Chipotle Chicken Taco Filling
Ingredients:
2-3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 13 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tube tomato paste (2-3 ounces)
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 jalepeño peppers, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup chipotle pepper sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Taco Seasoning:
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon habañero powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
1 13 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tube tomato paste (2-3 ounces)
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 jalepeño peppers, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup chipotle pepper sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Taco Seasoning:
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon habañero powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the taco seasoning ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
Put olive oil (or ghee) in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken.
Add the seasoning mixture and cook just long enough to get some color on the chicken and release the aroma of the spices. Don't cook the chicken fully since it will finish cooking later. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion, celery, and peppers until softened and the onion is transluscent.
Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds to one minute or until the aroma makes you happy. Don't burn the garlic.
Add the tomato paste and mix it in with the veggies. Then, add the canned tomatoes.
When everything is well combined and simmering, put the chicken and its juices back into the pan.
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.
Put olive oil (or ghee) in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken.
Add the seasoning mixture and cook just long enough to get some color on the chicken and release the aroma of the spices. Don't cook the chicken fully since it will finish cooking later. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion, celery, and peppers until softened and the onion is transluscent.
Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds to one minute or until the aroma makes you happy. Don't burn the garlic.
Add the tomato paste and mix it in with the veggies. Then, add the canned tomatoes.
When everything is well combined and simmering, put the chicken and its juices back into the pan.
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.
Notes:
Serve in flour tortillas with Roasted Salsa Verde, sour cream, and shredded cabbage or lettuce.
Use as much or as little seasoning mix as you like. You can always add more as you cook, but you can't add less after you change your mind.
No habañero powder? Use cayenne. What kind of chili powder? I like New Mexico or Ancho, but use whatcha got.
Cholula makes the best chipotle pepper sauce. We make this recipe so often that I buy it by the gallon. Really. Big, big container.
This recipe makes a LOT of tacos. We usually get at least two dozen tacos out of it. Fewer if we are overly generous when stuffing the tortillas.
Make a big batch of the seasoning mix ahead of time. It will save you a lot of work and you can store the excess in an airtight container for months.
BONUS TIP: When making the tacos, use a slotted spoon to dish out the filling. The sauce left in the pan is the best spicy tomato soup ever!
Use as much or as little seasoning mix as you like. You can always add more as you cook, but you can't add less after you change your mind.
No habañero powder? Use cayenne. What kind of chili powder? I like New Mexico or Ancho, but use whatcha got.
Cholula makes the best chipotle pepper sauce. We make this recipe so often that I buy it by the gallon. Really. Big, big container.
This recipe makes a LOT of tacos. We usually get at least two dozen tacos out of it. Fewer if we are overly generous when stuffing the tortillas.
Make a big batch of the seasoning mix ahead of time. It will save you a lot of work and you can store the excess in an airtight container for months.
BONUS TIP: When making the tacos, use a slotted spoon to dish out the filling. The sauce left in the pan is the best spicy tomato soup ever!