These chicken tacos are a healthier spin on traditional beef tacos — and they’re just as good, if not better.
Servings: 12 tacos
Total Time:30 Minutes
Ingredients
¼ cupolive oil
2medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 poundsground chicken (not extra-lean all breast meat)
1 tablespoonpaprika
2 teaspoonsancho chili powder
1½ teaspoonsground cumin
½ teaspoondried oregano
⅛ teaspooncayenne pepper (optional)
1¾ teaspoonssalt
1(8 oz) can tomato sauce (1 cup)
½ cupchopped fresh cilantro (see note)
12 hard taco shells
2 cupsshredded lettuce or red cabbage, optional for topping
2 cupsshredded Mexican cheese blend, optional for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Heat the olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the chicken, paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne (if using), and salt. Increase the heat to high; use a wooden spoon to stir and break the chicken into small clumps. Cook until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Meanwhile, remove the taco shells from the package and lay sideways on baking sheet. Pull the stack apart, overlapping the edges slightly. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until crisp. Spoon the chicken into the shells and serve with toppings.
Note: To save time, you can chop the bell peppers and onions in a food processor; just be sure not to purée them. You can also use 1 teaspoon ground coriander in place of the fresh cilantro; add it along with the other spices.