Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos with Spicy Lemon Sauce

Is there ever a bad time for tacos? I don’t think so. I mean what’s not to like? Big bold flavors wrapped in a warm blanket of happiness…… I mean tortilla. I think I’d feel fine about being wrapped in a warm tortilla ?.  Back to tacos Riss, back to tacos. Ok, ok. There is one sin though when it comes to tacos and that is, in a word BLAH!!!!! Call the taco police! Naughty, naughty, naughty! They have to have BIG flavors and textures that leave you wishing you had a bigger stomach just to eat one more!

These Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos bring just that. With their juicy pieces of grilled chicken, spicy lemon sauce, little pops of sweet tang (thanks cherry tomatoes), smooth creaminess lent by the avocado, and let’s not forget the contribution of the arugula and cheese, top that off with fresh parsley and green onions, all nestled in a warm grilled tortilla. Need I say more? Do your taste buds a flavor favor and make these today! 

Fixings for Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos on a try

Ingredient List

  • 6” Flour tortillas
  • Chicken breast
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Paprika
  • Lemons
  • Fresh parsley
  • Arugula
  • Avocado
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Green Onions
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour Cream
  • Sriracha sauce

How to make Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos

The Grilled Lemon Chicken:

Ingredients for lemon chicken marinade

1. Place 1.5 lbs of chicken breast in a large resealable bag.
Add the juice from one lemon and the rinds, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, and a couple sprigs of bruised fresh parsley. (bruising helps it release more flavor)

Tip: To bruise parsley bend and pinch the leaves and stems , it will turn a darker green color where it has been bruised.

2. Seal the bag and massage around until everything is combined and the chicken is evenly coated. Let set in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes

Lemon chicken marinating in a bag

Note: The chicken might start to turn a whiteish color on the edges from the acid in the lemon juice which is normal.

3. Preheat your grill on high for several minutes.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, lightly shake off the excess liquid. Place directly on the grill. Reduce heat to medium-medium/high and grill covered for 5-10 minutes per side depending on how thick your chicken is. Or until a meat thermometer reads 165° in the thickest part of the chicken.

Note: You can also fry the chicken in a pan on the stove top.
Add chicken to a hot pan and follow the same cooking instructions as above.

5. Remove chicken from the grill. Let rest for a couple minutes.
Slice into thin strips. Cover to keep warm until ready to use.

2 grilled & sliced chicken breast on a plate

The Spicy Lemon Sauce:

1. In a small dish combine 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2-3 tsp sriracha sauce (or to taste), 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Prepare the toppings:

  • Cherry tomatoes cut in half (about 1 cup)
  • 1 large avocado diced
  • 1 big handful of arugula
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (About 1 cup or however much you want because really, no one should tell you how much cheese ?)
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • 1-2 thin sliced green onions

Tip: How to cut an avocado: Cut in half lengthwise twist to separate the halves. Remove the pit by carefully hitting it with your knife so it sticks in the pit enough to twist and remove. Cut in half lengthwise again so you have quarters. Starting at the tips peel the peelings away. Then slice

Heat the tortillas:

Grill 12 tortillas on high heat for about 20-30 seconds per side or until grill marks appear and they are warmed.

Now for the fun part! Assembling your Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos

Assembling the tacos
  • Spread some sauce on your tortilla
  • Top with
    • Arugula
    • Chicken
    • Cheese
    • Tomato
    • Avocado
    • Parsley
    • Green Onion

Now enjoy your wonderful creation!

Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos up close
Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos up close

Grilled Lemon Chicken Tacos

Juicy pieces of grilled chicken, a spicy lemon sauce, little pops of sweet tang (thanks cherry tomatoes), smooth creaminess lent by avocado, and let’s not forget the contribution of the arugula and cheese, top that off with fresh parsley and green onions, all nestled in a warm grilled tortilla. Need I say more? Do your taste buds a flavor favor and make these today! 
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Marinading Time 20 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main Course, Tacos/Wraps
Cuisine American
Servings 12 tacos
Calories 376 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Chicken

  • 1.5 lbs Chicken breast
  • 1 medium Lemon
  • ¼ cup Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper fresh cracked
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • ½ tsp Onion powder
  • ½ tsp Paprika
  • 2 sprigs Fresh parsley bruised

Spicy Lemon Sauce

  • cup Mayonnaise
  • cup Sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • 2-3 tsp Sriracha sauce or to taste
  • tsp Salt
  • ¼ cup Fresh parsley chopped

Toppings

  • 12 Flour tortillas 6"
  • 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 large Avocado diced
  • 1 Big handful Arugula
  • 1-2 Green onions sliced thin
  • 1-2 sprigs Fresh parsley chopped

Instructions
 

For the Lemon Chicken

  • Place the chicken in a large resealable bag. Squeeze the juice from lemon into the bag, toss in the rinds too.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Seal the bag and massage around until combined and the chicken is well coated.
  • Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
  • Preheat grill on high for several minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, lightly shake off the excess liquid. Place directly on the grill. Reduce heat to medium-medium/high, grill covered for 5-10 minutes per side (depending on how thick your chicken is) or until a meat thermometer reads 165° in the thickest part of the chicken.
  • Remove from the grill, let rest for a couple minutes.
  • Slice into thin strips and cover to keep warm until ready to use.

To Grill The Tortillas

  • After you remove the chicken from the grill. Turn heat to high.
  • Grill the tortillas for 20-30 seconds per side or until grill marks appear and they are warm.

For the Spicy Lemon Sauce

  • In a small dish add all the ingredients, stir until well combined.

Assembling

  • Spread some sauce on a tortilla top with arugula, chicken, cheese, tomato, avocado, parsley & green onion. Enjoy!
Keyword grill recipes, lemon chicken, tacos

We’ve eaten and made quite a few tacos and to be honest some of them just fall flat and leave you disappointed so when we stumbled across these gems we were like Oh Ya! These have got to turn into a recipe and thus they have.

If you try this recipe we would love to see your creation! Tag us on Instagram @thetearyonion or leave a review here on the recipe.

Thanks for reading and as always have fun in the kitchen!

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