Chicken Tacos with Pickled Onion and Cilantro Slaw are a quick and easy, healthy taco dinner with a taste a step above the ordinary taco.
Maybe it’s the Californian in me, but I love Mexican food, and these Quick Chicken Tacos with Pickled Onions and Cilantro Slaw are a great weekday meal when time is short. Sophie
could live on tacos, quesadillas and burritos, so we always have corn tortillas and salsa in the fridge and beans in the pantry for quick meals. Tacos in Mexico, or at a taco truck here in L.A., tend to be much more simple than the extravaganzas you often see in Mexican restaurants, loaded with ground meat, orange shredded cheese, lettuce and heaps of guacamole. We often serve our tacos with cabbage instead of lettuce.
The Pickled Onion and Cilantro Slaw is a tangy compliment to the slightly spicy chicken, salty cheese and creamy avocado. These chicken tacos taste best when your bite has a little bit of everything! 
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy chicken tacos recipe.
Quick Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs or breast fat removed and sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or more if you like it spicier.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Mix seasonings together in a medium sized bowl. Toss chicken strips. Set aside while preparing the slaw.
- Heat a skillet over a medium high heat and quickly stir-fry chicken strips until cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes.
- Serve in warm corn tortillas with Pickled Onion and Cilantro Slaw , Cojito or other fresh Mexican cheese and avocado. Serves 4, 2 tacos each. Serve with Black Beans and Cilantro Rice
Serve the chicken tacos in warm corn tortillas with Pickled Onion and Cilantro Slaw , Cojito or other fresh Mexican cheese, and avocado.
Serves 4, 2 tacos each. Serve with Black Beans and Cilantro Rice.
Pickled Onion and Cilantro Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 head medium sized green cabbage shredded or thinly sliced, about 4 cups
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (a handful)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds lightly toasted
Instructions
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Drop sliced onions into water. Boil for 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge drained onions into ice cold water to stop them from cooking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together, juices, oil, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Toss cabbage, green and red onions and cilantro with dressing to coat. Refrigerate.
Mr. & Mrs. P says
We love tacos!! Love the simplicity and fresh flavors in these!
Cynthia says
Thanks! The family loved them and the Onion and Cilantro Slaw that goes with them!
Jodie@Jodies Kitchen says
I love tacos and these sound and look fabulous.
Cynthia says
Thanks! the pickled onions I think really make it!
Deirdre Henry says
Sounds very tasty, just one thing, what is Cilantro Slaw? We have here, Ireland, Cole Slaw and am wondering if it is similar. I suppose I can just leave out the slaw.
Thank you for the recipie.
Cynthia says
Cilantro is called fresh coriander in the UK/Ireland. The pickled onions could be made without the coriander as I know a lot of people don’t like it!