Chicken Verde Tacos

Ready for some Game Day food?

These have to be the best tasting chicken tacos...ever!  They are also some of the easiest to make.  


Perfect for feeding a crowd, and who doesn't love tacos?  They are a satisfying dish that your kids, husbands, friends, and neighbors are sure to love!


To add to the convenience I use a crock pot for easy, hands-off cooking so you can enjoy the game as well!


The best part?  The flavor.


These Chicken Verde Tacos, have a mild sweet and spicy flavor from the cooking liquid.  It's loaded with vegetables and spices, and they are so moist.  Now don't be put off by the celery...it lends the best mild "green" flavor and texture to the cooking liquid.  


I tell you now...be prepared...they will be coming back for more!


Here are some pics to help you along.


 - Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker
 - In a food processor, or a blender, mix ingredients to make the cooking liquid.  This is actually thick like a paste to begin with.  Blend all ingredients until smooth.

 - Cook for 6-7 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
 - Remove chicken and discard the bay leaf.  Shred chicken and return to the pot, stirring with the remaining cooking liquid.

Serve with corn tortillas and your favorite toppings.  I made homemade taco shells. (Tutorial coming soon!) and used shredded cabbage, cheese and some salsa verde for toppings.

Believe me...these are the BEST chicken tacos ever!  Try them.

Chicken Verde Tacos

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2  ½ lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts

½  onion, peeled and quartered 

2 stalks celery, cut in thirds         

1 Jalapeno, seeded and cut into quarters         

¼  cup water

½ tsp salt

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

¼ tsp oregano                              

¼ tsp black pepper

1 ½ cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf                                       

Corn Tortillas

Salsa verde, shredded Cabbage, shredded cheese, and lime wedges (optional)

                                                       

                                                       

Directions:

Place meat in a 5 quart slow cooker.  In a food processor or blender combine onion, celery, jalapeno pepper, water, salt, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, oregano, black pepper, and garlic. Process until almost smooth.

Pour over meat in cooker. Add bay leaves.  Cover and cook on low for 6 - 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Remove meat from cooker; discard bay leaf.  Shred pork by pulling two forks through the meat.  Return meat to the cooker; and stir in with the cooking liquid. 

Serve with taco shells, and desired toppings.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

I'm back on the Mexican food again.

Sorry...I can't help myself!

This time I'm taking a favorite dish, taquitos, and lightening it up!  How do you do that, you say?  Well, taquitos are usually fried....so why not BAKE them?  

Baking doesn't give you that extra fat (that we all don't need) that frying does.  But, you still end up with some tasty, crispy taquitos!

These are Baked Chicken Taquitos, but you could certainly swap out the chicken for some lean shredded beef.  They would be equally delicious.

These are accomplished in a matter of minutes.  They are kid and adult friendly.  Great for lunch or dinner (add some rice or beans and a salad).  They would even be excellent as an appetizer if you cut them in half.

Come on, you gotta try these...pretty please?

Simple to make:

In a medium bowl add shredded chicken, taco seasoning, salsa, and cheese.  Mix together.

Take two damp paper towels and place the tortillas in between.  Place them in a microwave for 1 minutes to soften them up and make them easy to handle.

Place about 2 tablespoons of filing at the bottom of the tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in a baking dish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Allow to cool and then serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream for dipping.

So easy...so very tasty!

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Serves: 2

1 c of shredded, cooked chicken breast

1/4 c salsa

1/4 c Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning

4 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas

Sour cream, salsa, or guacamole, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, taco seasoning, cheese and taco seasoning.  Mix to combine.

Dampen 2 paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and soft.

Place one tortilla flat on a clean dry surface and spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom portion of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly.  Place in pan seam side down.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. 

Bake 15 minutes or until crispy. 

Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with desired topping for dipping.

Chicken and Tortellini in an Herb Cream Sauce

Sometimes you just gotta have some pasta...

I've been interested in this new product, Philadelphia Cooking Creme, that I've been seeing adds for recently.  It comes in several different flavors such as, Italian Cheese and Herb, Savory Garlic, and Santa Fe.  So I decided to pick up some and give it a try, creating Chicken and Tortellini in an Herb Cream Sauce.

Boy, am I glad I tried this product!  It is sooo tasty, easy to use, and did I say how tasty it is??


This pasta dish is perfect for a weeknight meal or quick lunch.  I added some vegetables which is a good way to get in one of your daily servings.  I also added chicken for protein which also allows you to eat less of a pasta serving, equating to less carbs.  The sauce does the rest and adds all the flavorings you need.  It brings this dish together with a creaminess that seems decadent.


So run out and buy some of this cooking creme and try my yummy pasta dish for your next dinner.


Here are some step by step pictures to help you along.


In a large pot boil the tortellini as directed on the package.  Reserve some of the pasta water for later use.


In the meantime, saute the chopped zucchini in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp tender and slightly browned.  About 5 minutes. (Substitute peas, bell peppers, or mushrooms if you like) Add your shredded chicken to heat through.  Add the cooking creme and stir to combine.  Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet.  Stir to combine.  Add some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce, which will make it easier to coat.

Place in a serving dish and top with some chopped parsley.
Serve!

Isn't this wonderful looking?

Chicken and Tortellini in an Herb Cream Sauce

Serves 4

1 pkg. fresh spinach and cheese tortellini

1 T. olive oil

2 medium zucchini, chopped 

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast

1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

2 T. chopped Italian parsley

Cook pasta in a medium pot of boiling water as directed on package.  Retain 1 cup of pasta water.

Saute  zucchini in a large skillet on medium heat until crisp tender and slightly browned.   Add shredded chicken and heat through.  Add cooking creme and stir to combine.  Add cooked tortellini to the skillet.  Stir to combine.   Add enough of the retained pasta water to loosen up the creme and all all ingredients to become well coated.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Serve immediately.




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Melt in your mouth Monday