World's Best Chicken Tacos

It's true, World's Best is a big claim, but once you taste these tacos I think you'll agree.

It's not because the recipe is top secret or anything like that.   Rather, it's collecting all the home-cooked elements onto a single table that makes these tacos so rewarding.   They'll be quite different than the tacos you grew up with, and most people who I've made them for tend to be overwhelmed by their flavor -- in a good way!

Finding a substantial upgrade to such a common meal is a real treat.   And the good news is that you don't have to worry about re-creating each element teaspoon perfect.  Just get everything on the table and have at it.  Trust me it is worth it.

I'll be the first to admit that I occasionally take shortcuts on these tacos and they still come out delish.  However, there is one element on the menu that I would consider non-negotiable and that is the Salsa.  Freshly made Salsa is the hidden driver of these tacos and now that you're an expert at it there's no going back!

(Note:  ingredient amounts are designed to gobsmack 4-5 hungry people.  Feel free to adjust based on your gathering.)

We're going to make a double batch of our Tomato Jalapeno Salsa.

Start by roasting 7-8 plum tomatoes in a 400F oven.  You'll need six of them for the salsa and 1-2 of them for the rice, dependent on their size.  They'll need about 20-25 minutes to roast in the oven.

As the tomatoes roast you've got plenty of time to get started on the other elements.

The cookery and seasoning on the chicken isn't crucial so feel free to do what works best for you.  My default seasoning usually looks like this:

So in the above pic you've got:

2 Tablespoons crushed New Mexican chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
dollop of oil

Chop up two chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and give them a good swirl in the seasoning bowl.  Set aside until you need it.

The rice is the Arroz Rojo from the Sides Module.  You'll need a couple tomatoes that are roasting in the oven, so I usually start the rice about halfway through the roasting period and snag the tomatoes from the oven before they are officially "done".

Heat a dollop of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 1 cup of rice.

Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is turning opaque and light brown.

Add one of the roasted tomatoes to a blender along with 1/2 onion and a single garlic clove.   (You can use two tomatoes if they are smaller.)  Combine well and add to the saucepan, letting the puree cook into the rice for a few minutes.

Add 2 cups of stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed, somewhere around 10-15 minutes.

Once the liquid is absorbed set aside and cover, letting the rice sit in its own steam for a few minutes.   And definitely salt to taste.  I added another pinch to this batch.

For the chicken, I usually start by cooking 3-4 tablespoons of onion in a dollop of oil over mediumish heat.

Once the onion is tender add the chicken and form a single layer as much as possible.  Let the first side cook all the way through and then give it a flip, briefly cooking the second side.

Don't eat it yet!  Put the cooked chicken in a serving bowl and cover with foil.

I usually start the Guacamole when the chicken goes in the pan as you only need a few minutes to make it.  We're using the Basic Guacamole recipe for these tacos and it's the perfect fit because of its simplicity.  You don't need tons of extra flavor in the Guac because you'll be getting so much flavor from the Salsa.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2-3 tablespoons of chopped onion, and the juice of a single lime.  (I usually crush the onion with the back of a fork to mimic a molcajete and release some additional oils.)  Add the flesh of two ripe avocados and combine well.

Salting to taste is crucial here.  I added another pinch of salt and cut open a second lime for another squeeze.

Okay, almost there!

In addition to six of the roasted tomatoes, you'll need the following ingredients for the Salsa:

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno
pinch of salt (optional)

Add these to a blender or food processor along with the tomatoes and give it a pulse blend.  No need to blend it all the way as it prefers to be left a little chunky.

Yum!  Sometimes this salsa is perfect even without the salt so feel free to omit it.  It's also worth tasting it for heat level; you can always add more jalapeno for a more fiery version.

Yes, you can whip up a batch of refried beans, but for this recipe I usually default to this method:

I usually take that shortcut with these tacos as you don't need much flavor from the beans.

Okay, it's assembly time!

In addition to the homemade Salsa, there is one other non-negotiable aspect of this recipe.  Serving up the chicken tacos hot and crispy makes them taste infinitely better, so I highly recommend trying that the first time you make them.

Sure, you can put a pile of corn tortillas on the table and let people build their own, but I think they are so much better if you crisp up the tortilla and melt the cheese before serving.  In other words, you're building the first half of the tacos with beans, rice and cheese, and letting your peeps build the rest of the tacos themselves.

Heat up a skillet or comal to mediumish heat.   Add four corn tortillas (or as many as you can fit) and give each of them a layer of beans, cheese and rice.

Let these cook for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is starting to turn golden brown.  Keep in mind that people will fold them as they eat them so you only need to cover half of the tortilla with the beans and rice.

As these cook, make sure the other elements are ready to go on the table:  chicken, Guacamole, and Salsa.

Then it's time to chow down!  Don't forget to loudly recommend a goopy, over-the-top serving of Salsa in each taco.   When these piping hot crispy tacos are drenched in a freshly made Salsa then at least for a few minutes all is well in the world.

Yes, you'll have to head back to the stove to crisp up a few more batches, but I think this step is totally worth it.  I do it 100 percent of the time because it creates a rich flavor that most people have never had before.

And there you have it.  The World's Best Chicken Tacos.

And don't forget that they are super forgiving.   There are times when I've made these tacos for family/friends with all of the elements made from scratch, including the tortillas and refried beans, and there are also times when I've taken substantial shortcuts like using leftover rice and canned beans.  And I always get the same reaction, i.e. beaming peeps and happy stomachs.  So please remember that you've got some leeway on the elements; the important thing is to get them on the table and let your family and friends go wild combining them all.

The recipe box is below if you want to make them.

And that concludes the Tacos Module -- which recipe sounds best to you?   In the Module table below, click on 'Tacos-- Quiz!" to be taken to the Quiz.