Mexican food seems to be one of my favorite ethnic foods category to massacre. I know that most of what I make is nowhere near authentic, but it's so fun to experiment. It seems to be a family of food that no one in our family tires of, and it lends itself so nicely to using fresh ingredients. I developed this recipe after eating at a Mexican restaurant and noticing how much everyone enjoyed the shredded chicken tacos. The key is long, slow cooking to get the chicken to the point of shred-ability. During the longer cooking period, there is ample time for the chicken to absorb the taste of the spices and herbs. I might try in the future with a splash of lime juice and some fresh cilantro added to the mix.
I also tried to make refried beans that tasted a little more like the restaurant version. I have found that the secret to this is using a food processor (or a VitaMix in my case) to make a nice, fine puree. That recipe is also below. The shredded chicken could easily be prepared in a crock pot using the recipe below. I would just put everything directly into the crock pot raw, cook at a low setting for 6-8 hours or a high setting for 3-4 hours. Shredded Chicken Tacos Ingredients: 1/2 onion, chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika or chili powder black pepper 1/4 cup chopped green chilies, if desired 2-4 Tbsp olive oil 4 chicken breast halves 1 can diced tomatoes with juice OR 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes 3/4 cup water or chicken broth 1. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5-10 minutes. 2. Add all spices and cook until aromatic. 3. Add chicken breasts, whole. Cook until slightly browned on both sides. 4. Add tomatoes, green chilies, and water. Turn down heat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours. 5. Shred the chicken with a fork and knife. It should fall apart very easily at this point. Serve on a bed of fresh greens with all of the normal taco fixin's - sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole - whatever you like. Also delicious ladled over rice. I served this with crunchy corn tortillas for the family. Restaurant-Style Refried Beans 2 cans of beans - I like to use a combination of 1 can of pinto and a 2nd can of either black or kidney 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup water 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic, minced or powder 1. Put all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Run until smooth. If needed, add another 1/4 cup of water. The beans will look runny at this point, but you will cook off the extra moisture in the next step, at which point they will thicken up. 2. Put in a sauce pan and heat over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until hot.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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June 2019
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