Chicken Tacos

I don't use exact amounts when I cook, so this recipe is purely what ever I have and adjusted accordingly. Add more if you have it and like it, add less if you don't.

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3-4 cans of fat free & low sodium chicken broth, have a few cans on reserve if needed
1 white or yellow onion diced large
1 small can chopped green chili (or 3-4 fresh roasted, peeled and seeded)
4-5 tomatillos, peeled of the paper skin and washed, left whole
1-2 tbs chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped cilantro

you can cook this on the stove top in a covered pot or in a slow cooker. Put all ingredients (except the cilantro) in the pot, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a slow simmer and cover. cook over a low heat until the chicken is fork tender and falls apart on it's own. Make sure you always have enough liquid in the pot to cover the chicken so it stays moist. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, it should fall apart easily and be moist. Fork shred as needed. Use a slotted spoon and remove the onion, chili, garlic and place with the chicken. The tomatillos usually fall apart in the cooking process but if they don't, mash them with a potato masher and add that to the chicken as well. Mix. Add a bit of the cooking liquid to make the chicken wet, but not too runny. You be the judge.

Use in your favorite corn or flour tortilla and your favorite toppings. I like sour cream, salsa, lettuce and tomato with mine. My favorite shell for this chicken is very easy and is below:

soft corn tortillas
vegetable oil
frying pan

heat pan with just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. once hot, place a corn tortilla in pan and left soften, flip and cook the other side. you can leave them a very soft cook or let them get slightly "crispy" for a soft taco. if you do them very soft, you will most likely need two tortillas on top of each other for each taco. for chicken taco's i prefer soft so i can easily fold them, but slightly crispy for a bit of "light crunch".

Gorditas

[Disclaimer: I usually make mine as shown above, instead of splitting the shells open and stuffing them. It is better to split them open while still hot from frying and it burns my fingers, so we leave them intact. A *true* gordita would be split open and stuffed like a taco. But this still tastes the same!]


Makes approx 12 gorditas

Filling

1 lbs ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 TBS chopped garlic
2 fresh green chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped OR 1 small can chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp chile powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled, and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes


Shell

vegetable oil for frying

4 cups masa harina (found either in the flour section or in the Hispanic foods section)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red chile pepper
4 pieces of bacon, fried and crumbled (I have also used real bacon-bits with success)
4 TBS cobly, longhorn, or cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups water + 1 cup reserved


Toppings

shredded lettace
diced tomatoes
shredded cheese
diced onion
salsa or pico de gallo (recipe HERE)



Directions

Cook beef, onion, garlic, and diced green chile together. Salt and pepper as desired and add chile powder. Add diced potatoes and enough water to cook the potatoes until fork tender.

While meat is cooking, mix all ingredients for the shells. Add only 2 cups of water at first, reserving the remaining 1 cup.

Until you get a feel for the desired consistency, use your hands to mix ingredients. You are aiming for the feel and texture of play-dough. Slightly crumbly but hold together well when you form a ball. But not to wet, not to dry. Add the remaining 1 cup water as needed to acheive the desired texture. You can always add more, but you can not take water out. It will take a few tries before you get the right texture, don't give up!

Pinch off balls approx the size of a lemon. Form a tight ball and then flatten out to 1/2" thickness and about 3-4 inches in diameter. I pat and flatten out directly on a flat surface and then use a metal spatula to pick it up.

Heat oil in a large pan, place shells in oil and fry until golden brown, turn over and cook other side. Drain on paper towels.

If you want to stuff them, make a slit down the half of the side of the shell, open slightly and stuff with the meat mixture and toppings like you would a taco. Or you can simply top them off with the meat and toppings.

Salpicon

3 lbs brisket*
2 TBS vegetable oil
Lawry's course ground garlic salt
course ground black pepper
2 cans french onion soup
2 cans beef broth
1 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic or 2 TBS chopped jarred garlic
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 small can chopped green chili
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large tomato, chopped (I omit this since we eat with the pico de gallo)
1/2 lbs Monterey jack or low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
2 green onions, white and greens thinly sliced
2 large Avocados, cut into 1/2" cubes

pico de gallo recipe Found Here
sour cream
flour or corn tortillas, warmed over the stovetop

*In some parts of the US, brisket is not keep readily on display in the meat department, however you can ask the butcher for it, have them cut it to size and trim off the fat for you.

Place oil in a heavy pot and heat. Salt and pepper all sides of the brisket and sear each side in the oil. When all sides are well browned, carefully add the 4 cans of soup, the yellow onion, and half of the can of green chili. Cook covered over a medium heat for approx 4 hours until meat is tender and falls apart when touched. Remove from heat and place brisket on a plate, reserve the cooking liquid.

Cut the brisket diagonal to the grain of the meat into 3 sections. Using 2 forks, shread the meat. Place shredded meat in a large bowl. Separate the layer of fat from the reserved cooking liquid. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and the balsamic vinegar to the meat. Mix well. Add the red onion, remaining green chili, cilantro, tomato if using, the cubed cheese, green onion. Toss well and transfer to a platter.

Add the avocado on top (I serve on the side if I think I will have left overs as the avacado doesn't keep well).

Salpicon is served either cold or at room temperature.

Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

You can serve this several ways: cut the tortillas in quarters and spoon the Salpicon on to the quartered tortillas. Or fold whole tortillas and eat like a soft taco (as shown in the photo).

Pico de Gallo

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
the juice of one lime
1 TBS water

If you want a hotter pico, add more jalapeño and leave in the seeds.

Mix all ingredients together.

Spanish Rice

1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 TBS chopped garlic
1 cup of rice (use only a long cooking rice, such as Uncle Ben Long Grain 20 minute rice)
1/2 small can chopped green chili
1 (7oz) can Embasa brand Salsa Mexicana * see note below
1 3/4 cup water
Lawry's Course Ground Garlic Salt, to taste
Course Ground black pepper, to taste
2 stalks green onion, sliced thin
1/8 cup of cilantro, chopped

*found in the Mexican food section, comes in a can not a jar; if you can't find this or would like a mild rice, you can use a can of diced tomatoes. Don't use a regular salsa as the Embasa is more like canned tomatoes with a bit of added onion and jalapeños, it does not have the same consistency as a jarred salsa.

In a pot with a lid, heat the oil and add the white onion, garlic, and rice. Stirring constantly until onions are translucent. Add the salsa and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and place 3 paper towels folded in half one on top of the pot. Fit lid securely on top of paper towel. Do not walk away from the stove! The paper towel helps absorb extra steam so your rice will be loose and not sticky. This step is important. Cook 10 minutes, add garlic salt and pepper to taste, stir and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stir again, and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped green onion and cilantro. Serve.

Serves 3-4

Grigg's Mexican Cole Slaw

This recipe for a very different cole slaw comes from one of my favorite restaurants in Texas. The restaurants were family owned over several generations, we knew the daughter who ran it last, but Mr Griggs was always there to greet the patrons. This recipe is from their cookbook penned by her mother in 1968. It is a wonderful accompaniment to enchiladas or tacos.

1 small head green cabbage or 2 cups shredded (I use the shredded cabbage in a bag)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp course ground black pepper (I like more since it is key to the taste)

After cabbage is shredded, mix remaining ingredients together. Add to slaw, mix well, and chill well before serving. May be made several hours before, as is gives the flavors time to enhance.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 C. frozen corn kernels
1 C. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 C. chunky salsa
Corn tortilla chips
1/2 C. shredded Monterrey jack cheese



In a large pot over medium heat saute the chicken and onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well. Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

In a bowl, break up some tortilla chips. Ladle soup over chips, top with cheese and garnish with some sour cream if desired.

Instead of buying the deep fried chips, I buy some whole wheat tortillas, cut them into slices, spray them with a cooking spray and pop them in a 350 degree oven until they are toasted and crisp. Take them out and sprinkle with a little salt and it is a much healthier option than a deep fried chip.

This recipe makes about 4 servings.

Green Chile Potato Chowder

When made with canned green chiles & the jalapeno is omited, this is a very mild soup for a child. Katie (4 year old) loves it.

1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced (may omit to taste)
1/4 cup fresh long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (approx 3 medium chiles)*
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2inch cubes
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
4 cups fat free chicken stock
1/4 cup butter (can substitute margarine)
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (may use 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 1/2cups half-half)
2 cups frozen sweet white corn
fresh tortillas
oil
cheddar cheese, shredded
green onions, chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Melt butter over low heat; add flour to blend, stirring constantly for 3 minutes to make a blond roux. Reserving all of the liquid, strain liquid from potato, chile, and onion mixture. Mash half of the potato mixture, leaving the other half unmashed. Stir 3 cups of the reserved liquid into the roux. Raise heat, stirring with a whisk until thickened. Add milk to the thickened liquid and continue to stir until it comes to simmer. Add mashed potato mixture, stir. Add cubed potato mixture and corn. Heat through.

In the meantime, cut the tortillas into thin 1/4inch strips, heat oil in separate pan, cook tortillas strips until crispy, drain on paper towels.

Laddle soup into bowls, top with cheddar cheese, crisp tortilla strips, and chopped green onion.

*may use 1-2 small cans of chopped green chili (depending on your taste)