A little while ago I came up with a recipe for grilled salsa. It involved all the fantastic chilies and tomatillos I had been using for pozole verde, but I grilled them gently before dicing or blending. It became VERY apparent that this salsa could be used in a TON of recipes! I’ve used the blended version with grilled cod, and the chopped version in my favorite breakfast combinations.
Finally I have had the chance to combine the grilled chilies with grilled chicken in street-style tacos with avocado, cilantro, and lime.
Note: You can also make these tacos in your kitchen. Just boil, broil, or fry your chicken breasts, then pull, and season. And simply broil the chilies, rotating until evenly cooked, and dice. They will still taste amazing, just without the smokiness, which may even make it just as good.
Grilled Chicken and Salsa Verde Street Tacos
By: semiserious chefs
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 3 boneless chicken breasts
- ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
- smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 pablano chili
- 1 anaheim chili
- 2 yellow chili peppers
- 3 tomatillos
- 1/3 of a white onion diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro + more for garnish
- 1 T white vinegar
- 1/t salt
- 1/2 T lime juice
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 limes, sliced into wedges or 6-8 key limes, halved
- 15-20 small corn or flour tortillas
Directions:
- Get your grill going to a medium-high heat. (I prefer charcoal for the fantastic smokey flavor without the undertone of propane.) When your grill is ready, cook your chicken breasts on both sides until an interior temperature of 165° F has been reachedand there is not pink inside.
- Either at the same time, or separately lay the chili peppers and tomatillos (in leaf) on the grill. Turn and rotate your group as needed to get even heat coverage. You only want to grill the peppers until they brighten and are slightly soft. do not grill them so long that they turn to mush. (If you happen to have let them grill too long don’t fret. Simply blend your salsa. It will taste the same and is still fantastic!)
- When the chicken and the chilies are done grilling remove from heat and let stand to cool to the touch. Dice the chilies and the white onion. Dice the tomatillos and strain for a minute in a sieve over the sink. Add the diced chilies, onions, tomatillos, 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, and salt to a bowl and mix well.
- Using two forks pull the chicken breasts into shreds. Season to taste with ground cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Smoked paprika can bring some nice heat if desired.
- Warm the tortillas on the cool side of the grill, just enough to make them pliable.
- “Stuff” your open-face tacos with shredded lettuce, chicken, salsa verde, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and top with Monterrey jack cheese. Plate 2 or 3 tacos on each plate with a lime wedges or halved key limes.
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