Smoky Citrus Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream
These smoky citrus chicken tacos are filled with caramelized chicken bites, crunchy cabbage, creamy corn, and a fresh avocado cream sauce.
This smoky citrus chicken started as a simple freezer marinade, but it quickly became one of those recipes I wanted to keep making even when I was not stocking the freezer. The combination of chipotle peppers, honey, orange, lime, and smoky spices gives the chicken so much flavor, and the edges become beautifully caramelized as it cooks.
Turning the chicken into tacos is my favorite way to serve it. I load warm tortillas with the crispy chicken, shredded cabbage, and corn mixed with a little avocado cream. Then I add another spoonful of the sauce on top because you really cannot have too much.
The chicken can be prepared fresh or frozen directly in the marinade for later. Either way, it makes a flavorful dinner that comes together quickly once you are ready to cook.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay especially tender and develop wonderful crispy edges. Chicken breasts will also work if that is what you prefer.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: These provide most of the smoky flavor and a good amount of heat. If your family is sensitive to spice, but two small peppers chopped and mixed into 2 lbs of chicken seems to be just right.
- Orange and lime: Orange juice adds sweetness, while lime juice keeps the marinade bright. Fresh orange juice with a little zest gives the chicken the best citrus flavor.
- Honey: Honey balances the smoky chipotle peppers and helps the chicken caramelize as it cooks. Brown sugar would also work, although it will give the marinade a slightly different flavor.
- Warm spices: Chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion, and smoked paprika make the chicken deeply savory and flavorful.
- Avocado cream: Avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime, and salt create a simple sauce that works as both a taco topping and a dressing for the corn.
- Cabbage: Thinly shredded green or red cabbage adds freshness and crunch. A bag of prepared slaw mix can save a little time.
- Corn: Thawed frozen corn becomes an easy creamy topping when mixed with a spoonful of avocado cream.
- Tortillas: Use your favorite store bought tortillas or make my Same Day Sourdough Kamut Tortillas or my Soft Homemade Corn Tortillas if you have the time.
Equipment I Use
- Large sheet pan: Spreading the chicken into a single layer gives it enough room to caramelize instead of steaming.
- Parchment paper: This prevents sticking and makes cleaning the sheet pan much easier.
- Air fryer: The air fryer is a great option when I want especially crisp edges or only need to cook a smaller amount of chicken.
- Immersion blender: An immersion blender makes the avocado cream smooth and creamy without needing to pull out a large blender.
- Microplane: Finely grating the garlic helps it disappear into the marinade and distribute evenly over the chicken.
How I Make It
Prepare a batch of my Smoky Citrus Chicken
I prepare my Smoky Citrus Chicken by marinating bite sized chicken in chipotle peppers, honey, fresh citrus, garlic, and smoky spices. The chicken can be baked at 425°F, or 220°C, until cooked through, then briefly broiled to create crispy edges. It can also be cooked in batches in the air fryer at 400°F, or 205°C. Visit the full recipe for all the details, or check out the recipe below.
Make the Avocado Cream
While the chicken cooks, I add 1 avocado, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup water to a tall container.
I blend everything with an immersion blender until completely smooth and creamy. If the sauce feels too thick, I add more water a small amount at a time until it reaches a consistency that is easy to spoon or drizzle.
This is such a simple sauce, but it brings the whole taco together. It can be used anywhere you would normally add sour cream.
Make the Creamy Corn
I thaw frozen corn and mix it with a spoonful of the avocado cream. You only need enough sauce to lightly coat the corn.
The corn adds sweetness that balances the smoky chipotle chicken, and mixing it with the avocado cream turns it into an easy taco topping without making a separate corn salad.
Assemble the Tacos
If you are feeling fancy and want to make your own tortillas, I have a great Same Day Sourdough Kamut Tortillas recipe or a Soft Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe you can try. If not, store bought tortillas will work just fine. I warm the tortillas and fill each one with smoky citrus chicken. Then I add thinly shredded cabbage, creamy corn, and plenty of avocado cream.
The cabbage stays fresh and crunchy, the corn adds a little sweetness, and the creamy avocado sauce cools down the heat from the chipotle peppers.
Load them up and serve right away.
Serving Ideas
- These tacos are a complete meal with cabbage, corn, and avocado cream, but you could also serve them with black beans, cilantro lime rice, tortilla chips, or a simple fruit salad.
- For younger kids, I like to cut the cooked chicken into smaller pieces and tuck it into a cheese quesadilla. They still get all the smoky citrus flavor, but the quesadilla can be a little easier for them to hold and eat.
- The chicken is also delicious in rice bowls, salads, quesadillas, or wraps. Leftovers make an especially easy lunch the next day.
Watch my YouTube video below to see me prepare this smoky citrus chicken as part of a big freezer meal cooking day.
This is exactly the kind of dinner I love having ready to go. The chicken is smoky, sweet, citrusy, and a little spicy, while all the fresh toppings keep the tacos balanced. Whether you cook it immediately or pull it from the freezer on a busy night, do not hold back on the toppings. Load it up!
Smoky Citrus Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
Notes
- The chicken can be prepared ahead of time and reheated before assembling the tacos.
- Store the avocado cream in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to help slow down browning.
Method
- Prepare the Smoky Citrus Chicken according to the recipe.
- Combine the avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and water in a tall container. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Add more water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Mix the thawed corn with a small amount of avocado cream, using just enough to lightly coat it.
- Warm the tortillas and fill each one with smoky citrus chicken, shredded cabbage, and creamy corn.
- Finish with additional avocado cream and serve immediately.
Video
Smoky Citrus Chicken
Ingredients
Notes
- Chicken thighs stay especially tender, but chicken breasts also work well.
- Fresh orange juice with a little zest gives the chicken the brightest citrus flavor.
- Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Method
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized bites. Add it to a large bowl or freezer bag with the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly until every piece of chicken is coated.
- For the oven method, preheat the oven to 425°F, or 220°C. Spread the chicken in a single layer on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Broil on high for the final 2 minutes to create crispy, caramelized edges without drying out the chicken. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, or 74°C.
- For the air fryer method, cook at 400°F, or 205°C, for 8 to 10 minutes. Shake the basket or flip the chicken after 5 minutes. Cook in batches so the basket is not crowded.
- Add the uncooked chicken and all marinade ingredients to a freezer bag. Massage the bag until the chicken is evenly coated, press out the excess air, and seal tightly.
- Lay the bag flat in the freezer and use within 3 months for the best quality.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator inside a casserole dish, then cook using the oven or air fryer instructions.
Video
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