Bold, zesty, and smoky, these Citrus Adobo Chicken Tacos are packed with bright citrus flavor and a kick of heat, perfect for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner
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About This Recipe
These adobo chicken tacos are everything I love in a weeknight meal with simple ingredients, big flavors, and minimal fuss. The marinade combines fresh citrus juice, adobo sauce, and warm spices to create juicy, tender chicken with a deep smoky flavor. You can prep the marinade ahead of time and have dinner on the table in no time!
Want to round out the meal? Try serving these chicken tacos with my Grilled Pineapple Salsa and a refreshing Passion Fruit Mojito.
📋 Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Thighs are juicy, flavorful, and perfect for grilling or searing. I like to trim any larger pieces of fat before marinating.
- Citrus (tangerine + lime): Fresh citrus brings brightness and helps tenderize the chicken. You can use oranges, lemons, or whatever you have on hand.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Smoky, spicy, and tangy, these come canned and can usually be found in the international aisle. They’re smoked jalapeños in a spiced vinegar-based sauce.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness and brightness—tear it up for rustic flavor and texture.
- Spices: cumin + coriander: Warm, earthy spices that complement the smokiness of the adobo and enhance the depth of flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What is Chipotle in Adobo Sauce?
Chipotle peppers in adobo are smoked and dried jalapeños that have been rehydrated and packed in a tangy, spicy tomato-vinegar sauce. You’ll find them in small cans in the international aisle of most grocery stores. They add incredible depth, heat, and smokiness to sauces, marinades, and stews.
For this recipe, use 2–3 tablespoons of the sauce and sometimes chop up half a pepper for extra heat.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Citrus options: Use what you have, orange, lemon, grapefruit, or even a splash of pineapple juice will work.
- No chipotle in adobo? Substitute with ½–1 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika for that smoky element. A splash of apple cider vinegar can mimic the tang.
- Protein swap: This marinade also works well with shrimp, pork, salmon and cod.
⏲️ Instructions
Marinate the Chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, citrus juices, coriander, cumin, garlic, onion, cilantro, adobo sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken thighs, toss until well coated and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Chicken. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little avocado oil. Sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply charred and cooked through.
Cut the Chicken.Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before chopping it into bite-sized pieces.
Toast the Tortillas. Lightly char your tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet for a few seconds per side until warm and slightly blackened in spots.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Use a cast-iron skillet: It creates a beautifully charred crust on the chicken and holds heat well. A grill works great too.
- Marinate ahead: While 1 hour is enough, marinating for up to 24 hours gives even more flavor and tenderness.
- Char those tortillas!: Heat tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet for a few seconds per side until they’re lightly charred—it adds so much flavor.
- Rest the chicken: Let it sit for at least 5 minutes after cooking before slicing. This helps keep the juices in.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these tacos with some of my favorite Latin-inspired recipes:
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Citrus Adobo Chicken Tacos
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Juice of 1 tangerine or orange
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ¼ onion thinly sliced
- Small bunch of cilantro roughly torn
- 2-3 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
- ½ chipotle pepper finely chopped (optional, for extra heat)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Guacamole
- 1 ripe avocado
- ½ lime juiced (more, if needed)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- A few dashes of hot sauce
For Serving
- 6 Small street-style corn tortillas
- ¼ cup Finely diced white onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Guacamole from above
- Lime wedges
- Your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, citrus juices, coriander, cumin, garlic, onion, cilantro, adobo sauce, chipotle (if using), salt, and pepper. Add the chicken thighs and toss until well coated. Cover and marinate, for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Make the Guacamole. In a small bowl, smash the avocado with lime juice, salt, and hot sauce until smooth or slightly chunky—however you like it. Set aside.
- Cook the Chicken. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little avocado oil. Sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side, or until deeply charred and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing or chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Toast the Tortillas. Lightly char your tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet for a few seconds per side until warm and slightly blackened in spots.
- Assemble the Tacos. Spread a thin layer of guacamole on each tortilla. Top with chopped chicken, a sprinkle of finely diced white onion, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.
Notes
-
- Use a cast-iron skillet: It creates a beautifully charred crust on the chicken and holds heat well. A grill works great too.
- Marinate ahead: While 1 hour is enough, marinating for up to 24 hours gives even more flavor and tenderness.
- Char those tortillas!: Heat tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet for a few seconds per side until they’re lightly charred—it adds so much flavor.
- Rest the chicken: Let it sit for at least 5 minutes after cooking before slicing. This helps keep the juices in.
- No chipotle in adobo? Substitute with ½–1 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika for that smoky element. A splash of apple cider vinegar can mimic the tang.
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