Roasted Chicken Soft Tacos

Or, Another Option On The Heathy-er Train

Lunch
Dinner

My Thoughts

So, I've mentioned before (okay, for the first time if you haven't read some of my other recipes), The Pick Eater and I are trying to get healthy. These roasted chicken tacos are an easy way to get a healthy dinner (or lunch) in. There are a few minor cheats in here that add a few extra calories, but also pack a lot of flavor so that you don't miss all the other bits that you would normally enjoy. I promise your waistline won't notice the little bit of cotija cheese and Mexican Creme on there but your mouth will definitely thank you. These little tacos are deceptively filling too! The Picky Eater gets two on her plan and I usually eat three and that is plenty for each of us. It also keeps it well within the point range recommended by that diet plan she's following.

The How To Do It

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of canola or avocado oil.
  3. Mix the smoked paprika, Old Bay, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
  4. Coat the chicken breasts with a small amount of oil and sprinkle with the seasoning mix.
  5. Sear the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes or until you get a nice crust on the outside.
  6. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and set it to 165°. Roast the chicken for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165° (no one wants medium rare chicken, trust me). This allows me to cook the chicken until it is perfectly cooked and I don't have to watch the clock like a hawk. Also, I use the type of thermometer with the probe on a wire and a separate control box on the other end. I find this sort easier to use. If you have the probe thermometer that is a long stick with the readout on the end, don't place it in the oven with the bird. You'll have to pull the chicken after the 20-25 minutes and check it and roast for a bit longer if it's not cooked through yet.
  7. While the chicken is roasting, slice your shallot (or red onion if that's what you have) in very then slices. If you're shallot is very large, you'll want to cut the larger rings in half, otherwise they won't fit into the taco as well, and are just harder to eat. This is almost required if you're using a red onion.
  8. Give the cilantro a rough chop.
  9. In a small bowl, mix the sriracha and creme (sour cream if you don't have creme) together.
  10. If your cotija cheese is not already grated (mine usually is as I can't seem to find a whole chunk of the stuff at the store), grate it now. If it's pregrated then you're all set.
  11. Once the chicken has reached its desired doneness (which better be 165° or more people), remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
  12. While the chicken is resting, turn your oven off and place the tortillas into the oven and let them warm for a few minutes (no more than 5 and only for about 2 minutes if you don't turn the oven off.
  13. Once the chicken has rested, slice it into as thin a slice as you can manage. It's okay if you can't get it crazy then. If you end up with thicker slices, you can chop them into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat in the taco. Also, if the chicken has not cooled quite enough it may shred on its own (or your knife is dull - hey it happens) and there's no shame in shredded chicken tacos.
  14. Place your taco shells on the plate and add a small smear of the creme mixture onto each tortilla, then add the chicken, onions, cheese, and a nice sprinkle of cilantro. Finally, give each taco a nice squirt of lime juice and enjoy.

Ingredients

Pan Seared Mahi Mahi Soft Tacos
1 breast
chicken breast
6 tortillas
flour tortillas
½ shallot
shallot
2 tbsp
cilantro
2 tbsp
cotija cheese
2 tbsp
Mexican Crema
1 tbsp
honey sriracha sauce
½ tsp
smoked paprika
½ tsp
granulated garlic
½ tsp
kosher salt
½ tsp
Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp
black pepper
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