Got it, Cook it: Lime & Chili Pepper Chicken Tacos

Friday, May 11, 2012

Lime & Chili Pepper Chicken Tacos

I'm always taking things out of the freezer and thawing them without having any idea of what to do with them... sometimes it gets me into trouble.
But then again, sometimes it makes me come up with a new and creative way to use a basic like chicken thighs. Here's one of them

I buy the big bag at Costco of the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I didn't like dark meat chicken when I was younger, but I do really think that it is so yummy and versatile in so many dishes now. And certainly cheaper too. Some of my favorite recipes using chicken thighs are Sticky Coconut Chicken and Chicken, Bacon and Prunes..

But I was craving Mexican food... which is actually something I do a lot.
It was Cinco de Mayo last week and all's we had was delivered pizza on the big day since I am certainly NOT going out for Mexican on Cinco de Mayo. It's like going out for brunch on Mother's Day. I hate eating in crowded restaurants... don't you?

This recipe has what I like; flavors that stand out and get noticed. The lime, chili power, garlic and salt add a great flavor to the chicken. I like flavors that I can notice, not some silly subtle flavor, especially in Mexican food! Adding a bit of sugar helps to carmalize the chicken thighs and don't add sweetness.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients

8-10 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
3 limes, juiced
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp dried garlic granules
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil

Add the chicken thighs to a large ziploc bag. Add all the marinade ingredients and mix well. Allow to marinate for 6 or more hours. Overnight would work too.

Barbecue the chicken on medium hot grill for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through. You want the chicken cooked through, but still juicy and moist.

Let chicken sit for 5-10 minutes, then slice the chicken into thin pieces.

Serve with warm tortillas (either corn or flour will do), chipotle sour cream and some Spicy Coleslaw. Serve with some salsa, you might even want to try my Hot, hot green salsa if you like it spicy!