Simple Chicken Tacos
Recipe from smitten kitchen · original post · full recipe on smittenkitchen.com
Tender, juicy, perfectly-spiced chicken simmered in a little broth, with quick-pickled red onions, shaved cabbage and avocado — the simplest tacos for last-minute dinners.
Ingredients
- small flour tortillas8 ea
- red onion — thinly sliced75 g
- red wine vinegar30 ml
- kosher salt — 1 ½ tsp; divided9 g
- granulated sugar — ¼ tsp1.1 g
- avocado — sliced1 ea
- red cabbage — thinly sliced or shaved70 g
- small bunch cilantro — roughly chopped1 ea
- hot sauce — to serve1 ea
- ground cumin — 1 tsp2.5 g
- chili powder1 tsp
- smoked paprika — ½ tsp1.3 g
- boneless skinless chicken thighs450 g
- olive oil45 ml
- large garlic clove — minced1 ea
- chicken broth160 ml
Method
- Prep the fixings first. For the tortillas: wrap them in foil (or place in a tortilla warmer or similar dish) and put them in a 350°F (175°C) oven.
- For the onions: combine the red onion, red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the sugar and set aside to pickle. To speed it up, microwave the bowl for 10 to 15 seconds, just until the liquid is hot, then leave it to cool while you make everything else.
- Thinly slice or shave the cabbage, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Make the chicken: combine the remaining 1 teaspoon salt with the cumin, chili powder, paprika and plenty of black pepper. Spread the chicken thighs out on a tray and sprinkle each side lightly with the seasoning.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, then add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, arrange the chicken in one layer and cook until browned underneath, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side; it doesn't need to be cooked through yet. Transfer briefly to a plate.
- In the empty skillet, cook the garlic for a minute until golden. Add the broth and scrape up any stuck bits. Return the chicken and its juices to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the broth has reduced to a thin puddle. Turn off the heat and shred the chicken with two forks (or cut into bite-sized pieces with your spatula), stirring it through any liquid left.
- Assemble: pile each warm tortilla with chicken, any pan juices, pickled onions, cabbage, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce.
Cooking for a different diet?
Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.
Pescatarian
Simple Fish Tacos
- 600 g Firm white fish fillets instead of boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Leave out the chicken broth
Season the fish the same way and sear 2 to 3 minutes per side until it just flakes, then break it into pieces; skip the broth step entirely.
Vegetarian
Simple Black Bean Tacos
- 440 g Black beans instead of boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 160 ml Vegetable stock instead of chicken broth
Skip the browning: fry the garlic and spices in the oil for a minute, add the beans and vegetable stock and simmer 4 to 5 minutes until reduced, then lightly crush some of the beans.
Vegan
Simple Black Bean Tacos
- 440 g Black beans instead of boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 160 ml Vegetable stock instead of chicken broth
Skip the browning: fry the garlic and spices in the oil for a minute, add the beans and vegetable stock and simmer 4 to 5 minutes until reduced, then lightly crush some of the beans.
Gluten-free
- 200 g Corn tortillas instead of small flour tortillas
- 160 ml Gluten-free chicken stock instead of chicken broth
Warm the corn tortillas wrapped in foil as written or in a dry pan for 30 seconds a side so they stay pliable; the chicken is unchanged.
Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.
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Not priced
- small flour tortillas · 8 items
- red onion · 75 g
- red wine vinegar · 30 ml
- kosher salt · 9 g
- granulated sugar · 1.1 g
- avocado · 1 item
- red cabbage · 70 g
- small bunch cilantro · 1 item
- hot sauce · 1 item
- ground cumin · 2.5 g
- chili powder · 1 tsp
- smoked paprika · 1.3 g
- boneless skinless chicken thighs · 450 g
- olive oil · 45 ml
- large garlic clove · 1 item
- chicken broth · 160 ml