Name: Chicken Tacos
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12 tacos
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil; 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped; 2 bell peppers (any color), finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 pounds ground chicken (not extra-lean all breast meat); 1 tablespoon paprika; 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder; 1½ teaspoons ground cumin; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); 1¾ teaspoons salt; 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (1 cup); ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (see note); 12 hard taco shells; 2 cups shredded lettuce or red cabbage, optional for topping; 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, optional for topping

Chicken Tacos

With seasoned ground chicken, warm spices, and all your favorite toppings, these chicken tacos are fast, flavorful, and endlessly customizable.

Servings: 12 tacos

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds ground chicken (not extra-lean all breast meat)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1¾ teaspoons salt
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (1 cup)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (see note)
12 hard taco shells
2 cups shredded lettuce or red cabbage, optional for topping
2 cups shredded 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.
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The taco meat mixture can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, simply reheat it on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce. For longer storage, the taco meat can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm it up in a skillet, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 tacos
Calories: 460
Fat: 27g
Saturated fat: 6g
Carbohydrates: 26g
Sugar: 5g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 30g
Sodium: 1086mg
Cholesterol: 130mg