Easy Chicken Tacos

 

 The source for this recipe is my FAVORITE cooking experts, America's test kitchen.  I LOVE their shows, I love their explanations of why they added a certain amount of an ingredient, and all the different ways they tried it.  I love the scientific theory behind cooking they share.  I love their food and equipment reviews.  They are the best!  They really do have the best, most well developed recipes in my opinion.  I've never tried any I haven't liked.  This particular recipe was on Cook's Country, and I wouldn't have considered it had it not been from america's test kitchen.  It sounded like a weird combination.  But I am SO glad I saw that episode!  They are now our favorite tacos and Jay chooses this every time its his turn for a favorite meal. On Saturdays, our family takes turns picking a splurgy meal.  I make whatever they want, pizza, chicken nuggets, ramen noodles, whatever).  Every six weeks, when it is Jay's turn, we have this.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 tbsp butter

1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1/2cup orange juice (or 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Salt (to taste)

Flour tortillas (we use the raw ones usually)

INSTRUCTIONS

The first thing I do is chop up my chilies.  I pull them out one by one, and scrape all of the ribs and seeds out.  Then I chop them up as small as I can, and measure them, making sure I add some of the adobo sauce as well.  While you are chopping, you can start melting the butter in the pan.  Then add the chilies and garlic and let them cook for just a minute.  Then I add the chicken and everything but the salt and cilantro and let it all cook together.  I usually make Jay and the kids pull off the cilantro leaves while I am cooking it, and we add it in whenever they finish.  I add the salt at the end.  I don't know why, that is how they did it, so I copied.  This recipe is done when all of the liquid is cooked out.  I don't like to pour off any flavor, and usually, by the time the water cooks out the chicken is falling apart and perfect.  A couple of times when it has excess water, I have poured some of it into a little sauce pan and let that reduce while I'm reducing the sauce in the chicken.  If you don't multiply the recipe, you shouldn't have as much problem with too much liquid anyway.  I have tripled or quadrupled the recipe for a crowd, or just when Jay wants to eat leftovers for days!  Part of my problem with excess water is also because I always forget to thaw my chicken and it always goes into the pan partially or completely frozen.  When the chicken is cooked, I use a star chopper from pampered chef to chop it up.  This is one of my favorite things they sell by the way!  It is a black stirring instrument.  If  you look at it from the bottom, it looks like an asterisk.  I use it to chop up spaghetti or ramen for my kids, or hamburger meat, and for these and my southwestern egg rolls it does a great job of both chopping it up and mixing it together.  ( I think it is actually called mix and chop...)

Just an fyi, this is not the exact recipe they have.  We've added extra chipotle chilies over time, we add all of the cilantro at once during the cooking time...  If you want their original recipe, just google cooks country easy chicken tacos.  Tons of people have posted it on blogs.  (In fact, any ATK recipes you want, this is the best way to get them off season.  They let you have their current season of recipes, but make you pay for a membership to see all of their recipes.  Any time I can't access one, I just google it and have always been able to find them.)  Of course I do try to support them financially when I can!  I watch their show, and buy some of their books :).

Dad's Chili

This is just a guideline, because my dad never makes the same chili twice.  He just dumps a bunch of stuff in that looks good at the moment and usually adds a number of different meats.  But he has won countless chili cook offs so I attempted to get some of his constants :).

This makes a BIG pot of chili.  I doubled it and it filled my big electric roaster pan 2/3 or more.  Worked great for a big family gathering (when Kayleigh was blessed?).

5 Tbsp Chili powder
3 Tbsp cumin?  (I didn't have it written, but I am positive I added this.  And almost positive on the amount.)
2 BIG cans tomato sauce (equals about 8 small cans)
2 BIG cans enchilada sauce ( I use the green Mikayo sauce they sell at walmart) It's about a 30 oz can.  My dad has used any number of kinds.
I use 1 to 2 lbs stew meat.
3 lbs dry beans (I use one each of black, pinto, and kidney)
1/2 of a big can of green chilies. (I used hatch whole chilies)  Its again about a 30 oz can. So about 4 little cans if you rather.
1 Tbsp dried minced garlic
1 Tbsp oregano
2 large onions chopped
1/2-1 lb breakfast sausage (sounds weird I know, I REALLY didn't want to add it the first time, but its good)
Dad adds mace, I didn't have that so I added a little masa harina (1/4 cup).  He said mace tastes like corn meal, so I figured that was an okay substitute...
Dad also said he would have added an entire bottle of green tabasco, but I didn't have that either :).

One other note about the meat, my dad is a carnivore and would add more than I did for sure.  One time when I was down in NV for one of his chili cookoffs, he put hamburger, shredded pork, steak, sausage, and possibly something else...I'm not sure, all in the same pot of chili.  Jay LOVED it.  I don't know if this even lives up to that chili for him (probably because it doesn't have five kinds of meat!) but I love it.

So of course your first step is to soak and cook the beans.  It is very important that you get them fully cooked BEFORE adding to the chili.  See my bean method for my long rambling how to about dry beans :).  While the beans cook you can make the base.  Brown meat and onions in a huge pot, then add the rest of your ingredients and let it stew for a while.  Add your beans and simmer a little longer to mix flavors.  You will want to stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick.  If it is getting too thick too early and sticking, just add some water.  It seems like with all of these kind of recipes they are even better the next day because all of the flavors "develop", but I am never prepared enough to do it that early :).  Dad, any comments to improve or correct would be welcome.  It is your chili recipe after all!   I froze the leftovers in two cup portions just like I do my beans.  Again, see bean method for my longer instructions.  Tasted great for months after!  I like to serve it with corn bread or over baked potatoes.

Black Beans...how I cook and use them...

Here is my black bean method.
I make mashed black beans all of the time and they are a family favorite. To cook dry black beans, I follow the quick soak method on the back of the bag. I thoroughly wash in a fine mesh strainer, sort out ugly or broken ones and put the rest in a pot. Add about 6 cups of water per pound and get it to a good rolling boil. (If you buy your beans in bulk, a pound is approximately 2 cups of dry beans) Boil for a couple minutes and then remove from heat and let soak at least an hour...sometimes I let it go more, it doesn't matter. Then I rinse the beans and the pan and pour them back in with six more cups of water per pound of beans. Simmer for 2 hours with the lid off. (The bag says to leave the lid on, tilted, but I always get lots of foam, and tons of overflow when I do that so I just leave it off and add water periodically if needed. You only need to make sure the beans are covered. The bag says to cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but I always cook longer. I cook them till they are a creamy texture inside. If you want to like homemade beans this is very important. They may seem done, but you have to make sure it basically smashes in your mouth, not breaks into pieces.

I often use my two biggest pots and spend one whole day making as many pounds as I can fit in them. Then when they are cooked, I let them cool in the water and then bag and freeze them for future use. I use my easy read liquid measuring cup from pampered chef to measure the amounts. They have an elongated front so it's easier to pour into the bag without a mess. I freeze them in two cup increments so that I can use them just like a can in recipes. (Just an fyi, a pound of beans makes about 3, maybe 4 bags) The one important thing if you don't want them to get freezer burn is just to make sure the beans are covered in your cooking water. You don't want beans sticking out over the top or they could get freezer burn more easily. By the way, I don't add any salt yet. If you add salt when cooking, they never reach the right texture.   One other thing, I don't like them as well when I have mashed before freezing, they dry out on the edges and don't look very good.  I don't even use freezer bags, I just use Ziplock sandwich bags and I have never had a problem with them.

So now that they are cooked, you can use them however you want. If I want to mash them, I just leave them in the water, chop an onion (I usually use a whole onion if I mash a whole pound, I like a lot of onion), add it to the water, and keep simmering them and mashing with a potato masher (you need one that has smaller holes. I use the pampered chef one... And No, I don't sell it, I just like their products!) You cook them and mash them till they become the right texture or consistency. (this takes a while, at first I just let them boil to cook the onions and reduce the water, then I start mashing.) Make sure you add salt while you are cooking them, they won't taste good without some salt. I often just use salt and the onions for flavor. But when we are eating bean burritos more often and I want a little change, I sometimes add a shake or two of cumin or taco seasoning while I am simmering/mashing the beans.

Another thing I like to do in tacos or taco salad, is leave the beans whole. I just defrost a bag in a small pan and simmer with a little taco seasoning for a few minutes, till the water seems to thicken a bit.  I leave it in the spicy water and use a slotted spoon to serve. They are so good this way!

Steve's Guatamalan Tacos

I am posting first Steve's recipe exactly how he wrote it.  Then at the bottom I am going to write how I make them!

Guatamalan Tacos

Black beans
Water
Cabbage
Cucumber
Tomato
Limes
Onion
Salt
Oil
Corn Tortillas

Okay, I know, I don’t have amounts. That’s mainly due to the fact that the amounts will vary based on how much you want to make. I usually use a whole bag of beans, a head of cabbage 3 to 4 cucumbers, half an onion, 4 or 5 tomatoes, and 3 or 4 limes when I make this for the family. To start, cook the beans in a 2 to 1 ratio of beans to water just like rice. Don’t drain the beans when they are done. In a large skillet/frying pan put a small amount of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion to the oil. This should be cut into strips, but left relatively large. When the onion has started to soften, but before it’s completely done, add the bean/water mixture. Be careful when adding the beans as the oil will be hot. Mash the beans and let them simmer down to a thicker consistency. Add salt to taste. In a separate bowl, combine shredded cabbage, sliced cucumber (I usually quarter the slices as well so that they fit in the tacos better), and diced tomato. Add the juice from the limes, and mix everything well. Prepare the tortillas by frying them in a small amount of oil. Take the tortillas, and put a small amount of beans in the bottom, then top with the salad mixture. If you like, you can top with pico de gallo, or you can also add chicken or beef, but these are great just vegetarian style as well.
 
Now for my little differences...
 
I have my own black bean method that I will include at the bottom.  I never use ANY oil.  I also try to minimize or eliminate the oil when heating the corn tortillas.  My favorite tortillas are Mission white corn tortillas.  I have just heated these on a pan with little or no oil or cooking spray and they taste great.  Then I use cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and limes, as well as some chopped cilantro.  I put them all in separate bowls.  The lime I put thin slices in a bowl so I can squeeze a little lime juice over the top of my taco.  I do it this way so everyone can take what they want and then if there are left overs they don't get all wilty.  I put a little beans at the bottom then I pile it as high as I can with the vegetables and one squeeze of lime.  I also add a little taco sauce to the top.(my mouth is watering at the thought!)  When I make tacos for jay and the kids (they don't so much like these) I have used a tablespoon or so of meat instead of the beans and that is AWESOME too.)  These are my favorite low fat/calorie meal.  I use a lot less meat and no cheese or sour cream like I would use on a typical taco.  And two corn tortillas are about the same calories as one whole wheat tortilla.  And once they are stuffed with all of the vegetables they really are so flavorful and satisfying.
 
For my black bean method, click here...

Jana's Salsa

2 cans black beans
1 can corn
2 tbsp italian dressing
1/2 bunch cilantro, or to taste
1/2 bunch green onion, or to taste
1 can olives
10 roma or 8 large tomatoes
4 small or 3 med avocados

Chop cilantro, green onion, tomato, and avocado.  Slice olives.  Mix it all together :).  This is a HUGE family favorite.

Chili Casserole

1 large, or 2 small cans of chili
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 chopped onion (or to taste, sometimes I have even forgotten to put them in and it still tastes good)
2 cups cheese, grated
Broken tortillas (I usually use whole wheat tortillas)

Original recipe:  Mix chili and soup and warm on the stove.  Line casserole dish with broken tortillas.  Layer chili, onions, cheese, tortillas, chili, onions, cheese, tortillas, cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  (I often use more cheese than it calls for, I just mix the onions in with the chili mixture, and I don't heat it up.  To compensate, I usually bake it an extra 5 minutes.)

Steve's Pico de Gallo

8-10 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
About half a bunch of cilantro
1-2 limes
1-2 jalapenos
Salt

Chop everything a small as you can. If you prefer a milder salsa, use only one jalapeno, and clean out the seeds. Using both jalapenos with seeds and pods will make a VERY hot salsa in most cases. Add salt to taste.

Laura's Slow Cooker Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 oz) black beans with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain, and set aside.  Saute onions.

Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours. My sister, Laura also sometimes adds a can of rotel tomatoes. (they are tomatoes mixed with chilies. This would make the soup a bit hotter) Also, Laura uses the frozen costco super sweet corn instead of canned.
We have also recently made it without meat to save calories and it's still good.  At times you are less concerned about calories, it is delicious with a little sour cream and crunched up corn chips added when serving.

Enchilada Soup

Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup


1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 lbs of chicken breast fillets
½ cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup masa harina (it’s corn flour)
3 cups water
1 cup enchilada sauce (I usually just dump the whole 10 oz can in)
16 oz velveeta
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
Garnish: Shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled corn tortilla chips, pico de gallo

Brown chicken in oil in a large pot and set aside.  Add onions and garlic to the pot and saute till onions begin to be translucent.  Add chicken broth.  Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to the pot.  Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and bring mixture to a boil.  Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer soulp for 30-40 minutes or until thick. (Make sure it's not simmering too hot and stir occasionally as well to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom.  The simmering time is very important for the texture of the soup.) I usually just provide chips sour cream and salsa and let people assemble their own soup to their liking.  The recipe for the pico is below, but I often just buy the fresh salsa from the produce department instead.
Pico de Gallo
2 medium tomatoes, diced
½ cup diced Spanish onion
2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-ribbed
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh cilantro
Pinch of Salt