Description
Mexican chicken carnitas tacos blend succulent shredded meat with zesty avocado cilantro lime sauce, creating a flavor fiesta that dances across taste buds. Crispy edges and fresh garnishes make these tacos an irresistible culinary journey you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 lb chicken breasts
Produce and Herbs:
- 2 avocados
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 4 limes
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 red onion
- 4 garlic cloves
Pantry and Seasoning:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 8 corn tortillas
Sauce Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 0.25 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Garnish:
- 0.25 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 sliced lime for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a large baking dish for the chicken.
- Combine cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, then thoroughly coat chicken thighs and breasts with the spice mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer seared chicken to the prepared baking dish and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While chicken is roasting, prepare the avocado cilantro lime sauce by blending avocados, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeños until smooth and creamy.
- Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then shred meat using two forks, creating crispy, pulled texture.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over gas flame for 30 seconds on each side.
- Assemble tacos by layering shredded chicken in tortillas, generously drizzling avocado sauce, and garnishing with chopped cilantro and red onion.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over tacos.
Notes
- Spice Adjustment: Modify the spice blend to suit personal heat preferences by reducing or increasing chili powder and adding smoked paprika for deeper flavor complexity.
- Protein Flexibility: Swap chicken with pork or turkey for a different protein variation while maintaining the same cooking technique and seasoning profile.
- Sauce Customization: Create a dairy-free version of the avocado sauce by replacing sour cream and mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or vegan alternatives for dietary accommodations.
- Crispy Texture Technique: Allow shredded chicken to briefly broil after roasting to enhance crispiness and develop more caramelized edges for added depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg