These Caribbean chicken tacos are bursting with flavours from the tropics. Each taco is filled with a vibrant & spicy mango salsa, grilled tender chicken and topped with fresh coriander & spring onions. The perfect combination.
I love tacos and after having used this mango salsa several times, I knew I wanted to share a recipe like this. These tacos have since become a favourite for me so I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
These are Caribbean tacos…
but this is far from a traditional Caribbean dish. I’d say it’s more inspired by the flavours of traditional Caribbean cuisine. I’ve grown up eating Jamaican home cooking my whole life and we pretty much never use mango in savoury dishes. It’s almost like using pineapple on pizza. Mango in tacos work. I can vouch for it and promise you that it works! But it’s definitely steers away from the norms of Caribbean cuisine.
I do plan on sharing more traditional Jamaican dishes on here though. I already asked my mum for some tips on our family favourites so once I’ve finalised the recipes they’ll be on here ASAP. But in the meantime lets get to these delicious tacos.
Mango Salsa
This mango salsa so amazing and flavoursome! The crunchy red and jalapeno peppers compliment the soft mango and avocado really well. It just tastes perfect! For this recipe, the coriander and spring onions are added to the tacos and not the salsa. I did this to allow for a bit of customisation to the dish which is perfect if you’re making a recipe like this for a big group.
I was always one to shy away from raw onions when I was younger (I have no idea why…?). Anyone else that was an oddly fussy eater as a kid? I don’t have this issue now and in fact, the more onions the merrier. If this isn’t an issue for you then I recommend adding both the coriander and spring onions straight to the salsa.
Tips for making Caribbean Chicken Tacos
- Keep an eye on the grill pan as it heats. You want it to be hot but not too hot or you run the risk on the chicken burning on one side. Test the pan is ready by placing a small amount of chicken in it.
- Be generous with the lime juice. It will really bring together the flavours of the chicken and salsa.
How to store these tacos
These tacos can stay in the refridgerator for up to 4 days and can also be placed in the freezer. To store these tacos in the freezer:
- Make and assemble them as per the instructions below.
- Place the tacos in a freezer-friendly meal prep box OR you can wrap each taco in cling film and place them in a freezer bag.
- Store them for up to 3 months.
- When ready, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
For more dinner recipes check out my Chipotle Plantain Tacos or Jamaican Jerk tofu salad recipe.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe. Thank you for reading and don’t hesitate to ask any questions below.
Caribbean Chicken Tacos
Tropical inspired tacos bursting with flavours from the Caribbean
Ingredients
salsa
- ½ mango
- 1 red pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Lime, juiced
Chicken
- 6 Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, approx. 550 g
- 1 Tsp Thyme
- 2 Tsp Garlic
- 2 Tsp Ground pimento or allspice
- 1 Tsp Smoked paprika
- ½ Tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 – 2 Tsp Chilli flakes
- 1 Tsp Brown sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
- Oil for grilling
For Serving
- Small flour or corn tortillas
- 4 Spring onions or 1 white onion
- Fresh coriander
Instructions
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Prepare the salsa by dicing all of the mango, red pepper, jalapeno pepper and avocado into cubes. Squeeze one lime and add the juice to the salsa. Gently fold the salsa then set it aside.
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Roughly cut the chicken thighs into strips and add it to a bowl along with the thyme, garlic, allspice (or ground pimento), smoked paprika, nutmeg, chilli flakes, sugar and salt.
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Stir the seasoned chicken and begin to heat a grill/griddle pan on a medium heat.
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Allow the pan to heat for a few minutes then add the chicken. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes before turning each piece over and grilling for another 5 minutes.
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Warm the tortilla in an oven or on a stove top. Assemble the tacos by adding salsa, chicken coriander, onions and a generous squeeze of lime.
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Enjoy!
I absolutely LOVE taco’s and can’t wait to try these!!! Thank you.
That’s great! Let me know how it goes