Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

 

I had some chicken leftover from a rotisserie chicken that I wanted to use up today and I had a hankering for tacos or some kind of Mexican food.   Mexican food was not something I grew up. It was very rare in my world.  

I did not get to try it until I had grown up and left home, but it was something I really fell in love with. I used to make turkey enchiladas after Thanksgiving every year.  They were something that my children really loved. I used a recipe that I had found in Sunset Magazine. That and my sister's Nacho's were my first experience with Mexican flavors.

 

This recipe I am sharing with you today was adapted from one I found on Megan vs Kitchen.  It appealed to me because it appeared to be quite simple and straight forward. It didn't ask for a lot of really weird or difficult to find ingredients.  Just simple ingredients put together in a most delicious way.

I took the liberty of cutting the recipe in half because I am only one person. I ended up with six smallish tacos. I could have made a pig of myself and eaten a third, but I did only eat two, so in a pinch if you were small eaters you could feed three people.  If you are hearty eaters, it will feed two people, with three tacos a piece.

Make sure you have all of your ingredients, including your toppings ready to go before you start as they go together very quickly.   They are like the perfect taco-nacho-quesadilla mash up.  Love. Love. Love.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS

Really just a few quite simple ingredients. Most can be found in your local supermarket. I live in the boondocks and had no problem locating any of them.

• 1 1/2 cooked chicken breast, skinned, boned and shredded
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional but nice for a bit of spice)
• 1/3 cup (80g) tomato salsa
• olive oil for brushing on tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups (181g) shredded Mexican cheese combo
• 6 taco sized corn tortillas
• Your favorite taco toppings

 

I had about a cup and a half shredded chicken leftover from a rotisserie chicken.  It was just enough. I wanted my tacos to be filled generously without going over the top.

This is a nice combination of spices to add to the chicken. You may want to add a bit of salt. I rarely add salt to my food and prefer it that way. These are just spicy enough without going over the top. If you want spicier, then add more chipotle chili powder or use a spicy salsa.

My corn tortillas were six inches in diameter. They heated nicely in the microwave which made them more pliable for folding and also helped to keep them shut while baking. They came up lovely and crispy without being hard.  I find as I get older I do not like "hard" anything.  Too afraid of breaking a tooth I guess!

 

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS

These are really very simple to make.  They go together quickly and easily.  The hardest part is keeping them folded over while baking, but a toothpick placed in just the right spot  really helps with that. Once the cheese has melted and you are flipping them over to crisp up the second side, you won't need the toothpicks any more.

Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Shred the chicken into the bowl. Add all of the spices and the salsa, mixing well to combine together. Taste and add a pinch of salt if you think it needs it.

 

Wrap your tortillas in some damp paper towels, place onto a microwave safe plate and cook on high in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

Working with one tortilla at a time, brush with oil on one side. Place 2 TBS of cheese on half of the tortilla, top with 1/4 cup or so of the chicken mixture and then sprinkle 2 additional TBS of cheese over top of the chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over to cover and then fasten closed with a toothpick. Place on the baking sheet.

 

Repeat until all of the tortillas have been brushed, filled, and folded, placing them on the baking sheet with plenty of space in between.

Bake for 8 minutes. Carefully flip over and bake for a further 8 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite taco toppings. (I like shredded lettuce, salsa, chopped onion, sour cream, olives, etc.)

 

These were really, really, REALLY good!  A bit messy to eat, once you have added all the toppings, but it is my opinion that in order to be delicious enough a taco has to be more than a little bit messy to eat. That's all a part of the fun of making and eating them!

I enjoyed mine with shredded lettuce, sour cream, mild salsa, spring and red onions, and wedges of lime for squeezing. I had guacamole in the refrigerator that I had planned to serve with them as well, but totally forgot about it!

The shells were lovely and crispy without being hard and the chicken filling was just spicy enough for me to enjoy!  They were nice and cheesy as well!  Next time I will make quick pickled onions to enjoy with them!

 

If you are a fan of the taco or Tex Mex in general, you might also enjoy the following recipes!

TACO STUFFED SHELLS - My boys always really enjoyed this when I made it for supper.  For this recipe you create a delicious spicy meat sauce, with taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, salsa, onion, jalapeno peppers, lean ground beef, and a bit of sour cream to make it creamy. Stuffed into large pasta shells and covered with a bit more sauce, cheese and crushed tortilla chips to give a bit of crunch. Delicious!

CRISPY REFRIED BEAN TACOS -These tacos are quick and easy to make with a rich bean, cheese and green chili filling. Garnish with your favorite taco toppings for a really delicious, meat-free meal.  I love to have shredded lettuce, olives, spring onions, salsa, sour cream and taco sauce with these. They are so delicious you don't miss the meat at all. 

Yield: Serves 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 16 MinTotal time: 31 Min

A quick, easy and delicious way to use up leftover cooked chicken. These are simply a fabulous taco-nacho-quesadilla combo that everyone loves.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cooked chicken breast, skinned, boned and shredded
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional but nice for a bit of spice)
• 1/3 cup (80g) tomato salsa
• olive oil for brushing on tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups (181g) shredded Mexican cheese combo
• 6 taco sized corn tortillas
• Your favorite taco toppings

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Shred the chicken into the bowl. Add all of the spices and the salsa, mixing well to combine together. Taste and add a pinch of salt if you think it needs it.
3. Wrap your tortillas in some damp paper towels, place onto a microwave safe plate and cook on high in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Working with one tortilla at a time, brush with oil on one side. Place 2 TBS of cheese on half of the tortilla, top with 1/4 cup or so of the chicken mixture and then sprinkle 2 additional TBS of cheese over top of the chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over to cover and then fasten closed with a toothpick. Place on the baking sheet.
5. Repeat until all of the tortillas have been brushed, filled, and folded, placing them on the baking sheet with plenty of space in between.
6. Bake for 8 minutes. Carefully flip over and bake for a further 8 minutes.
7. Serve hot with your favorite taco toppings. (I like shredded lettuce, salsa, chopped onion, sour cream, olives, etc.)

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