You NEED these Baja Chicken Tacos in your life! These easy chicken tacos are so full of flavor, with zippy marinated chicken, fresh toppings, and a creamy cilantro sauce to top it all off. They’re so easy to make and sure to be an instant family favorite!
If you’ve ever tried Cheesecake Factory Baja Chicken Tacos, you know how delicious they are – and now, you can make them at home! This recipe for easy Baja Chicken Tacos is inspired by the restaurant recipe so you can enjoy them at home whenever you like.
These Baja Chicken Street Tacos make an easy weeknight dinner. They’re perfect for prepping ahead of time – just get the marinade ready and chop up all of the veggies, then keep it all in the fridge until taco night.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Fresh & healthy – With lean protein from the chicken and lots of fresh veggies, these Baja Chicken Tacos are full of nutrients.
- Adaptable – Tacos are great for customizing to individual tastes. Just add or leave out any ingredients when assembling them.
- Easy to prep ahead of time – Many elements of these tacos can be prepped ahead of time for super easy weeknight dinners.
- Delicious leftovers – I love Baja Chicken Taco leftovers; they’re simple to store in the fridge and versatile so they’re really easy to repurpose (scroll down to Baja Chicken Taco Leftovers for ideas!)
- Gluten-free – When made with 100% gluten-free corn tortillas, they’re GF, too!
What is Baja Style?
Baja food originated in the Baja California area of Mexico. Baja style is hailed for its fresh, local flavors and ingredients and overall rustic vibe. It pulls inspiration from Mexican, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines.
Recipe Notes
This Baja Chicken Tacos recipe is as simple as promised! Just under an hour from start to finish for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Baja Chicken Tacos to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the Baja Chicken:
- Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer thighs, those will work, too.
- Lime juice – From approximately two limes.
- Orange juice – You’ll need about 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice. One orange should be plenty.
- Jalapeño peppers – Fresh jalapeño peppers, sliced thin. For the most heat, leave the seeds in. If you prefer milder Baja Chicken Tacos, remove the seeds first.
- Garlic, oregano & cumin – These ingredients bring loads of Baja flavor.
- Salt & pepper – You’ll start with a small amount, then add more if you like.
- Cooking oil – The oil is for the Baja Chicken marinade and for cooking the chicken. You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, or another favorite cooking oil.
For the creamy cilantro sauce:
- Greek yogurt – I like the rich creaminess of whole-milk Greek yogurt, but if you prefer a lower-fat version, that will work, too.
- Salsa verde – Any jarred salsa verde will work.
- Cilantro – For this recipe, you’ll want about half a bunch of fresh cilantro.
- Lime juice – Freshly squeezed from one lime.
- Garlic
For the tacos:
- Tortillas – Taco-size corn tortillas are what you want here. These tortillas are about 5 inches in diameter. Small flour tortillas or another favorite type of wrap will work, too.
- Baja chicken – Dice your cooked Baja Chicken.
- Pickled red onion – These add tangy flavor to your Baja Chicken Taco recipe. If you don’t have any pickled red onions, thinly sliced fresh red onion will work.
- Grape tomatoes – Halved, or quartered if they’re large.
- Feta cheese – Crumbled fresh feta adds salty, creamy flavor.
- Avocado – Fresh avocado, mashed, adds creaminess and a dose of healthy fats.
- Radishes – Sliced crisp radishes are the perfect topper.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Baja Chicken Tostadas– Bake your tortillas in a 400°F oven for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp. Smear with refried beans, then top with diced Baja Chicken and toppings.
- Baja Chicken Burritos– Fill a large flour tortilla with rice, diced Baja Chicken, and toppings. Roll it up and serve.
- Baja Chicken Nachos– Line a large baking sheet with tortilla chips and top with diced Baja Chicken and cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes, then add fresh toppings and a drizzle of cilantro sauce.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Baja Chicken Tacos.
Add the chicken breast to a zip-top bag and add the jalapeños, herbs, spices, and half the cooking oil.
Squeeze in the limes and oranges and drop them in. Seal and marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes to 3 hours.
Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and add the chicken breast. Sear on one side until golden.
Flip and cook the other side until golden-brown. Place chicken in the oven until cooked through.
Warm your tortillas, then add shredded/diced chicken down the center of each.
Add toppings and drizzle with cilantro lime sauce. Fold up and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t marinate for longer than 3 hours – If marinated for too long, the chicken can become tough.
- Cook chicken to an internal temp of 165°F – Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. If it reads 165°F, it’s done.
- Use parchment paper – Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use pre-made taco shells – Instead of cooking your corn tortillas, start with hard taco shells. Easy!
- Substitute fresh red onions – If you don’t have time for pickled red onions, thinly sliced fresh red onions will work, too.
- Meal prep it – Prep the marinade, toppings (except the avocado), and sauce ahead of time and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before making them. When it’s time to make them, you just need to cook the chicken, mash the avocado, and warm your tortillas.
- Utilize the freezer – Bulk-cook your Baja Chicken ahead of time, dice it, and freeze it in meal-size portions. When it’s time for easy Baja Chicken Tacos, just heat up the chicken in the microwave and the hardest part is done!
What to Serve with Baja Chicken Tacos
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Mexican cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite Tex-Mex side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Black beans are a great way to add protein for an even heartier meal. Try these easy Crock Pot Black Beans made from dried beans, or these tips for making canned black beans taste great!
- Rice is a natural pairing for baja style chicken tacos. Try Cilantro Lime Rice, Lemon Rice, or Mexican Rice.
- Add some more veggies to the mix with a salad like this Mexican Corn Salad or Classic Cucumber Tomato Salad.
Baja Chicken Tacos Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Baja Chicken Salad– Pile shredded lettuce with Baja Chicken and leftover veggies. Top with sliced avocado and pour some leftover creamy cilantro sauce over the top.
- Baja Bowls– We love these so much we shared a separate recipe for Baja Bowls! With many similar ingredients, it’s easy to transform leftovers into these fresh bowls.
- Baja Chicken Sandwich– Add leftover Baja Chicken to a sturdy sub bun along with a smear of guacamole, a few pieces of lettuce, a slab of tomato, and some pickled onions. Drizzle with jalapeño ranch.
Recipe FAQ’s
Is this the same recipe as the Cheesecake Factory Baja Chicken Tacos?
While we don’t have the exact recipe Cheesecake Factory does, this Baja Chicken Taco recipe is inspired by Cheesecake Factory, and tastes just as good, in our opinion!
How to make Baja Chicken?
Simply follow the recipe below which includes how to make it. If you’re a big fan, be sure to check out our full recipe post dedicated to Baja Chicken.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Baja Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
For the Baja Chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, juice of about 2 limes
- ¼ cup orange juice, juice of about 1 orange
- 2 jalapeños, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
For the Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ½ cup salsa verde
- ½ cup cilantro, (about ½ bunch)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, (juice of about 1 lime)
- 1 clove garlic
For the Baja Chicken Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas, (or other wrap)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, vegetable, canola, or similar
- ½ cup pickled red onion, prepared
- ½ cup quartered grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- 1 avocado, smashed
- 2 radishes, chopped
Instructions
To make the Baja Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Place the chicken breast in a zip top bag, or covered container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, jalapeno slices, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and half of the cooking oil.
- Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or up to 3 hours.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breast to the skillet and let sit on the first side 2-3 minutes without moving to sear. Once a nice golden brown sear has formed, flip the chicken and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165˚F internal temperature. Note: if you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer the chicken to a baking sheet or casserole dish, but it may take a couple of extra minutes to cook.
- Let sit 5 minutes, then dice the chicken.
To make the Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- Place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
To assemble the Baja Chicken tacos
- Heat a little cooking oil in a skillet over high heat. Once hot, add a tortilla and cook on each side for 30-45 seconds until lightly browned. Repeat with all tortillas to create the taco shells.
- Assemble the tacos by layering a taco shell with chicken, pickled onions, tomatoes, feta, cilantro sauce, and top with smashed avocado and fresh cilantro.
Recipe Notes
- Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work.
- Greek yogurt – sour cream is an acceptable substitute.
- Tortillas – taco-sized flour tortillas or your favorite flatbread are all fine.
- Pickled red onion – can sub thinly sliced fresh red onion.
- Feta cheese – cotija cheese is also good.
- Avocado – store-bought guacamole will also work.
Leave a Reply