Chicken Chimichurri Tacos
The Latin spin on these Chicken Chimichurri Tacos features chimichurri sauce as both chicken marinade and salsa. Topped with shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, and crumbled cotija, they’re a sure-fire way to liven up your #TacoTuesdays!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Chimichurri Tacos
“Pushing the envelope” with tacos is my MO, right? Whether it be Irish tacos, lomo saltado tacos, Indian street tacos, or smoked salmon tostadas (flat tacos), many of my taco recipes qualify as unique and creative.
I recently completed an update on my chimichurri recipe, and it ocurred to me that it would make a fantastic taco salsa. Doing double-duty as both marinade and salsa eliminates one step, and infuses the chicken with flavor. The chimichurri takes less than 10 minutes to make, and other than the inactive time in the marinade, you can have these delicious fusion tacos on the table in under 30 minutes!
🌿Chimichurri Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities. NOTE: To keep this taco post from being cluttered, I’m linking to my chimichurri recipe.
- cilantro – If you have the “cilantro gene,” and cilantro tastes like soap, please use a combination of parsley and oregano. It’s a real thing!
- flat leaf parsley – Chimichurri requires at least some flat leaf parsley IMHO. Flat leaf parsley has a more robust flavor, while curly parsley is better as a plate garnish.
- shallots – Red onion is a fine substitute!
- red chile – Crushed red pepper, Fresno pepper, red jalapeño, and Calabrian peppers (jarred and commercially available) are all good options, and I have used all of them! I especially love Calabrian peppers and used them on photo day.
- garlic – Chimichurri sauce can handle a good amount of garlic. Minced in a jar is a good shortcut, but fresh is best.
- extra virgin olive oil – A good extra virgin olive oil shines in this cilantro chimichurri recipe, but you can get by with whatever you keep on hand.
- vinegar – Sherry vinegar is my choice for chimichurri. Use a good quality red wine vinegar if you prefer.
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities. NOTE: To keep this taco post from being cluttered, I’m linking to my chimichurri recipe.
- chicken – I use thin-sliced chicken breast as it’s a great time saver. It soaks up the chimichurri marinade really quickly, cooks quickly, and slices so easily. You can use boneless breast or thighs, and adjust the cooking time. If you prefer, you can marinate and cook the chicken whole, and slice it after cooking.
- chimichurri – Of course I recommend my cilantro chimichurri. It can be made in under 10 minutes. If you have a favorite recipe, I’ll begrudgingly concede.🤣 If you just don’t have the time for homemade, choose a high quality commercial brand.
- corn tortillas – I almost always recommend corn tortillas for tacos. Of course the choice is yours! DISCLAIMER – I really don’t care for flour tortillas.
- toppings – There are many options, but we like shredded cabbage, crumbled cotija, sliced avocado, and lime wedges.
🔪 Chimichurri Chicken Instructions
- Make the chimichurri – Add all ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse several times to desired consistency. Scrape sides. Repeat if necessary. NOTE: Don’t forget to check for seasoning!
- Marinate the chicken – Add 1/2 cup of the chimichurri to a zip bag with the chicken. Marinate 30 minutes to 8 hours. Any longer than that, and the vinegar will break down the chicken. NOTE: Reserve the rest of the chimichurri for the tacos.
- Prepare the toppings – Before you cook the chicken, prepare your chosen taco toppings. Save the avocados for last to avoid browning.
- Cook the chicken – I like my cast iron grill pan for this task. Over medium-high heat, brown the chicken on both sides. This process is quick if the chicken is thin-sliced. If you prefer to cook it whole, and slice it after, the safe internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Assemble your chimichurri tacos – Warm your tortillas by your preferred method. Place chicken in warmed tortillas, top with chimichurri and your toppings of choice. Enjoy!
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🌮How to Warm Tortillas
Warmed on a comal or cast iron skillet:
This is my favorite way to heat up tortillas if I have time. Get the comal or skillet really hot. Once it’s ready, place your tortillas on the skillet and allow them to heat for about 30 seconds on each side. You will start to see the tortillas bubble up and that is how you know they are ready to enjoy. The little bit of char gives them a toasty flavor. Place them in a tortilla warmer until ready to serve.
Warmed in a tortilla warmer in the microwave:
Put six or fewer tortillas in a tortilla warmer, and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-60 seconds until they are warmed through. I’m cooking for two, so this works really well for us (3 corn tortillas each). This is the method I use most often! If you need to do more than 6, transfer them to a warmer until ready to serve.
Wrapped in foil in the oven:
I rarely use this method because it heats up my kitchen, and I live in McAllen, Texas! Wrap a stack of six or fewer tortillas in a foil packet, and heat in a pre-heated 350° oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. You can do multiple packets of five tortillas each all at the same time. This is probably the most efficient method if serving a lot of people.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to offset the costs of maintaining my blog and creating awesome content! 😊
❓FAQ
Leftover cooked chicken can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Make sure it’s kept in an airtight container or tightly wrapped to prevent it from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods.
YES! If you want to grill your chicken, I recommend marinating and grill whole, then slicing after. The safe internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
💡 Tips
Consider making a double-batch of chimichurri chicken, and freezing some of it for meal prep later.
🌮Chimichurri Taco Variations
As always, if you have something to add (another variation perhaps?), a comment or question, please leave a comment below or email me at tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com.
Chicken Chimichurri Tacos Recipe
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Equipment
- cast iron comal for the tortillas
Ingredients
- 16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken - sliced; thin-sliced chicken breast makes this easy!
- 2 cups chimichurri - divided use
- 12 corn tortillas
Toppings
- cabbage - shredded
- cotija cheese - crumbled or grated
- avocado - sliced
- chimichurri
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare cilantro chimichurri.
- Add chicken and ½ cup of chimichurri to a zip bag. Marinate 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- Prepare the toppings.
- Over medium-high heat, cook the chicken on both sides until the edges begin to brown (may only require 1-2 minutes per side if thin-sliced). If you prefer to cook it whole, and slice it after, the safe internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Warm your tortillas by your preferred method. Place chicken in warmed tortillas, top with chimichurri and your toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
The chimichurri is very tasty, and goes well with the chicken. The cheese, avocado, and lime add some great flavor notes. Tacos are an unconventional way to serve chimichurri, but there’s nothing wrong with being a little unconventional.
I really enjoyed these chicken chimichurri tacos. The chimichurri would be good with just about anything, but it was excellent with the chicken.