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A black platter with several grilled chicken tacos with fruit salsa, a few cherry tomatoes, and a wooden board with cut chicken, halved plums, and queso fresco.
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5 / 2 votes

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Fruit Salsa

Marinated chicken makes up the heart of this dish, cooking away on the grill until it develops a light char on the skin, while the dark leg and thigh meat remains juicy and succulent. The sweetness of the plums is balanced by the tang of freshly squeezed lime juice and the fresh bite of cilantro, making one of the most richly flavored salsas you’ll ever encounter, and the perfect pairing for the rich smoky chicken.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time6 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Calories: 911

Ingredients

For the marinated chicken

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, chipotle, or ancho chile
  • 1 to 1 1/4 pounds large chicken leg quarters

For the plum salsa

  • 1 to 2 large stone fruits, such as plums, peaches, nectarines, or pluots, pitted and chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper (optional)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the spice rub

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For serving

  • About 12 corn or flour tortillas (6-inch or 15-cm)
  • About 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 ounce queso fresco*, crumbled
US - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

  • In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper until combined. Dump the mixture into a large resealable plastic bag along with the chicken leg quarters. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing, then gently massage the bag to evenly coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning it occasionally.

Make the fruit salsa

  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the plum, red onion, bell pepper (if using), cilantro, lime juice, and salt together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The salsa tastes better after sitting for a few hours, so go ahead and whip it up right after you get your chicken marinating. (You can store in the refrigerator for up to a few days.)

Make the spice rub

  • In a small bowl, stir together the salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ancho chile, chipotle chile, and cayenne pepper until combined.

Grill the chicken

  • Preheat a charcoal grill by heating the coals until they’re pale grey and glowing orange, about 20 minutes, or preheat a gas grill to medium.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. Coat it with the olive oil and then the spice rub.
  • Move the hot coals to one side of the grill or turn off the burner on one side of your gas grill. Place the chicken on the opposite side of the grill from the coals or flame. Grill until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through, 60 to 75 minutes, flipping it a total of about 4 times. Let the chicken cool slightly. And then use your hands to remove and discard the skin. Take the meat off the bones, discarding the bones and coarsely chopping the meat.

Serve

  • Warm each tortilla in a skillet over medium heat, allowing it to toast for about 1 minute on each side. Place a handful of the chicken along the center of each tortilla and then drizzle about 1 tablespoon of salsa on top. Top with a handful of cabbage and the queso fresco and serve.

Notes

*What is queso fresco?

Literally, "fresh cheese". Queso fresco is made from cow's milk, or sometimes a combination of cow and goat milk, and is lighter in taste and texture than other cheeses. This freshness makes it a perfect addition to summer vegetables and grilled meats, especially tacos. It crumbles easily and it a lovely, tangy addition to salads, too. If you can't find it, feta or goat cheese come pretty close and can stand in, in a pinch.

Nutrition

Serving: 4tacos, based on 3 portions | Calories: 911kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 1041mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g