Shredded Chicken Tacos

I had some corn tortillas left from when I made Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos, so I figured I’d whip up some more tacos for dinner. I always keep chicken in the freezer, so I figured I’d poach said chicken and shred it, throw some spices on it and make tacos two nights in a row. We’re on a Cinco de Mayo roll here, people! These were great. Not quite as good as the shrimp tacos, but really tasty nonetheless. The mix of spices was great, and coating the shredded chicken with tomato paste really deepened the flavor.

Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ashley Covelli

Makes 6 tacos

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 lime, halved (and cut one of the halves into wedges)
12 small corn tortillas
avocado, diced
cilantro, chopped
radishes, thinly sliced
tomatoes, chopped

Place chicken in a saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Add bay leaf and a healthy pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, reserving the cooking liquid, and let cool slightly. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and set aside.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes, until soft. Add tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and shredded chicken and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the juice of half of the lime. If the chicken is dry, add a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid (I ended up adding 3 tablespoons). Stir to combine and heat through.

To serve, place chicken on a double layer of warmed tortillas. Top with avocado, cilantro, tomatoes and radishes. Squeeze a lime wedge over each taco before digging in, if desired.

Enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars