Asian tacos are a Tuesday staple at our house. A marinade of coconut aminos, honey, lime, and garlic give the chicken a tangy flavor that begs for the umami of kimchi. I top ours with pickled jalapenos, radishes, shredded carrots, and cheddar cheese when we’re on the dairy train.
The great thing about these is that they are versatile; they are fabulous without cheese, and they are satisfying on butter lettuce leaves if you are avoiding grains. It’s an easy recipe to modify to meet your dietary preferences. Below are some modifications to make a keto version, a paleo version, and a Whole30 version.
Keto
To make this recipe keto-friendly, leave out the honey in the marinade. It will make the chicken a little more tart, but it is still good. Substitute lettuce leaves for tortillas, add more cheese if you like, chop some avocado, and check the carbs on your pickled peppers.
Paleo
The only modification you need to make so that this is a paleo recipe is to substitute lettuce leaves for tortillas, and leave the cheese off. I promise you won’t miss it.
Whole30
Again, you’ll have to substitute lettuce for the tortillas and leave off the cheese. You’ll also have to remove the honey from the marinade, but you can add tamarind paste or a chopped date or two to the marinade to give it a little sweetness. Also, be sure to check labels on your kimchi. And you’ll probably have to leave off the pickled peppers. I recommend going heavy on the kimchi.
Pro Tip
I double this recipe every time so we have grilled chicken ready to use for lunches. A few of the ways to use leftover chicken:
- on a salad- add arugula, spinach, asian greens, mustard greens, etc. Then add
- wrap it in lettuce with kimchi, carrots, radishes, pickled jalapenos, cucumbers, and cheese for a flavorful wrap. Kids love these.
- shred it into an asian slaw for a new take on chicken salad
Asian Tacos
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1–2 Tablespoons Sriracha
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 pounds chicken thighs (breasts are fine as well)
Toppings and Shells
- Corn tortillas
- Candied Jalapenos
- Kimchi
- Radishes, sliced thinly
- Carrots, shredded
- Avocado slices
- White cheddar, shredded
- Sriracha
Instructions
- Mix the first six ingredients together in a bowl or a resealable gallon-size bag.
- Put the chicken in the marinade and let it marinate for at least 6 hours (I usually do this the night before and let it marinate almost 24 hours).
- Grill chicken over medium heat until done. Slice into 2-3 inch bites.
- Build your tacos!
Notes
- The nutritional information is for the CHICKEN ONLY.
- Because there are so many brands of tortillas, cheese, and other toppings, we thought it best to let you figure those based on your particular choices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 137
- Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Protein: 17
Keywords: chicken, tacos, asian food