I asked Charlotte what she wanted me to make her for dinner on her birthday, and she said “TACOS!” which is a testament to her love of all things tortilla-bound. We have just come off several weeks of chicken taco testing in our kitchen. We had chicken tacos so many nights in a row I just stopped counting. But I didn’t hear a single complaint, because tacos really are one of those meals you can eat every day, right? Just ask Mexico. I had bought a large new gift bag at Target (for a whopping 6 dollars), because it had an adorable picture of roller skates on it. It served as a fun clue: we got her a pair of roller skates as her big gift this year. (They are bright turquoise and so awesome) I learned from my mother that the ritual of gift-opening on birthdays and Christmases ends with The Mom quietly seated in the corner, carefully smoothing and folding gift bags and tissue paper to be reused for the next event. Maybe someday I will reach Grandpa-level frugality. When Eric was growing up, his family owned the town hardware and furniture store. All his birthday cards from Grandpa had no message written on the card itself, but instead a post-it note stuck inside saying happy birthday. Then after the family party, Grandpa would take the card and the unsealed envelope back to his store and return it to the shelf to sell to someone else. HASHTAG GOALS. Let’s talk ingredients. I thought this was how everyone ate. When I moved to Utah for school (go BYU) and later to Indiana, I was shocked at what passed for “Mexican food.” Unmitigated garbage, wrapped in a tortilla. And a crappy tortilla, at that. I’ve never been more offended.
They must have excellent, juicy, drippy, flavorful salty chicken. They must have a tortilla that you have spent some time on, since you probably aren’t making said tortilla from scratch. Fixin’s are a MUST: cilantro, onions, and sauce are the most vital.
Use chicken thighs, not chicken breasts. Thighs have more internal fat. FAT=FLAVOR! Use my Homemade Taco Seasoning. I’m kind of embarrassed how long I worked on the recipe for this seasoning mix, haha. But it’s a game changer. If you must use a store-bought taco seasoning packet (I get it, I get it) add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal to it. It is the magic ingredient that makes your meat saucy and corny all at once. Lime juice garnish is not optional.
The other way to make these tacos is in the slow cooker.
Chicken Thigh Taco ingredients:
Okay. Let’s dig into the details. First I’m going to show you how to make these tacos in 30 minutes, then I will show you the slow cooker method. The second method is in the crock pot and takes about 3 hours. Sorry, this is not a make-it-before-work-and-come-home-to-dinner meal. If you cook chicken solo in the crock pot while you are away for 10 hours it’s going to taste like dry stringy garbage. I said what I said. Don’t do it. More details on the crock pot method below. The recipe is the same, whichever way you decide to cook it. But I’ve got some rules. First things first:
How to char and steam tortillas
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Here’s the thing about crock pot chicken. Everyone wants to leave it in all day. Set-it and forget-it, right? WRONG. You can leave a pot roast in all day. You can go for 10 hours on that Pulled pork shoulder. But would you put salmon in the slow cooker for 10 hours? “Of course not!” (By the way, I’m not saying there are zero chicken recipes that go all day in the slow cooker. Just try this Chicken Kale Soup or this Basil Chicken Curry. But if your goal is cooked chicken that’s stand alone, not part of a sauce or soup, you need it to be juicy and browned and flavorful. A short cook time and minimal added liquid is the best way to do it.)
Don’t leave your chicken in the slow cooker longer than 3 hours tops Don’t add salsa or other liquid. We want to braise this bird, not boil it in tomatoes. Heaven’s sake. Salsa goes on your taco AFTER you cook the meat. Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant where the chicken tasted like a jar of canned salsa? No!!
Set the burner to medium high heat. It only takes a few seconds for the tortilla to char on the edges. Flip it with metal tongs and do the other side.
Build your Chicken Taco
Once you have your charred and steamed tortillas, build your taco:
Layer two tortillas generous chicken (drizzle with drippings if you made it in the crock) Pico de gallo (or at least cilantro and onions) salsa queso radishes Mexican Crema
Eat one, and then another, and then another, and another… Here are a few suggestions for how to use the filling for this Chicken Taco recipe (other than tacos).
Use it as enchilada filling. Honestly this would be perfect with green OR red enchilada sauce. Throw it on burrito bowls. Personally I’m a huge fan of cauliflower rice and this Spanish Cauliflower Rice would make a killer base. Or, this SUPER flavorful Cilantro Lime Rice would be heaven too. Add some black beans, pico de gallo, cheese, and guac and you’re outdoing Chipotle by like a million. Put it in quesadillas. Turn a tortilla-and-cheese toddler lunch into a full-on adult dinner by adding this chicken taco meat. Dip it in salsa and you’re golden. Upgrade your loaded nachos. Take this simple recipe for Easy Rotisserie Chicken Nachos and make it even better with more flavorful chicken. Make a plate with rice and beans. These Tex Mex Tejano Beans are the perfect complement to your chicken with a side of rice. Again, a little guac never hurts.
5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa « you’re gonna need a lot of chips, Jaunita’s please. (or is it Juantonio??) How to Make Authentic Pico de Gallo « you can make this simple salsa last minute. Mexican Cucumber Salad with Cilantro and Lime « one of my most popular recipes! Slow Cooker Refried Beans « the perfect compliment if you’re making the chicken in the slow cooker. Spanish Cauliflower Rice « there is no better base for a low-carb burrito bowl. Vanilla Bean Horchata « maybe it’s just me but there is NEVER a bad time for horchata. Brazilian Limeade Recipe « if you’ve never had this tart and sweet combo you have got to try it! Best Tres Leches Cake « we are talking irresistible flavor and moistness. Simple Guacamole from Veronika’s Kitchen Mexican Rice from The Woks of Life Churros Recipe from Isabel Eats
The taco toppings should be stored in the fridge also. Freshly chopped veggies, pico de gallo, and avocado don’t freeze well, but you can freeze salsa or cheese if you want.
How to reheat Chicken Thigh Tacos
When you’re ready to reheat it from the fridge, the microwave works great. If it’s frozen, you can let it defrost overnight before warming. Or, if you regularly forget about making dinner (like yours truly), then you can place the sealed ziplock bag of frozen chicken in a bowl of warm water on your counter or in your sink, turning it over after 10 minutes or so, until it’s defrosted. Or heat in the microwave; use a lower power level to defrost.
