Spice-Rubbed Chicken & Vegetable Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Chipotle Cream
The other day I decided Tim and I should have a taco night. I originally thought of making the Old El Paso tacos my mom made for us as kids. My brother and I loved them! Assembling our own tacos and piling them with topping made for a very fun weeknight meal.
But I decided to take a look online before heading to the store. I found this very flavorful looking “Spice-Rubbed Chicken & Vegetable Tacos with Cilantro Slaw” recipe on Epicurious.com and decided that I’d save Old El Paso for another night.
A few notes on the recipes…instead of using chicken breasts, I bought the tenderloins so that they would grill very quickly and would be more appropriately sized for the tacos. Since it is winter in NYC, I used a grill pan instead of a grill. If you are not familiar with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, they are spicy so add them slowly. You can always make it spicier! I used 3 tablespoons of chipotle peppers in the chipotle cream to give it a real kick. The slaw was so simple to assemble with the coleslaw mix (you can find it in the bagged salad section of the produce department). Lastly, the tortillas I bought were a bit too small to accommodate the chicken, veggies, and slaw. Use the larger size tortillas so you can pile your tacos to your heart’s content!
Spice-Rubbed Chicken and Vegetable Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Chipotle Cream
Bon Appetit
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked hot Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick strips
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, each halved horizontally
- 12 5- to 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, warmed
- 2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Whisk sour cream and chipotle chiles in small bowl; season with salt. Whisk brown sugar and next 5 ingredients in another small bowl to blend for spice rub.
Place zucchini and bell pepper on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with canola oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle spice rub over both sides of vegetables and chicken.
Place chicken and vegetables on barbecue. Grill until vegetables are tender and browned in spots and chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to work surface; cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Cut vegetables crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Place chicken and vegetables in large bowl; toss to blend.
Place chicken and vegetables, chipotle cream, tortillas, slaw, and lime wedges on table. Allow guests to assemble their own soft tacos.
- 12 ounces purchased shredded three-color coleslaw mix (about 7 cups)
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place coleslaw mix and cilantro in large bowl. Whisk canola oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to coat.
Mmmmm…..these were unbelievable. I loved El Paso too, but I could live on a diet of solely these tacos.