I was in search of some quick dinner options that would use up the lifetime supply of boneless skinless chicken breasts I have stored in my freezer. Ok, it’s not really a lifetime supply, but it is a pretty big bag. Since we were snowed in yet again, going to the grocery store for ingredients wasn’t an option. I had to use some things I already had (which I like doing anyway). Chicken breasts, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortillas were ingredients I already had in my stock, so chicken tacos is what I came up with. PERFECT since our family loves tacos.
I thawed about 5 chicken breasts, and then pounded them flat. I despise large chicken breasts since they are difficult to cook evenly without them drying out. Thin breasts cook quicker and stay moist easily. Who likes dry chicken??? NOBODY. I put my chicken breasts in a freezer size Ziploc bag prior to pounding flat with the smooth side of my meat tenderizer to avoid splatter. The flatter, the better.
I cut away any excess fatty parts, and then season them up with taco seasoning. Don’t bother buying “chicken taco seasoning” because I don’t think there is a difference besides the name. (If you know of a difference, let me know in the comments).
Be generous with your seasoning. It makes a difference in the taste.
I seasoned both sides well before they headed into the heated grill pan. Now, you can drizzle some vegetable or canola oil over your breasts or make sure your grill pan is oiled before putting the chicken in there. Also, make sure the grill pan is hot, or your chicken will stick, and that’s not cute at all! A little oil will help you get those pretty grill marks as well, so oil away!
You want the breasts to cook about 3 -5 minutes on one side before flipping them over. Grill marks should be evident as well.
And now let them cook on the other side. Simple, huh? Your main ingredient done in less than ten minutes. That’s fast and fabulous my friends. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before slicing them up.
And then slice away. We like slices over chunks, but hey, do what your family likes.
Slice, slice, slice….(my hubby is doing the slicing for me).
Yum! Looks good, doesn’t it? Speaking of looking good, I like to grill my tortillas so they look good as well. Clean that grill pan now, or simply grill your tortillas before you grill the chicken (hmmmm…maybe I should have told you that up front). I like to do it afterwards though so my tortillas are warm when I get ready to eat them. Heat up your lightly oiled grill pan, and place your first tortilla in there for a minute. Do it any longer, and your tortilla will turn into a big cracker. (Lol).
Flip it over and let it grill for another minute or just until you get the grill marks. Don’t worry if it starts to puff up. It will go down immediately after it’s removed from the grill pan.
Nice, huh?
Now we are ready to assemble the tacos. You can use store bought tomato salsa, or make your own like I usually do. My recipe is my cookbook. I also sliced up some avocado to go along with my other fixings of sour cream and shredded cheese. Black beans served as our side dish. Rice wouldn’t hurt either, but I didn’t have any so we did without.
I like to assemble them in this order: chicken, salsa, avocado, cheese, sour cream. I add a few sprigs of cilantro on top.
Dinner is done. So easy, or shall I say FAST AND FABULOUS! Let me hear from you in the comment section.
Here’s a look at the tools I used. All items are available here in my cooking store.
Grilled Chicken Taco Recipe
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil
10 flour tortillas, taco size
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
1 cup of salsa (homemade or store bought)
sour cream
fresh cilantro and lime for garnish
Kitchen Equipment
cutting board
knife
grill pan
meat tenderizer
tongs
citrus squeezer (used in homemade salsa)
Directions
Place chicken breasts in freezer size ziploc bag and flatten with smooth side of meat tenderizer.
Cut away any fatty pieces from breasts.
Season breasts with taco seasoning and drizzle with oil.
Heat grill pan over high heat. Grill breasts for 3-5 minutes per side.
Remove from grill pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice breasts into 1/2 inch slices or thinner.
Clean grill pan and oil lightly.
Heat grill pan to high, and grill tortillas for about one minute on each side.
Assemble tacos with chicken slices and 2 teaspoons of salsa (or more if you like). Garnish with fresh avocado slices, shredded cheese, and fresh cilantro. Serve with black beans.
Serves 5
