Chicken Tacos with Charred Corn and Tomato Salsa
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Makes about: 14-16 tacos
if using tortillas roughly 5.5” x 5.5”
This taco recipe isn’t a quick fix but the chicken can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed or you can cook the chicken and tackle other tasks while it simmers. The Hatch Chile Sauce adds significant flavor to the chicken.
Chicken Ingredients
16–18 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken (4 breasts)
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno or habanero pepper, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 white onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 or 5 thyme sprigs
1 lime
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
3-4 tablespoon Hatch Chile Sauce
½ cup white wine
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Corn Salsa Ingredients
2 cups of frozen corn
1 lime
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup of green onion, trimmed and diced, white parts discarded
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Ingredients for serving
14 to 16 yellow corn tortillas, medium-sized, roughly 5.5” x 5.5” each
Avocado slices, radish slices, fresh cilantro, and limes
Chicken Preparation
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, cumin, and Hatch Chile Sauce and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chicken and allow to sear for 1 minute on each side. Add white wine, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pot, and let simmer for 1-2 minutes to reduce.
Turn heat to low, add chicken stock, and cover, let cook for 45 minutes to 2 hours, until chicken pulls apart.
Remove chicken and transfer to a plate, leaving sauce in the pot. Shred chicken, using two forks to pull the meat apart.
Remove thyme and bay leaves from the sauce in the pot and pour into a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until you have a thick sauce/gravy. Squeeze lime over the sauce. Season with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and additional habanero-based hot sauce like Cholula, if necessary.
Combine shredded chicken and sauce and stir to mix together. Keep warm and serve with tacos.
Corn Salsa Preparation
Heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat.
Add corn, stirring regularly. As kernels begin to char, they will begin to pop. Continue to stir until all kernels are charred. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
Add tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, lime, and salt, stir to combine, and let sit for 20 minutes or more to marinate.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a topping for tacos.
To serve
Add chicken to tortillas.
Top with Charred Corn and Tomato Salsa, radish slices, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
