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Restaurants›Taco Libre North St. Augustine›Taco Fresco Recipe

Taco Fresco Recipe

Name: Taco Libre North St. Augustines Taco Fresco Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced; 0.5 cups white onion, finely diced; 0.5 cups fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 unit jalapeño, seeded and minced; 2 tbs fresh lime juice; 0.75 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (or large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed); 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp lime zest; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.5 cups sour cream or Mexican crema; 1 tbs fresh lime juice; 0.5 tsp honey or agave; 0.25 tsp salt; 1 tsp water (to thin, optional); 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced; 3 tbs apple cider vinegar; 3 tbs water; 1 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 8 unit small corn or flour tortillas; 0.5 cups crumbled cotija or queso fresco; 2 cups shredded green cabbage or lettuce; 2 unit fresh lime wedges

Inspired by Taco Libre North St. Augustine

Time40m

Serves4

Make Taco Fresco Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Pico de Gallo (Fresh Salsa)

2 cups ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cups white onion, finely diced

1/2 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 unit jalapeño, seeded and minced

2 tbs Fresh lime juice

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Grilled Protein (Choice of Chicken or Shrimp)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (or large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed)

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1/2 tsp Ground coriander

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp lime zest

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Quick Crema

1/2 cups sour cream or Mexican crema

1 tbs Fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp honey or agave

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp water (to thin, optional)

Pickled Onion

1 cup Red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbs Apple cider vinegar

3 tbs water

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

To Assemble

8 unit small corn or flour tortillas

1/2 cups crumbled cotija or queso fresco

2 cups shredded green cabbage or lettuce

2 unit fresh lime wedges

1/4 cups extra cilantro leaves for garnish

Method

Pico de Gallo (Fresh Salsa)

Combine the diced tomatoes, diced onion, chopped cilantro and minced jalapeño in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir thoroughly, taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Pickled Onion

Place the thinly sliced red onion in a jar or small bowl. Warm the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a small saucepan just until the sugar dissolves (about 30 seconds) then pour over the onions. Press the onions down so they’re submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 20 minutes. These will be quick-pickled and ready to use in 30 minutes total.

Quick Crema

Whisk together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 tsp honey or agave and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. If the crema is too thick for drizzling, whisk in 1 teaspoon water at a time until you reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust lime or salt as needed.

Grilled Protein (Choice of Chicken or Shrimp)

If using chicken, pat the strips dry. In a bowl combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp lime zest, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add the chicken (or shrimp) and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 10–15 minutes or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add a little oil if using chicken. For chicken strips: cook in a single layer for 3–4 minutes per side until nicely browned and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For shrimp: cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest 3 minutes, then slice chicken into bite-sized pieces if needed.

To Assemble

Warm the tortillas: heat them directly over a gas flame for a few seconds per side or in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and warm.

Place a small handful (about 1/4 cup) of shredded cabbage into each warm tortilla. Top with 2–3 tablespoons grilled chicken or 3–4 shrimp, then spoon 1–2 tablespoons pico de gallo over the protein.

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the crema over each taco, add a few pickled onion slices, sprinkle with crumbled cotija (about 1 tablespoon per taco) and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.