Left Over Easter BBQ Chicken Tacos

Hi all!! I hope you all enjoyed your Easter. I certainly did. It was filled with lots of family and loads of food. We had barbequed steak, chicken, oysters, shrimp, & salads of all kinds. Sounds like a good mix right? Well, it was. Super delicious, but there was no way we were going to finish it all.

We had some left over chicken so today I made chicken tacos. Its the easiest recipe.

All you need is the following:

left over chicken (I used 2 pieces; leg & thigh)
3 small roma tomoatoes or whatever kind you've got (for mixture & topping)
1 jalapeno
yellow onion
a few springs of cilantro
corn tortillas
canola, vegetable, or corn oil
lettuce (for topping)
queso fresco (or jack cheese if you prefer)
salsa verde (preferably homemade)

First I shredded the left over chicken & fried it in a tiny bit of oil. When the chicken is fully coated with oil, add chopped tomato, jalapeno, & onion. When onion is translucent, add cilantro. Stir it all and let everything heat through. Turn off flame & cover to keep warm.

Should look like this, but any variation works..

Doesn't that look so yummy??...the cilantro really makes the meal here...yum!

Next I put a bit of oil in another pan & at the same time warmed a corn tortilla on the griddle. Warming the tortillas serves two purposes. First it helps to keep the tortilla from cracking in two pieces when you  fold it over & second, since its already warmed, you end up using less oil to fry them. This recipe is not very healthy, I'll admit, but it is really, really yummy! Sometimes (not often) you have to just not think about the calories. I know, bad, bad..shoot me!...you'll agree with me after you taste these tacos, I promise...

Ok, after the tortilla is warm, you fill it with the chicken mixture...

and fold it over. Add it to the pan & then do another...

Let them brown and then flip them over to the other side...



When they are browned on both sides remove them from the pan and place them in a bowl that has high sides. This is so that you can stand them up and any remaining oil can then drain out.

Note that I placed a napkin in the bowl to catch the oil. This is important or else the tacos will just be standing in oil..umm..not good.

Once they are all crispy, you can add shredded lettuce, chopped fresh tomato, salsa, and crumbled queso fresco

That is the way I like my tacos, but you can also add guacamole (mashed up avocado) or any other kind of veggie you prefer..

Also you're probably thinking... "She said to use homemade salsa, but I don't have homemade salsa verde" Well you will have it if you follow these easy steps...

There are two ways to make salsa verde & both are extremely easy...

Way #1

roast 1 tomato on the griddle(medium flame); wrap it in a piece of foil, kind of like an envelope so the juice stays inside
roast 2 jalapenos (also wrapped in a foil packet)

flip the foil packets every so often so that they roast evenly.

after the tomato & jalapenos feel soft remove from heat & plop them in a blender.
add a bit of water & blend away (for how long depends on how chunky you want your salsa)

Pour it into a bowl & add salt to taste

that's it, you're done..easy right?

ok..Way #2 (also known as the cheater method)

Fill a small pot with water & add 1 tomato & 2 jalapenos. boil. When tomato & jalapenos are soft, plop them in a blender with some of the water from the pot. Pour into a bowl & add salt to taste..

Now why am I thinking that most of you will opt for way #2 over way #1?? hmm..well, if you find yourselves with a bit more time & a bit more bravery or just plain less laziness, try way #1..roasting them adds a bit more flavor. Also the ratio of tomato per jalapeno will dictate the heat of your salsa. If you want it spicier add more jalapenos..just that easy.

Ok, peeps..start a cookin'! oh, and let me kow what you think of this recipe after you try it!