red or green?: Busy Mom's Chicken Tacos

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Busy Mom's Chicken Tacos

It took me longer to settle on the name for this post than to actually make the tacos! I started with Working Mom's Chicken Tacos and then realized I needed to include the very busy stay-at-home moms. Then I worried a bit that I was leaving out the Dad's. I don't have children living at home so I realized I was leaving myself out of the equation. But this is Kid Friendly week at Food Network's Spring Sensational Sides blog fest so Busy Mom's won.

These tacos are so incredibly easy I am almost embarrassed to list this as a recipe. When I want chicken tacos on a weekend I roast a whole chicken, make homemade salsa, homemade guacamole and fry the corn tortillas to make the shells. But weeknights are a different matter. My local organic market always has freshly roasted whole chickens and excellent store made guacamole. Garden of Eatin' and/or Bearitos make ready made organic taco shells...you just heat them up. All you need to do is prepare the toppings and you are set.

I simmer the cooked and shredded chicken with store bought salsa and add sliced pickled peppadew peppers. The smoky/sweet taste of the peppers with just a bit of a bite is usually not too spicy for kid's palates. If you have a very sensitive child just leave out the peppers and use mild salsa.

the chicken taco filling

I serve both soft and hard shells and allow everyone to customize their tacos to their liking. I find if children are given the option...and your toppings are fresh, beautiful and full of colors...children will pile on the vegetables along with the meat and cheese. If necessary, give them a bit of a nudge...the tacos really taste better with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions and radishes. Serve with refried beans and dinner is served. What is your favorite kid friendly dish? Why?

Busy Mom's Chicken Tacos
(makes 10 tacos)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 roasted chicken, meat pulled from carcass and shredded
5 pickled peppadew peppers(from a jar or deli case) sliced into thin slivers
1 1/2 cups prepared salsa
5 prepared hard taco shells
5 corn tortillas
shredded cheese
baby lettuce leaves and baby spinach
chopped white or red onions
sliced radishes
chopped tomatoes (in season)
taco sauce
guacamole (this recipe or purchased)

Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add peppers and 1 1/2 cups salsa. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until hot.

Follow package instructions to heat hard taco shells. Place corn tortillas in a clean tea towel, Microwave for 20 seconds or until hot, soft and pliable. Divide chicken mixture between the shells. Serve with accompaniments so everyone can create their own taco fillings.

Other kid friendly recipes to try...just reduce or eliminate the chiles if you need it less spicy: