Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner
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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 (of course, you can easily prep it all for 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 buy everything pre-made (except the chicken), and just assemble it after you grill the chicken.
MY LATEST COOKING VIDEO
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.
QUICK OVERVIEW
If you just want the recipe itself and missed the “jump to recipe” button at the top, keep scrolling.
ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts are a nice leaner meat and, if done right with the marinade, will not be dry. Other options: boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless pork chops.
Lemon Taco Marinade made with 4 ingredients, its easy and quick to make.
Cheddar Cheese is perfect to go with the chicken. Other options I recommend are Pepper Jack, Jalapeño Cheddar, Colby Jack, or any other soft melty cheese.
Guacamole is completely optional, but I love it. This can be homemade (see the recipe below on the recipe card) or store-bought.
Pico de Gallo is always my go-to over plain old cubed tomatoes on my tacos.
White/Brown Rice is a great filler to add. We love rice in our house; in this case, it’s a great way to catch all those amazing flavors from the chicken and the pico.
Black Beans are a source of resistant starch! What does that mean to you? Well, it means that it won’t raise blood sugars! Bonus for black beans… they are blood sugar regulation powers. Plus, resistant starch helps to feed our healthy gut bacteria, maintain gut regularity, increase fullness, reduce cholesterol, and has even been tied to reduced colon cancer risk (note: I’m not a doctor, but I have talked with nutritionists and am always learning). So whether you decide to cook them from dried beans or, just open a can and heat, you should add them to this meal!
Corn tortilla strips add the crunch you would get from a taco shell. If you do a taco bar instead, skip these (Or add them anyway; I’m not here to judge).
JENN’S TIP
As I mentioned earlier in this post, the Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner Recipe is designed to be very easy to customize. You can purchase as many or as few store-bought items as you like. The chicken can be the only homemade component of the meal if you choose.
COOKING WITH KIDS
DISCLOSURE: Please keep in mind that the following tips are general and are meant to be suggestive. I personally use these strategies with my own kids, who are all unique even within my own family of five. Therefore, please regard these as suggestions or ideas. If you feel that your child requires more or less assistance, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your child best.
This recipe is a great opportunity to involve your children in the kitchen.
PLATING
To plate your food the way you see in my images, do the following…
- Slice all the chicken.
- Place a scoop of cooked white rice in the middle of the plate. Push it with the back of the spoon, making a flat-ish “rice bowl”
- Then a spoonful of black beans in the middle of the rice.
- Place sliced chicken on top of the rice and black beans.
- Top with guacamole, pico, and tortilla strips.
- Serve and Enjoy!
JENN’S TIP
All poultry should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C), as recommended by the USDA. The best way to ensure that your food reaches the correct temperature is by using a food thermometer. Consider using the ThermoWorks Thermapen® ONE or the ThermoWorks ThermoPop® 2 for accurate temperature readings every time!
And of course, you don’t have to do this. You could also simply set everything up for a taco bar!
MAKE IT A TACO BAR
- Cut up the chicken
- Set the cheese on the side instead of melting it on top of the chicken.
- Get some different shells ready (crunchy, flour, corn, etc)
- Have everything set up and ready for self-serve
DID YOU MAKE THIS EASY CHICKEN DINNER?
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Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner
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
Ingredients
THE CHICKEN DINNER
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (see NOTES 1 for substitutions)
- Lemon Taco Marinade
- 16 oz Cheddar Cheese (see NOTES 2 for substitutions)
- Guacamole (store-bought or use the recipe directly below)
- Pico de Gallo
- 2 Cups Cooked Rice [white/brown] (instant or you can cook your own.)
- 1 cup cooked Black Beans (you can use canned, or dried, but account for the time needed to soak and cook dried beans)
- 3 ½ oz Corn tortilla strips (store-bought or use the recipe below).
GUACAMOLE
- 3 ripe avocados
- ¼ cup Pico de Gallo
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
CORN TORTILLA STRIPS
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 400°F.
- Place the marinated chicken on the grill for about 10 min or so. Flip and continue to cook. Chicken should cook until internal temp hits 160°F
- 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 should hit 165°F
- While the chicken is resting, if you plan on making guacamole, make that now.
Making Guacamole
- ***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. - Add the avocados to the molcajete and grind until slightly chunky.
- Add ¼ cup Pico de Gallo to the molcajete and incorporate. Do not grind the Pico de Gallo (I slightly smash it, but leave chunks).
- Add cilantro (start with about 2 Tablespoons because the Pico de Gallo also has cilantro, and you can always add more).
- Add salt if necessary
For the corn tortilla Strips
- ***This can be made ahead of time, even a few days before***
- Cut into strips (size is up to you)
- Cover the strips in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 5-10 minutes or until crunchy & golden brown.
To Assemble:
- Place a scoop of Rice, then black beans.
- Place chicken on top.
- Top with guacamole, pico, and tortilla strips.
Notes
- 3lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs are also good with this recipe
- 1 to 1 ratio of Pepper Jack, Jalapeño Cheddar, Colby Jack, or any other soft melty cheese.
- Prep Time: 14 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
DID YOU MAKE THIS LEMON TACO CHICKEN DINNER RECIPE?
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©Photo, Prop Styling, and Food Styling by Jenn Smith
