Charred Chile–Marinated Grilled Chicken Tacos
These flavorful grilled chicken tacos are marinated in a smoky chile and garlic marinade, resulting in a savory and delicious meal perfect for taco night.
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Grill
- Blender
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Marinade
- 6 cloves garlic medium, unpeeled
- 5 chiles dried guajillo medium-size (about 1 1/4 ounces)
- 3 chiles dried chiles de árbol medium-size
- 4 whole allspice
- 2 onions white or yellow small (about 1 pound), cut into wedges
- 1 stick cinnamon 1-inch
- 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 cup water
Additional Ingredients
- 6 thighs bone-in, skin-on chicken (about 1 pound, 12 ounces), trimmed
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 12 tortillas Homemade Corn (4 1/2-inch, see Note)
- Tomatillo Salsa Cruda
Instructions
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and chiles; cook until chiles are blackened and garlic is charred, about 1-3 minutes for chiles and 5-7 minutes for garlic. Remove and discard stems from chiles, placing them in a blender with allspice.
- Return skillet to heat and arrange onions cut-side down; cook until blackened, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to blender, peel garlic, and add to blender with cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Pulse until chopped.
- Add water to the blender and process until smooth. Let marinade cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Place chicken in a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 5 hours.
- Remove chicken from marinade, discarding excess marinade. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprinkle with salt. Let sit at room temperature.
- Prepare the grill, placing chicken skin-side down on oiled grates over coals. Grill uncovered for about 6 minutes, then move to indirect heat and grill covered until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 18-24 minutes.
- Let chicken cool, debone, and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Top tortillas with chicken and serve with salsa.
Notes
For the best flavor, do not marinate chicken overnight, as it may become bitter from the charred ingredients.