Tacos de Pollo a la Plancha (Griddled Chicken Tacos)
Chopped, well-browned chicken thigh in small corn tortillas with raw onion, coriander and a bright green tomatillo salsa.
Made with Salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa) and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Fajita seasoning mix. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.30 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the chicken thighs with the oil, fajita seasoning mix (see the base recipe) and half the lime juice. Leave for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge.
15 min - 2
Heat a griddle pan or heavy frying pan over a high heat until smoking. Cook the thighs for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until deeply browned and cooked right through, with no pink and juices running clear.
11 min - 3
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes on a board, then chop it into small pieces, about 1 cm. Toss with the rest of the lime juice.
5 min - 4
Warm your corn tortillas (see the base recipe) in a dry pan for 30 seconds on each side. Stack them in a clean tea towel to keep warm.
- 5
Mix the white onion and coriander in a small bowl.
- 6
Fill each tortilla with chicken, scatter over the onion and coriander, and spoon over your salsa verde (see the base recipe). Serve with lime wedges.
Tips
- Thigh meat stays juicier than breast on a hot griddle. If using breast, slice it thinner and cook it a little less.
- Serve tacos small and double up: two tortillas stacked stops the filling breaking through.
- Chop the chicken after resting so the juices stay in the meat.
- The classic Mexican taco topping is just chopped white onion and coriander. Add a squeeze of lime and eat straight away.
Storing and freezing
Keep leftover chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through and only reheat once. Cooked chicken freezes for up to 2 months.
Questions
Why corn tortillas for tacos?
Small corn tortillas are the traditional taco wrapper in Mexico. They have a toasty corn flavour and are naturally gluten free, as long as they are made only from masa harina.
How do I stop corn tortillas cracking?
Warm them in a dry pan or wrap in foil in the oven until pliable. Cold tortillas crack, and ones that are too dry will break. Keep them wrapped in a tea towel after warming.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes. Slice breasts in half horizontally so they are thinner, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side until cooked through. Breast dries out faster than thigh, so do not overcook it.
More made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Tacos de Chorizo con Nopales (Chorizo and Cactus Tacos)
DFEFNFSopes de Barbacoa (Thick Masa Cups with Beef and Beans)
GFEFNFTacos de Barbacoa de Res con Salsa Verde (Beef Barbacoa Tacos)
GFDFEFMolotes de Barbacoa y Papa (Oaxacan Fried Masa and Potato Turnovers)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
