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Crunchy Chipotle Chicken Taco Recipe

Name: Barrio Tacos Lakewoods CRUNCHY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACO Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 tbs chipotle in adobo (finely chopped); 2 tbs lime juice; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 cup smoked cheddar (shredded); 2 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce (thinly sliced); 3 tbs pico de gallo; 1 each avocado (ripe, diced); 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise; 1 each ripe avocado (mashed); 2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped); 1 tbs fresh lime juice; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried dill; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 2 tbs water (to thin); 8 each small flour or corn tortillas (6-inch); 2 cups widow chips or sturdy tortilla chips (crushed); 2 tbs vegetable oil (for shallow frying / or brushing); 2 each lime wedges; 2 tbs fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Inspired by Barrio Tacos Lakewood

Time45m

Serves4

enchilada chicken, smoked cheddar, lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado ranch, widow chips

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Ingredients

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Chicken & Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 tbs chipotle in adobo (finely chopped)

2 tbs ReaLime juice

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp Garlic (minced)

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

Cheese & Toppings

1 cup smoked cheddar (shredded)

2 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce (thinly sliced)

3 tbs Pico de gallo

1 each avocado (ripe, diced)

Avocado Ranch

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise

1 each ripe avocado (mashed)

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped)

1 tbs Fresh lime juice

1 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1 tsp Dried dill

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbs water (to thin)

Tortillas & Crunch

8 each small flour or corn tortillas (6-inch)

2 cups widow chips or sturdy tortilla chips (crushed)

2 tbs vegetable oil (for shallow frying / or brushing)

Finishing

2 each Lime wedges

2 tbs fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Method

Chicken & Marinade

Marinate chicken

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry. In a bowl combine chopped chipotle in adobo, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper. Add chicken, coat well, cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes (up to 2 hours) to absorb flavor.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until nicely charred and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If thighs are thick, cover and reduce heat to medium and cook additional 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then chop or shred into bite-size pieces.

Avocado Ranch

Make avocado ranch

In a bowl combine Greek yogurt (or mayo), mashed avocado, chopped cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, dried dill, salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth; add water 1 tablespoon at a time to reach a pourable but creamy consistency (about 2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Keep chilled until assembling.

Tortillas & Crunch

Prepare tortillas

If you prefer a lightly crisp tortilla, brush each tortilla lightly with vegetable oil on both sides and warm in a hot skillet or on a comal 30–45 seconds per side until pliable with slight browning. Keep wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.

Prepare widow chips

Place sturdy tortilla chips (widow chips) in a resealable bag and crush coarsely with a rolling pin or pulse briefly in a food processor so you have a mix of crumbs and small pieces for texture.

Assembly & Finish

Assemble tacos

Lay a warm tortilla flat. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the shredded chipotle chicken down the center. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons shredded smoked cheddar over the hot chicken so it softens slightly. Add a small handful (about 1/4 cup) of shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon pico de gallo, and a few diced avocado pieces.

Add avocado ranch and chips

Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons avocado ranch over the toppings. Press a generous pinch (about 2 tablespoons) of crushed widow chips on top of each taco for crunch. Optionally gently press chips into the ranch so they adhere.

Serve

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing. Repeat to make total of 8 tacos. Serve extra avocado ranch and extra chips on the side.