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Recipe: Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner

ByJenn Giam Smith

You know what that means… I have a fun new recipe to share with you! This Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner can be as easy or homemade as you want. This is a no-shell taco dinner (but of course you easily put it all in a taco shell and it would also be AMAZING). I have included the recipes for each element of this dinner, but if you prefer, you can simply buy everything pre-made (except the chicken), and just assemble it after you grill the chicken.

I remember what it was like coming home from work and just wanting dinner done. So of course, I don’t want this to be daunting for you. If you happen to have the time to make it completely from scratch, I promise you won’t regret it. Price-wise, it is cheaper to make everything instead of buying it pre-made; but do what is best for you, your family, and your sanity.

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Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner on a white ceramic plate

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It’s Grilling Season!

You know what that means… I have a fun new recipe to share with you! This Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner can be as easy or homemade as you want. This is a no-shell taco dinner (but of course you easily put it all in a taco shell and it would also be AMAZING). I have included the recipes for each element of this dinner, but if you prefer, you can simply buy everything pre-made (except the chicken), and just assemble it after you grill the chicken.

I remember what it was like coming home from work and just wanting dinner done. So of course, I don’t want this to be daunting for you. If you happen to have the time to make it completely from scratch, I promise you won’t regret it. Price-wise, it is cheaper to make everything instead of buying it pre-made; but do what is best for you, your family, and your sanity.

Assembly is actually really simple

And of course, you don’t have to do this. You can just stick it all in the middle of the table and make a taco bowl, or put it in a tortilla if you really want a taco (see details on this below). This is just how I make it.

cutting the grilled cheese chicken breasts
  1. Slice all the chicken.
  2. Place a scoop of rice in the middle of the plate. Push it with the back of the spoon, making a flat-ish “rice bowl”
  3. Then a spoonful of black beans in the middle of the rice.
  4. Place sliced chicken on top of the rice and beans.
  5. Top with guacamole, pico, and tortilla strips.
  6. Serve and Enjoy!

In case you want to change it up a bit… Make a taco bar

  1. Cut up the chicken
  2. Set the cheese on the side instead of melting it on top of the chicken.
  3. Get some different shells ready (crunchy, flour, corn, etc)
  4. Have everything set up and ready for self-serve

ENJOY and Share! 

Let me know what you thought this lemon chicken taco dinner recipe! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful! I love seeing friends and family come together over food. If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Use @alwaysjennsmith & #alwaysjennsmith. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

Always, Jenn Smith (Signature image)
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Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner on a white ceramic plate

Recipe: Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner

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A delicious grilled chicken dinner that's sure to impress even the pickiest of eaters. Made with a basic marinade, it's packed with great flavor and plenty of food to fill those hungry tummies.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 44 minutes
  • Yield: 6 people 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

The Lemon Chicken Dinner

  • 3 lbs chicken
  • Marinade (see lemon marinade directly below)
  • 16 oz Cheddar Cheese
  • Guacamole (store-bought or use the recipe directly below)
  • Pico de Gallo (store-bought or use the recipe linked)
  • 2 cups Rice [white/brown] (instant or you can cook your own.)
  • 1 cup Black Beans (cooked, you can use canned, or dried, but account for the time needed to soak and cook dried beans)
  • 3 1/2 oz Corn tortilla strips (store-bought or use the recipe below)

Lemon Marinade

  • 1/2 cup light-tasting olive oil
  • 5 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 dashes Worcestershire
  • 2 Tablespoon taco seasoning

Guacamole

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1/4 cup Pico de Gallo
  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
  • 3/4 teaspoon Salt

Corn Tortilla Strips

  • olive oil
  • Seasoning Salt
  • black pepper
  • six-inch Corn Tortillas

Instructions

Start by making the marinade

  1. Whisk together ½ cup light-tasting olive oil, 5 Tablespoon lemon juice, 3 dashes Worcestershire, and 2 Tablespoon taco seasoning until combined well.
  2. Pour over meat in a plastic/silicone bag. Let the 3 lbs chicken marinade for about 2-3 hours or overnight

When you're ready to cook the chicken…

  1. Preheat your grill to 400°F.
  2. Place 3 lbs chicken on the grill for about 10 min or so. Flip and continue to cook. Chicken should cook until internal temp hits 160°F
  3. Once the chicken is cooked to 160°F, take the chicken off and top each chicken with a handful of cheddar cheese, let sit with tented foil for about 5-10 min. Internal temp will hit 165°F
  4. While the chicken is resting and you plan on making guacamole, you do that now.

Making Guacamole

  1. ***Preparation Notes: Guacamole should be served as soon as you make it. Don’t make it in advance. It doesn’t keep well. It turns brown very quickly.
    Don’t chill the guacamole. It should be served at room temperature.
  2. Add the avocados to the molcajete and grind until slightly chunky.
  3. Add <wprm-ingredient uid="13" removed="0">¼ cup Pico de Gallo to the molcajete and incorporate. Do not grind the Pico de Gallo (I slightly smash it, but leave chunks).
  4. Add cilantro (start with about 2 Tablespoons because the Pico de Gallo also has cilantro. You can always add more).
  5. Add salt if necessary

For the corn tortilla Strips

  1. ***This can be made ahead of time, even a few days before***
  2. Cut six-inch Corn Tortillas into strips (size is up to you)
  3. Cover the strips in olive oil, seasoning salt and pepper.
  4. Lay on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350ºF for 5-10 minutes or until crunchy & golden brown.

To Assemble:

  1. Place a scoop of Rice, then black beans.
  2. Place chicken on top.
  3. Top with guacamole, pico and tortilla strips.
  • Prep Time: 14 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Mexican-American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 999
  • Sugar: 4
  • Sodium: 3273
  • Fat: 49
  • Saturated Fat: 19
  • Carbohydrates: 75
  • Fiber: 5
  • Protein: 65
  • Cholesterol: 191

Did you make this recipe?

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Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner

©Photo, Prop Styling, and Food Styling by Jenn Smith

This Blog Post is ©2019 Always Jenn Smith™; Jenn Smith, LLC (FKA Smith Country, LLC)  See below for details

Please Be Respectful

All rights reserved. You may NOT sell, trade, share or redistribute this recipe in any way or use any of my photographs for your site. If you are linking back to this post to a list of recipes, giving credit for the recipe to myself and my site, you may use ONE photo. You must site me and my blog as the recipe creator and give credit for the photo. ©2019 Always Jenn Smith; Jenn Smith, LLC

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