Name: SMOKY CHICKEN TACOS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 limes, juice and zest; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 3 tablespoons of the adobo sauce; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips (about 6); 8 bacon strips, chopped; 1 white onion, cut into thin wedges; 1 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced; 1 green bell pepper, seeded sliced; 2 jalapeno, diced, optional; 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, plus extra sprigs for garnish; 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese (or a taco blend); Fajita-size flour tortillas, warmed, to serve; 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seed removed; 1 small handful of cilantro leaves and stems; 1 garlic clove, peeled; 3 tablespoons lime juice; 1/3 cup sour cream; Pinch of salt & freshly ground black pepper; 1 jalapeno, trimmed of stem, optional; Water, optional

Smoky Chicken Tacos with Avocado Sauce: lots of sliced peppers, smoky bacon, onion, fresh jalapeños, cilantro, smoky chipotle chilies in adobo sauce and a garlicky lime spice marinade bath for the chicken. Once cooked, everything is covered with jalapeño jack cheese. The cheese melts and oozes down into all the nooks and crannies. Spoon it into warm tortillas and then give the filling a generous squeeze or dollop of the avocado sauce. Heavenly.

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This makes enough for six people or four hungry people. You’ll need a large, skillet, failing that a non-stick Dutch oven or pot. I’m usually only cooking for two so I took the leftovers and made them into other meals: served it with rice and beans for one meal; added some of the chicken mixture to an omelet for another meal. You could also make huevos rancheros. Endless possibilities.

I’m going to be a be a little bossy here and tell you don’t even think about making Smoky Chicken Tacos with Avocado Sauce without the avocado sauce. I like to pop it into a squeeze bottle, if you have one floating about, it makes it easier for drizzling. Add some water to thin the sauce if you’d prefer. I also like it as a dip with some tortilla chips. And maybe a good margarita.

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SMOKY CHICKEN TACOS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

This makes enough for six people or four hungry people. You’ll need a large, skillet, failing that a non-stick Dutch oven or pot. I’m usually only cooking for two so I took the leftovers and made them into other meals, added rice and beans to serve; added some of the chicken mixture to an omelet. You could also make huevos rancheros. Endless possibilities. Please note the nutritional information doesn't include the tortillas, so read the packet.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: dinner

Servings:

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Lovoni

Equipment

1 large, deep frying pan

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

CHICKEN MARINADE

2 limes, juice and zest
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 3 tablespoons of the adobo sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips about 6

TACO MIXTURE

8 bacon strips, chopped
1 white onion, cut into thin wedges
1 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded sliced
2 jalapeno, diced, optional
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, plus extra sprigs for garnish
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese or a taco blend
Fajita-size flour tortillas, warmed, to serve

AVOCADO SAUCE

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seed removed
1 small handful of cilantro leaves and stems
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeno, trimmed of stem, optional
Water, optional

Instructions

To make the chicken marinade:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour or overnight if time permits.

To make the taco mixture:

In a very large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium-high for 5 to 6 minutes until browned. Drain the bacon and place on a large plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Or add a little oil if needed.
Add the chicken and all the marinade to the pan and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until tender and cooked. Remove the chicken to the same plate as the bacon.
Add the onion, peppers and jalapeno to the same pan and sauté for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, return the chicken, mix with vegetables, and taste for salt, adjusting if needed.
Add the bacon, chicken and cilantro to the pan. Stir until hot. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 minutes until the cheese is melted.

To make the avocado sauce:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth, adding more water a tablespoon at a time until it is at your desired consistency.
Spoon the chicken mixture into warm tortillas. Drizzle with avocado sauce. Serves 6 or 4 hungry people.