ready to grill.
- Grill the chicken and corn: Coat a couple of ears of sweet corn with oil and place them on the grill along with the chicken. Cook both until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the corn kernels are tender.
- Start the relish: Once the corn has cooled, slice the grilled corn off the cob with a sharp knife and add it to a mixing bowl and add the tomatoes.
- Finish the relish and slice the chicken: Add the chopped avocado, the juice from half a lime, and just a touch of salt to finish the relish. Slice the grilled chicken into smaller pieces that will fit comfortably on your tortillas.
Valerie’s Tips
Toasting Tortillas: To toast corn tortillas, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook the tortillas for about 30 seconds per side, or until lightly toasted. If you are using flour tortillas, they will cook more quickly so keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
Keeping Tortillas Warm: I could not do tacos for a crowd without my trusty tortilla warmer. It allows me to toast all of the tortillas while the chicken is on the grill and keep them warm and ready for serving. If you don’t have a tortilla warmer, you can just wrap tortillas in foil as you toast them.
Serve Yourself Taco Bar: Create your taco bar by setting out the toasted tortillas, the grilled chimichurri chicken, the tomato, corn, and avocado relish, a small bowl full of crumbled cotija cheese, and shredded cabbage. Let everyone assemble their own made-to-order tacos!
Storing Leftovers: Store leftover chicken and the other ingredients in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The relish will be at its best within 24 hours, after that, the avocado will begin to oxidize and brown. The lime juice will help extend its life a bit, but it also helps to press a sheet of plastic wrap down over the relish before placing the lid on the airtight container.
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Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the Grilled Chimichurri Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken pieces (breasts and/or thighs), thin-sliced
- ½ cup Cilantro Chimichurri
For the Tomato, Corn, and Avocado Relish
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or avocado oil, or as needed to lightly coat the corn
- 1 cup quartered bright red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced, plus additional for serving
- salt, to taste
For the Rest
- 12 small or street taco size tortillas
- ¾ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- Green cabbage, finely shredded (I use Fresh Express brand Angel Hair Coleslaw but you can finely slice your own).
- 1 cup Cilantro Chimichurri
Instructions
- Cut the chicken pieces in half and toss with ½ cup chimichurri sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.
- Preheat the grill to MEDIUM or start your coals. Husk the corn and use a pastry brush to lightly coat each cob with oil.
- Grill the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side. Place the corn directly on the grill alongside chicken. When the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, transfer it to a cutting board. Remove the corn from the grill and let it rest until cool enough to handle.
- Slice the chicken into small strips (or pieces that will fit comfortably on the small tortillas).
Tomato, Corn, and Avocado Relish
- Add the quartered tomatoes to a medium mixing bowl. Use a sharp knife to slice the cooled corn from the cob and transfer the corn to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the avocado, drizzle with lime juice, and toss lightly to combine. Season to taste with a touch of salt.
Toast the Tortillas
- Heat a dry skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and toast the tortillas for about 15 to 30 seconds per side, or until lightly toasted.
- Serve chicken on the tortillas with relish, cotija cheese, finely shredded cabbage, and a drizzle of Cilantro Chimichurri.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Chicken Taco Recipes
This post was originally published on August 24, 2019. It has been updated with new text and images.
