This post contains affiliate links.
Blackened Chicken Tacos with Cotija Corn Salsa take weeknight tacos to a new level! Blackened cast iron skillet chicken is topped with a flavorful cilantro corn salsa with crumbled Mexican Cotija Cheese, and tucked into corn tortillas. Ready in 30 minutes and finished with quick homemade Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions that you'll want to put on everything!
- Weeknight Tacos! - I was home for the holidays and popped in to visit my cousin when I was offered some pretty amazing leftover tacos. These are my recreation of Rachel's incredible tacos! A really fun variation from our usual taco night, and quick enough for busy weeknights!
- Fresh Ingredients! - Go for the fresh cilantro, limes, jalapeños and avocados, it makes all the difference! Blackened Chicken Tacos are healthy and brightly flavored!
- If you Love these Tacos, try my Ground Beef Fajita Tacos and this 5 Minute Easy Salsa!
Jump to:
Ingredients & Substitutions
Heavily seasoned chicken, a quick corn salsa, and lots of fresh toppings make this taco night a family favorite!
- Blackened Chicken - This recipe can be made with any cut of chicken, but thighs are nice because they are thin and cook up quickly. The blackening seasoning is spices probably already in your pantry, a bit of brown sugar (try making your own Homemade Brown Sugar) and a good sear in a skillet for extra flavor before finishing in the oven. Try my Blackened Salmon Rice Bowls with Mango Salsa too!
- Cotija Cheese - A Mexican white crumbled cheese, Cotija is similar in texture to feta. You could also use the softer queso fresco. Lots of stores carry these cheeses, often in a wedge or circle block. Feta could be substituted if you can't find either.
- Corn - I made this recipe with frozen corn, simply thawed in a strainer under running warm water. It would be delicious when summer sweet corn is in season! Boil, roast or grill it and cut off the cob to make the salsa.
- Cilantro - Fresh cilantro adds so much flavor to these tacos, don't skip it! Chop a big handful, the stems and leaves are edible, just trim off the bottom few inches of stems.
- Fresh Lime - Again, go with fresh limes for this recipe! I often just buy a bag of limes, they last so long in the fridge and then you have them when you need them. Lots of lime juice bring bright zesty flavor to the salsa.
- Avocado - A few slices of ripe avocado give a creaminess to balance the acidity of the onions. You could also make Homemade Guacamole.
- Pickled Red Onions - Take the time to make a jar or two of these quick Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions! It only takes 10 minutes, and you'll be putting them on everything from sandwiches, tacos, salads and pizza! It's just a quick simmer of water, vinegar, salt and sugar, poured over sliced red onions in a jar. Not complicated, and they turn that amazing hot pink color!
- Tortillas - Corn tortilla are great, but flour tortillas or crunchy taco shells are also fine. You could also make these tacos into big burritos with rice or serve them as rice bowls.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Make the Pickled Red Onions, mix up the Corn Cotija Salsa, and blacken the chicken! These tacos are easy and totally delicious!
Step 1 - If you're willing to take the 10 extra minutes, make a quick batch of Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions!
Make them first and let them sit while you make the tacos, or make them ahead of time if you can.
Step 2 - Mix all the ingredients for the Corn Cotija Salsa in a bowl.
You can add as much or as little jalapeño as you like.
Step 3 - Mix the blackening seasoning together and generously sprinkle it over the chicken coating both sides.
Step 4 - Preheat the oven and a cast iron skillet. Sear the chicken in olive oil, about 2 or 3 minutes per side before transferring to the oven to finish baking through.
Step 5 - Let the chicken rest a few minutes on the stovetop before slicing on a cutting board.
Step 6 - You can warm tortillas in the now hot oven.
Step 7 - Assemble the tacos on warm tortillas with sliced chicken, corn salsa, avocado slices and pickled red onions. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro leaves.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Chicken Amount - One pound of chicken will make about 8 tacos, so 2 per person for 4 people. If you need a bit more than that, use up to 1.5 pounds of chicken without needing to change the amount of seasoning. You could also add a side of rice or black beans to stretch the recipe!
- Blackening Chicken - The chicken gets blackened by first generously seasoning it and then searing it in a cast iron skillet. This develops so much flavor before finishing cooking them through in the oven. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any oven safe skillet will work, or transfer the chicken to a sheet pan before putting in the oven. Blackening doesn't mean burning! Let the chicken sear at a fairly high heat only for a couple minutes before flipping. The brown sugar in the mix will caramelize, but then burn if left too long.
- What to Serve it With - These tacos are a complete on their own, but you could always add Honey Chipotle Salsa, Garden Fresh Salsa, or swap the avocado for Guacamole.
- Storage and Leftovers - Store leftover chicken and corn salsa in separate containers in the fridge and eat within 2 days. I like to reheat them in the oven, starting with cold tortillas and chicken on a sheet pan, then adding the corn salsa to just slightly warm in the last minute or so.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The blackened chicken is made by searing first in a cast iron skillet and then baking through in the oven. Alternatively, you could rub the chicken with olive oil, coat with the seasoning and grill. The chicken could also be baked in a 400°F oven, but you won't get the same crispy exterior as if it were seared first.
Yes, if you want to skip the pickled red onions you can. Consider adding chopped red onion to the corn salsa.
These chicken tacos are not very spicy, but can easily be adjusted by using more or less jalapeño pepper in the salsa. For really mild tacos, you could omit the jalapeño or substitute chopped red bell pepper or cherry tomatoes in the salsa.
The pickled red onions can be made up ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. The Cotija Corn Salsa can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. The chicken is best seasoned and cooked fresh before putting everything together.
More Taco Night Favorites!
Love this Recipe?
Leave a star rating and a comment below! I'd love to hear how it turned out!
Join the Sungrown Kitchen Email List for all the latest recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Find me on Pinterest too!
Blackened Chicken Tacos with Cotija Corn Salsa
Hit the stars to rate this recipe!
Print Pin RateIngredients
For the Chicken
- 1 to 1½ pounds boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 grinds fresh black pepper
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
For the Salsa
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 1 cup Cotija cheese crumbled
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Tablespoon jalapeño pepper minced (adjust amount for desired spice level)
- 1 juice of a lime
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Toppings
- 1 avocado sliced (or guacamole)
- ⅓ cup Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions
- 8 to 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Make the Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions. They take 10 minutes to make and can be made up ahead or time, or just left pickling on the counter while you make the tacos.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and preheat a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Mix the blackening seasoning in a bowl and sprinkle over the chicken, evenly coating it on both sides. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet and sear the chicken, about 2 to 3 minutes per side (don't move the chicken around while it's searing). Then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for the Cotija Corn Salsa in a bowl.
- When the chicken is cooked through, allow the skillet to rest on the stovetop for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken on a cutting board.
- Tortillas can be warmed in the hot oven or over a gas burner.
- Assemble the tacos on tortillas with sliced chicken, Cotija Corn Salsa, avocado slices, and pickled red onions. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro leaves.
Notes
- Cooking the Chicken - Try to arrange the chicken in an even layer in the skillet. One pound should fit, 1.5 pounds might be a bit much. You can sear it in two batches if it doesn't fit. Use a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet. If you don't have an oven safe skillet, you can sear the chicken in the skillet and then bake it on a sheet pan. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.
- Cotija Cheese - A Mexican white cheese that comes in a block, usually a wedge or circle, that easily crumbles. Substitute queso fresco or feta if you can't find it.
- Corn - Frozen corn can be run under warm water in a strainer to thaw and use. If using fresh corn on the cob, cook it any way before using (boiled, roasted, grilled, or cut off the cob and sautéed).
- Jalapeño - Use as much or as little minced jalapeño pepper, depending on your desired level of spice. Or substitute any color of chopped bell pepper.
- Pickled Red Onions are delicious on these tacos! They are made in 10 minutes by pouring a quick simmered vinegar brine over a jar of sliced red onions. If you want to skip the pickled red onion, you could add raw chopped red onion to the corn salsa. Or top your tacos with a spoonful of salsa, sour cream or plain yogurt.
- Stretch the Recipe - Add rice or black beans to your tacos to serve more people.
Lisa says
Made these last night exactly as written. So delicious! Also made the pickled red onions and they were a winner. The chicken thighs stayed tender and the spice combo was so good. We’ll be saving this recipe for future dinners. Thank you!
Meryl Downing says
Thanks Lisa, I'm so glad you liked them! They are the new favorite in our house too!