Grilled Chicken Tacos

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These tacos are built around clean, straightforward flavors: grilled chicken with a natural brown crust, seared queso fresco, and a spicy orange sauce. It’s a simple setup that hits all the right textures without being complicated.

The protein stays simple, and the toppings add the personality. The chicken stays neutral enough to pair with any salsa, but the charred queso fresco adds a unique richness.

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The tacos rely on a few key steps: marinating the chicken for depth, searing the queso fresco to get that signature crust, and warming the tortillas just enough to make them flexible and aromatic. The orange sauce ties everything together.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Knife

• 10-inch cast-iron skillet

• Mixing Bowl

• Citrus Juicer

• Instant thermometer

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: MARINATE

• Whisk the marinade ingredients until smooth.

• Coat the chicken and marinate 2–6 hours.

STEP 2: SEAR

• Heat a medium cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.

• Pat the queso fresco dry to remove surface moisture.

• Add a little neutral oil and sear the cheese a few minutes each side until lightly charred.

• Remove from heat, refrigerate to firm, then slice.

STEP 3: GRILL

• Grill chicken over medium-high heat until browned and lightly charred, about 10–15 minutes.

  • NOTE: Chicken is done when it reaches 170°F.

• Rest 10 minutes, then chop.

STEP 4: DICE

• Finely dice the onion and chop the cilantro.

• Mix together and set aside.

STEP 5: TACO

• Warm the tortillas on a hot pan or griddle.

• Layer sliced queso fresco, chopped grilled chicken, orange sauce, and the onion-cilantro mix.

• Serve with lime wedges.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes about 8 tacos

TACO COMPONENTS

• Grilled chicken (recipe below)

• Seared queso fresco

• Orange Sauce

• Diced onion and cilantro

• Corn tortillas

• Lime

CHICKEN

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 1 TBSP soy sauce

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp coarse black pepper

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• 1 TBSP honey

SALSA (ORANGE SAUCE): www.CasitaMade.com/post/Orange-Sauce

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