Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ( about 1 1/2 to 2lbs. )
1 poblano chili
1 red pepper
1/2 head lettuce ( shredded )
2 tomatoes ( small dice )
1tbsp. salt
1teas. pepper
1 teas. chili powder
1/2 teas cumin
1 teas. onion powder
1/2 teas. garlic powder
2tbsp. olive oil
2 to 4oz. queso fresco, crumbled ( an authentic Mexican cheese )
12 to 16 corn tortillas ( 6in.)
2 to 3 cups vegetable oil
hot sauce

Method: Chicken mixture

Always thoroughly wash and dry your chicken before using. In a large ziplock bag add chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, cumin and garlic powder. Close bag and mix well by “squishing” it around in the bag. I like this method because it’s less messy and there is virtually no clean up. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can marinate overnight but you want the chicken to be at room temperature before grilling. If you are using the 30 minute method just leave your bag of chicken out at room temperature. Don’t worry, you will be cooking it before anything bad can happen to it.

While your chicken is marinating roast the poblano chili and red pepper. This can be done in different ways.

Placing them on a high heat grill turning them until the skin turns black is recommended. This takes a few minutes and will give you the best flavor. The hotter the grill the better since what you are trying to do is blister the skin to make it easy to peel off. Place the roasted peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, let stand for about 15 minutes. This will “sweat” the peppers making it easier to peel off the charred skin . Peel and remove the seeds then dice into about 1/4 inch pieces and reserve.

You can use a gas burner as well following the same steps or place them on a cookie sheet and roast in a 450 to 500 degree oven for about 20 minutes ( until the skins have blackened ).

Grill chicken on medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes ( 10 to 12 minutes a side ) until juices run clear ( 165 degrees internal temp. ). Remove to a plate and let cool. Dice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes or tear into pieces about the same size.

Add chicken and peppers to a bowl and mix well. Your filling is now ready for assembly.

Method: (tortillas)

Heat oil in an 8in. cast iron skillet for more even cooking. You can use any 8in. skillet, I just like the performance of cast iron for frying. Or use a deep fryer. Never fill pan more than 1/2 full of oil, it may bubble over during cooking.Heat to 350 degrees. It is very important to reach 350 degrees or the tortillas will not cook right. With a pair of tongs place 1 tortilla into the oil and fry for about 3-5 seconds, just long enough to make the tortillas pliable and easy to work with. Repeat process until all tortillas are cooked, stack them on a plate, flip the entire stack over and get ready for assembly.

Note: Always be careful when using hot oil it can be very dangerous if not handled properly.

Assembly: (tacos)

Take about 2 to 3oz. of chicken mixture and place on upper half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and insert 2 toothpicks. Kind of like sewing. Repeat until all of the tacos are done. You might want to turn the heat down on the oil while doing this.
The method is the same as my shredded beef tacos, here is a link to some helpful pictures 1 and 2.

Cooking:

Take 2 to 3 tacos at a time and place into 350 degree oil and cook for about 1 to 3 minutes a side, or until crispy. You might notice after a batch or two that the oil will lower in temperature. There is something called “recovery time” when using hot oil. This is caused by putting a cool product into something hot.

Remove tacos and let stand for 1 minute. Remove toothpicks, open and add shredded lettuce, cheese and diced tomatoes. You’re ready to eat!

This is a good time to add your favorite toppings such as: hot sauce, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo or anything else you like.

Note: It is best to cook your tacos just before you eat for best results. Any uncooked tacos can be refrigerated for a few days but do not freeze them, the tortillas will fall apart when frying after being frozen.