Recently I’ve been really hooked on making this easy marinated chicken thigh in bulk and freezing it for easy meals. It’s so cheap and very easy to pull out for a quick meal. I usually freeze the meat after it’s already cooked, but you can freeze it in the marinade and cook it just before using as well!
The tacos pictured are using a batch of the frozen chicken! They don’t like quite as good as the fresh stuff, but they still taste great.
* ¼ cup lime juice * ¼ cup olive oil * 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce * 2 tsp salt * 2 tsp onion powder * 2 tsp paprika * 1 tsp chili powder * 1 tsp garlic powder * 1 tsp cumin * 1 tsp black pepper
**To prepare:**
* Combine all ingredients of the marinade and mix. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and place in a zip bag or airtight container with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours before cooking (preferably overnight).
**To smoke or bake:**
* Preheat a smoker or oven to 250 °F. If using an oven, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil (if available, if not just a rimmed baking sheet will do). If using a smoker, place directly on the grill grates. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 1 to 2 hours. If desired, brush on excess marinade mixture partway through. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]
**To grill:**
* Preheat your grill to ~350 °F. Grill, flipping once, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 10-15 minutes. If desired, brush on excess marinade after flipping. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]
**To serve:**
* Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice it into small pieces. Use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or as desired.
**To prepare in bulk for freezer:**
* To freeze before cooking: Place the chicken and the marinade mixture in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible. Place in the freezer before allowing any time to marinate. * To freeze after cooking: Let the chicken cool completely after slicing into small pieces. Place in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible, then put in the freezer.
**To prepare from frozen – uncooked:**
* Defrost the chicken at least 6 hours before you plan to cook it, giving it time to marinate. I suggest moving from the freezer to fridge the night before you plan to cook it. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.
**To prepare from frozen – precooked:**
* Defrost the cooked chicken, then warm in a pan over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if the chicken seems too dry as it’s reheating.
* 12 oz cooked marinated chicken for tacos made per above recipe (12 oz cooked comes from about 1 lb raw chicken) * 6-8 oz shredded oaxaca or mozzarella cheese * 16 extra small corn tortillas (I use “taqueira style”), or 8 extra small flour tortillas (double up corn tortillas but not flour) * ½ cup white onion, diced (~¼ large onion) * ¼ cup fresh cilantro * 1 lime sliced into wedges, for serving * 1/3 cup chicken stock or water for heating up tortillas, use for corn only * spray oil
**Instructions**
1. Begin with 12 oz of cooked, prepared chicken from the Marinated Chicken for Tacos recipe. I make this chicken in bulk, freeze the cooked chicken in 12 oz portions, and defrost to use in this recipe for a quick meal. 2. Warm the defrosted chicken in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, as you prepare the rest of the meal (skip if chicken has been freshly prepared and is still warm). Add a splash of chicken stock or water to the meat if it seems a bit dry. 3. Meanwhile, prepare the tortillas – For corn tortillas, give a pair of tortillas a quick dip in water or chicken stock, shake off any excess, then place in a pan over medium heat (still stacked). Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip the stack and cook for about 30 seconds more. Keep the pair of corn tortillas together and use them to make one taco. Tent with foil to keep warm as you work through all the tortillas. I typically do two stacks at once. (Flour tortillas should not be doubled and don’t need a dip in the water/stock, just warm them for about 30 seconds per side)
*Melting the Cheese*
1. Next we’ll melt the cheese, please note this process can be a bit difficult, but it matches the process at my favorite taco stand. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like, measure with your heart. 2. Set a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and grease it with spray oil. Once hot, take about 2-3 tbsp of the shredded cheese and form it into a disk about the size of the tortilla in the pan (you can probably fit two at once). Let the cheese cook undisturbed until the bottom begins to brown, about 1 minute. 3. Once the cheese is ready, grab a pair of your prepared corn tortillas (or 1 flour tortilla) and use it to scoop up the disk of cheese onto the tortilla. The cheesy tortillas are now ready for assembly, so tent them under foil to keep them warm. 4. Work through the rest of the tortillas in batches (remember to keep the corn tortillas together in pairs and treat them as if they are a single tortilla).
*Assembly*
1. Divide the chicken evenly between the prepared cheesy tortillas, then top with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to taste.
**If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went in the comments section!**
2 Comments
Recently I’ve been really hooked on making this easy marinated chicken thigh in bulk and freezing it for easy meals. It’s so cheap and very easy to pull out for a quick meal. I usually freeze the meat after it’s already cooked, but you can freeze it in the marinade and cook it just before using as well!
The tacos pictured are using a batch of the frozen chicken! They don’t like quite as good as the fresh stuff, but they still taste great.
# Marinated Chicken for Tacos (and more!)
*Original recipe:* [www.craftycookbook.com/marinated-chicken-for-tacos-more](https://www.craftycookbook.com/marinated-chicken-for-tacos-more)
**Ingredients**
* 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or sub chicken breasts)
*For Marinade:*
* ¼ cup lime juice
* ¼ cup olive oil
* 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
* 2 tsp salt
* 2 tsp onion powder
* 2 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp black pepper
**To prepare:**
* Combine all ingredients of the marinade and mix. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and place in a zip bag or airtight container with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours before cooking (preferably overnight).
**To smoke or bake:**
* Preheat a smoker or oven to 250 °F. If using an oven, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil (if available, if not just a rimmed baking sheet will do). If using a smoker, place directly on the grill grates. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 1 to 2 hours. If desired, brush on excess marinade mixture partway through. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]
**To grill:**
* Preheat your grill to ~350 °F. Grill, flipping once, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temp reaches 165 °F, about 10-15 minutes. If desired, brush on excess marinade after flipping. [If substituting chicken breasts, cook times may be longer]
**To serve:**
* Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice it into small pieces. Use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or as desired.
**To prepare in bulk for freezer:**
* To freeze before cooking: Place the chicken and the marinade mixture in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible. Place in the freezer before allowing any time to marinate.
* To freeze after cooking: Let the chicken cool completely after slicing into small pieces. Place in a zip bag or vacuum bag and seal with as little air as possible, then put in the freezer.
**To prepare from frozen – uncooked:**
* Defrost the chicken at least 6 hours before you plan to cook it, giving it time to marinate. I suggest moving from the freezer to fridge the night before you plan to cook it. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.
**To prepare from frozen – precooked:**
* Defrost the cooked chicken, then warm in a pan over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if the chicken seems too dry as it’s reheating.
# Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos
*Original Recipe:* [https://www.craftycookbook.com/cheesy-chicken-street-tacos-tacos-de-pollo-y-queso/](https://www.craftycookbook.com/cheesy-chicken-street-tacos-tacos-de-pollo-y-queso/)
**Ingredients**
* 12 oz cooked marinated chicken for tacos made per above recipe (12 oz cooked comes from about 1 lb raw chicken)
* 6-8 oz shredded oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
* 16 extra small corn tortillas (I use “taqueira style”), or 8 extra small flour tortillas (double up corn tortillas but not flour)
* ½ cup white onion, diced (~¼ large onion)
* ¼ cup fresh cilantro
* 1 lime sliced into wedges, for serving
* 1/3 cup chicken stock or water for heating up tortillas, use for corn only
* spray oil
**Instructions**
1. Begin with 12 oz of cooked, prepared chicken from the Marinated Chicken for Tacos recipe. I make this chicken in bulk, freeze the cooked chicken in 12 oz portions, and defrost to use in this recipe for a quick meal.
2. Warm the defrosted chicken in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, as you prepare the rest of the meal (skip if chicken has been freshly prepared and is still warm). Add a splash of chicken stock or water to the meat if it seems a bit dry.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the tortillas – For corn tortillas, give a pair of tortillas a quick dip in water or chicken stock, shake off any excess, then place in a pan over medium heat (still stacked). Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip the stack and cook for about 30 seconds more. Keep the pair of corn tortillas together and use them to make one taco. Tent with foil to keep warm as you work through all the tortillas. I typically do two stacks at once. (Flour tortillas should not be doubled and don’t need a dip in the water/stock, just warm them for about 30 seconds per side)
*Melting the Cheese*
1. Next we’ll melt the cheese, please note this process can be a bit difficult, but it matches the process at my favorite taco stand. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like, measure with your heart.
2. Set a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and grease it with spray oil. Once hot, take about 2-3 tbsp of the shredded cheese and form it into a disk about the size of the tortilla in the pan (you can probably fit two at once). Let the cheese cook undisturbed until the bottom begins to brown, about 1 minute.
3. Once the cheese is ready, grab a pair of your prepared corn tortillas (or 1 flour tortilla) and use it to scoop up the disk of cheese onto the tortilla. The cheesy tortillas are now ready for assembly, so tent them under foil to keep them warm.
4. Work through the rest of the tortillas in batches (remember to keep the corn tortillas together in pairs and treat them as if they are a single tortilla).
*Assembly*
1. Divide the chicken evenly between the prepared cheesy tortillas, then top with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to taste.
**If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went in the comments section!**
this sounds really good, definitely saving