Kid-Friendly Chicken & Cheese Crispy Tacos with a Stewed Salsa

 

These tacos use wholesome ingredients, less oil, and are pleasing to even the pickiest of kids. Not to mention, the stewed salsa is a real crowd pleaser! They’re also great to make in bulk and freeze for a simple, last-minute dinner. 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons canola oil 

2 tablespoons taco seasoning 

¼ cup white onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 can (15 oz/470 g) diced tomatoes

2 cups water

10 corn tortillas

¾ cup (3 oz/90 g) Monteray jack cheese, shredded 

1 cup (8 oz/250 g) low-fat, plain Greek yogurt

1 avocado, sliced 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

To make the filling, season the chicken with salt. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, warm  1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Add the chicken thighs and sear until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add the taco seasoning, onion, and garlic. Saute until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken pulls apart for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken, shred, and set aside. 

Continue to simmer the remaining sauce over low heat. Once the sauce has reduced to half, pour into a bowl and reserve as “salsa”. 

To assemble your tacos, warm tortillas in a pan. Fill each tortilla with a tablespoon of shredded chicken and a tablespoon of cheese and fold in half. Gently press down—no need to completely seal each tortilla, but this will make them easier for little hands and mouths to grasp. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When the oil gets hot, add your folded tacos to the pan. Place a smaller, heavy pan (ideally cast iron) on top of the tacos and cook for 2 minutes (you can press down hard with a spatula if you don’t have a cast iron pan). Carefully remove the top pan, flip tacos, and repeat on the other side.

Serve your crispy tacos with the tomato “salsa”, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and a slice of avocado.

Makes 10 tacos. 

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 210

Protein 15 g

Total fat 10 g

Saturated fat 3 g 

Cholesterol 50 mg

Carbs 15 g

Fiber 3 g

Total sugars 2 g

Added sugars 0 g

Sodium 430 mg

Powered by ESHA Nutrient Data, © 2021 ESHA Research, Inc. 

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