CHICKEN TACOS

 

Contributed by Lynne Snyder

• 2 tablespoons butter
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 chopped red onion
• 1-3 chopped jalapeno peppers
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Several tomatoes, chopped (in a pinch you can use canned tomatoes and it works fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Corn or flour tortillas

Toppings:

• Shredded Cheddar/ Jack cheese
• Sour cream
• Fresh spinach, thinly sliced or lettuce—best with spinach
• Fresh Salsa or Tabasco sauce
• Lime wedges

Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and onions, cook, and stir until the onions are soft and the chicken is tender and no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute more. Decrease the heat to low and stir in the tomato and cilantro. Add water (or chicken broth) if the mixture seems too dry. Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Continue cooking about 2 minutes. Cover and turn off the heat. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Heat 3/4 cup expressed safflower oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry one tortilla: With tongs turn it once to cook both sides, then quickly fold halfway over and cook for a few more seconds to make the taco shape I just left it flat. Drain on paper towels. Place in oven to keep warm. (If the taco shells cool, they lose their crispness and become tough and chewy.) For soft tacos, simply heat the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over high heat for a few seconds on each side. (Or wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.)

To serve, place a small amount of the chicken mixture in each taco shell. Put the filled tacos on a platter and serve. Pass the cheese, sour cream, spinach, salsa or hot sauce and lime.

Serve with Mexican Rice with Fresh Tomatoes and refried beans with a little shredded cheese on top. We didn't do any of that and it was a great dinner.