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Tacos, tacos, tacos!! |
Having my whole family here at home with me doesn't happen too often, so it made me happy which in turn made me want to feed them! With my cooking stuff spread out between the guest room and the garage, I knew I would have to make simple meals that wouldn't require too many dishes or gadgets. I had a bunch of chicken thigh meat in the freezer, so with some other ingredients I had on hand, I was able to make these hearty tacos without much fuss. I just threw everything in my trusty dutch oven & let it cook while I joined my Mom & sister for a day of shopping. We came home to a house that smelled of Mexican deliciousness and all chowed down! So next time your loved ones visit you at home, whip up this easy dish that will have them wanting to visit you more often!
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My sweet baby nephew so wanted to get his little hands on these, so you know they were good!! |
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Isn't my taco holder neat? I got it as gift for our 5th wedding anniversary from a long time friend & I love it! |
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1 pound boneless chicken thigh or breast meat
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
(I used Rotel-Hot)
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced up
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf (I prefer using fresh when possible)
3 tablespoons chicken taco seasoning
(or your own combination of cumin, garlic & chili powders)
Handful of fresh chopped cilantro
Kosher salt & course ground black pepper (Which don't count as "ingredients" since they go in practically everything!)
To make the chicken taco meat, either use a slow cooker or a heavy pot with a lid like my lovely red dutch oven. Add full chicken thighs or breasts, the can of tomatoes with juice, the onion slices, chicken stock, bay leaf & taco seasoning in the pot. Liberally (at least one tablespoon each) add the kosher salt & pepper then stir it all together to combine. Put the lid on the pot and place it in the oven at 300 degrees for about 2-3 hours. If you need it to cook longer, say you want to throw it in early then use it for dinner, lower the temp to about 200. My oven has a slow cook function that can be set at either low or high, so that's what I used. Once the chicken is almost done, add the cilantro so it keeps that nice green color and bright flavor. (I didn't add much because my Mom's not a fan, so you can't see much of it in the pic.) Of course you can also just toss it in with the other ingredients at the beginning if you want. Be sure to taste the meat once it's cooked to be sure the flavor is good. Remember you can always add salt, but too much will ruin your hard work.
Once the meat has cooked down so much it falls apart on its own, it is done. Stir it around to break up any big chunks, but it shouldn't take much effort for the chicken to break down into stringy pieces like in the pics. Take out the bay leaf and drain the meat well if there is still a lot of juice before serving.
Corn tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream & shredded cheese obviously put the ingredients well over 7 items, but these are all things that can be switched up to make the dish your own. For example, try crema oaxaquena or crema fresca instead of sour cream. They are a bit sweeter and add more depth to the flavors of Mexican dishes, especially spicy ones. Or add avocado if you don't like cream. You can also try using queso fresco or cotija cheese instead of shredded cheddar, which are crumbly white cheeses that are also used in Mexican cuisine. If you're trying to limit your carb intake, use butter lettuce leaves to make chicken lettuce wraps. Ooo, good idea Jackie! I'm gonna have to do that next time since I need to get serious about shedding these extra ten pounds I've gained this year. Especially considering it's only July! *sigh* :-/
Hey Jack I wanted to comment on how delicious these tacos were and how they really hit the spot after shopping all day. I had so much fun last weekend getting to see you and Jax won't stop nagging me bout when does he get to start eating Tia's delicious treats. Well we miss you and as with everything you cook or bake us this is just another example of a recipe well made with lots of love. We miss you and we love you. Your brother
ReplyDeleteThanks so much bro! I truly appreciate all your support and being my #1 fan! I love cooking for you guys and can't wait to make Jaxson's first cavities! Haha! ;)
ReplyDeleteHey Jackie, nice blog! Ur food looks really yummy and d pix r amazing! Congrats on ur new kitchen! Wish I could redo mine... :-/ Anyway, gonna try these tacos soon. They look great!! Hope ur doing good!! :-)
ReplyDeleteTisa, thank you so much for your sweet comment! You totally made my day! :)
ReplyDeleteI am still learning about photography and blogging, but it's been fun so far. I've seen pics of your cakes & it looks like you're a pretty great baker! Let me know if you ever want to create a photo gallery or blog of your work and I'll share the little I do know. Take care & thanks again!
Thanks Jackie!! I try. I've always loved baking and cooking. But I'm not very creative when it comes to figuring out what to cook, so I love blogs like yours!
ReplyDeleteI started a blog but not sure how to make it as fancy as yours. I don't take very good pics either. Usually I just grab my iPhone and take a few cuz I'm so tired and just wanna deliver d cake already, LOL. That's bad, I know. I need a portfolio of my cakes and to pay more detailed attention to my business. Hopefully when my kids r a lil older it'll b easier. :-)
Keep ur recipes coming tho! I can't wait to try them!
O I have an amazing red velvet recipe if u want it, let me know! And cream cheese icing recipe.
Oh wow, I want to see your blog! Mine's pretty basic too, but I'm learning here and there how to mold it into the kind of site I like subscribing to. I don't blame you for not wanting to spend too much time on pics because it does take some time & patience. And that's coming from a girl with no kids, so I can imagine how busy you must be with your beautiful family! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement!! Unfortunately, I've gained some weight, so I'm a little hesitant to bake any new goodies right now. :-/ I would love to feature your red velvet recipe though, so whenever you get a chance, email it to me at jackie_h_martinez@yahoo.com. Thanks again Tisa!!