Chicken Tacos Recipe

Marinate and Season

Pat the chicken dry. In a bowl combine lime juice (2 tbsp), olive oil, chopped cilantro (1/4 cup), cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken and let marinate 15–30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours refrigerated).

Cook Chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp oil until shimmering. Add chicken and sear 4–6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until blackened at edges and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Reduce heat if spices begin to burn; cook until done. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly or dice into bite-sized pieces.

Combine diced pineapple (1 cup), red onion (1/4 cup), minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro (1/4 cup), lime juice (1 tbsp) and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Stir to combine and let sit 10–15 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt or jalapeño heat as needed.

In a medium bowl toss shredded green and purple cabbage and carrots. Whisk together mayonnaise (1/4 cup), apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp), honey (1 tsp), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss until evenly coated. Chill while you finish other components to allow flavors to marry.

Mix mayonnaise (1/2 cup), minced chipotle in adobo (1 tbsp), lime juice (1 tsp), minced garlic and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Adjust heat by adding more adobo if desired. Refrigerate until assembly.

Scoop avocado flesh into a blender or bowl. Add Greek yogurt (1/4 cup), lime juice (1 tbsp), chopped cilantro (2 tbsp) and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend or mash until smooth, adding up to 1 tbsp water to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust lime or salt.

Warm tortillas: heat tortillas directly over a gas flame briefly or in a dry skillet 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred. Keep warm wrapped in a towel.

Build tacos: Spread a thin line of chipotle aioli on each tortilla. Add a small handful of creamy coleslaw, then 2–3 oz sliced blackened cilantro-lime chicken per taco. Top with pineapple pico (about 2 tbsp), a drizzle of avocado crema, and a sprinkle of crumbled cotija. Finish with fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately while warm. Leftover components keep separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (except avocado crema is best used same day).