Chicken Tacos A La Mexicana Recipe

prep avocado and garnish

Slice the avocado in half, remove pit, peel and slice each half into 8 thin slices. Squeeze the lime over the slices and set aside. Roughly chop cilantro and set aside for garnish.

Warm tortillas: heat a large skillet over medium heat. Optional: melt 1 tsp butter in the pan. Warm each flour tortilla 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly charred spots appear. Stack and keep wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.

Make chipotle mayo: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp finely chopped chipotle in adobo, 1/2 tsp adobo sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp minced garlic and 1/8 tsp salt. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or lime. Refrigerate until assembly.

cook bacon

Cook 4 bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. When cool, chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces. Reserve 1 tsp of bacon fat in the pan if desired.

season and cook chicken

Pat 1 lb chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper (from the beans & seasoning amounts included). Heat a skillet over medium-high with 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or reserved bacon fat). Sear chicken 4–6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and edges are golden. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly or shred into bite-sized pieces.

melt cheese

If you prefer melted cheese, after filling the tortillas (step in Assembly), place assembled tacos briefly in a warm skillet covered for 30–45 seconds to melt the Chihuahua cheese slightly. Alternatively, sprinkle shredded cheese directly on hot chicken so it melts from residual heat.

Warm and season black beans: in a small saucepan or skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add drained and rinsed 1 cup black beans, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 3/4 tsp kosher salt. Stir and heat 3–5 minutes until beans are hot and slightly broken down. Lightly mash about one-quarter of the beans with the back of a spoon for texture. Keep warm until assembly.

Assemble tacos: Lay a warm flour tortilla flat. Spread about 1 tbsp chipotle mayo across the center. Add 2–3 tbsp warm seasoned black beans. Top with 3–4 oz cooked chicken (sliced or shredded). Sprinkle 2 tbsp shredded Chihuahua cheese over the chicken. Add 1 tablespoon crumbled bacon. Place 2–3 avocado slices on top and squeeze a little lime juice if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve: Serve immediately while warm. Provide extra chipotle mayo, lime wedges and cilantro on the side.