Healthy Chicken Tacos

This is my version if Healthy Chicken Tacos: Smoky seasoned chicken breast, fried with cashews for extra crunch. On a generous wholewheat wrap smothered with creamy guacamole. Topped with layers of crunchy lettuce, fresh, charred sweetcorn, homemade zingy salsa, and vibrant spring onions. Finished with a sour cream-yoghurt-lime drizzle and grated cheddar. This is the dinner of my dreams.

These Tacos go back over 30 years, when Mexican cooking had barely arrived in Germany. But, curious as I am, I found some ready-made Taco meal packs in my supermarket and was hooked instantly.
But, as you might have noticed, I have evolved since, to making most things from scratch, hence the evolution of this dish into what I imagined a Taco should be. Emphasis on “I imagined”. I’m not Mexican, nor did I have much knowledge about authentic food back then. So, I’m not claiming this is in even the slightest way authentic. But it was and remains my favourite version of Tacos, even after I tried some pretty good ones in Mexican restaurants. Guess I’m just a philistine. But hey, sometimes that’s very enjoyable.

My Adaptations

I half feel I shouldn’t even claim adaptations, as there is barely any original root here, considering how many changes I made over time. But the components are still there. Chicken breast, by now home seasoned. I’m not a fan of very spicy, I use mostly smoked paprika, a hint of cumin (as my body has a weird relationship to cumin, so I can only use very little or get major headaches), ground coriander, salt, pepper, and some ancho chili powder. The Chicken is marinated as long as I have time that day in the spices and a bit of olive oil.

The first version I made was based on ground beef and corn tacos. And they were really good, but they kept falling apart when eating, resulting in more fillings on my plate than in my taco.

So, I came to prefer fried chicken pieces over time on soft, large wholewheat tortillas. There is something about slightly crispy, tender, well-seasoned chicken with cashews, I just cannot resist. Neither could anyone who ever tried it, with this being my most requested repeat recipe among friends.

Meal Prep

Needless to say, these are fantastic for meal prep. Chop up all your ingredients, prepare salsa, guacamole, and sour cream mix. Fry your marinated chicken. Store everything in separate containers and you are set for the next few days. Make more than you think you need. It will be eaten, trust me. Especially the guacamole.

A Word on Tortillas

Ok, maybe a few more words…

I have used shop bought versions of tortilla wraps for the longest time and enjoyed them just fine. They wrap beautifully around the fillings, especially if you fold in the end and make for a less messy experience. And a super quick one of course, as they just need seconds in the microwave to get warm and lovely pliable.

And then I made my own for this post. I would say big mistake, because now I have a really hard time going back to shop bought, they were just so good!
Since I‘m not an expert, I looked for good recipes for corn tortillas first, figuring they’d hold up well in the pictures and found these.
I had Masa Harina at home (The depths of my kitchen cupboards must be bottomless, I have so many exotic things they hold), so clearly they had to be made.

But while browsing the page, I spotted the link to her Sourdough Tortillas! The temptation! And how on earth was I to decide between the two? And why would I have to decide? Exactly.
So, I made both.

The corn version turned out perfectly at first try. I had ordered a tortilla press for the occasion, which arrived just in time with a friend coming over, to help me eat all the deliciousness. And to both our satisfaction, the corn flattened into perfect circles with one satisfying press. So meditative!

The sourdough version was less cooperative at the start. It kept sticking to the baking parchment that came with the press and I kept adding flour without much success. Sure, rolling pin she said, but heck, I had a brand-new tortilla press!
As last attempt I started using a cut open freezer back and the magic suddenly happened! Perfect round sourdough tortillas! I let them sit while I prepared some other stuff and found the shrunk a bit, so I re-pressed them, right before frying, which had them come out perfectly.

After trying both versions with our decidedly European taste buds, we both voted firmly for the sourdough wheat version to be the best one. I even added a bit of fine wholewheat flour to them, and they were still super soft, chewie and pliable. But…a mess to eat.

So, what I’m trying to say here, in many words is: If you decide to make your own (which I highly recommend!) be aware that you probably won’t want to go back to shop bought. Unless you live in Mexico. In which case this whole post probably drives you nuts anyway, as I’m not authentic Mexican. Apologies for that.
And thanks a million to Maricruz Avalos for creating those fantastic tortilla recipes. I loved them!

The Toppings

Then comes my favourite topping for these Healthy Chicken Tacos: The Guacamole, which already has its own recipe, since it’s so versatile.

For lots of crunch, flavour, and veggie content, I add crisp, shredded romaine lettuce hearts, fresh (or canned, depending on season) sweetcorn. I leave it cold, as I love the texture and sweetness.

Topping it with fresh salsa made simply from cherry tomatoes, onions, and lime juice (or lemon) and a hit of chili flakes. You could use fresh chili here if you enjoy it. It’s certainly more authentic. I lose all taste of the other ingredients when I do, so I’m gentle on the heat. Or, if you are short on time, use jarred salsa. I have sure done so many times.

All the deliciousness gets drizzled with a quickly stirred mix of sour cream, fat free Greek yoghurt and lime (or lemon) juice with a bit of salt. Then some grated cheese. Fresh is fantastic, but ready grated is just fine if you are short on time. No judgement here.

Sprinkle with green spring onions for added freshness, and depending on your tortilla, either just fold it, as I did above or, if using the shop bought, large type, wrap one side first, then the bottom, fold over the other side, probably finding you hopelessly overloaded your first Taco. Bite into it and enjoy dinner heaven. Messy eating is inevitable.

Looking for an even quicker dinner recipe? Try my Strawberry Black Pudding Salad.

Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot. 🙂

Healthy Chicken Tacos

This is my version if Healthy Chicken Tacos: Smoky seasoned chicken breast, fried with cashews for extra crunch. On generous wholewheat wrap smothered with creamy guacamole. Topped with layers of crunchy lettuce, fresh, charred sweetcorn, homemade zingy salsa, and vibrant spring onions. Finished with a sour cream-yoghurt-lime drizzle and grated cheddar. This is the dinner of my dreams.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Fusion, Mexican

Servings 8

Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 Chicken Breasts cubed about 1inch/2cm
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed or finely chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ to 1 tsp cumin depending on your preference
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ to 1 tsp ancho chili powder or more if you enjoy the heat. You can use any chili powder you have on hand here. I just love the mild smoky flavour of ancho
• 1 tsp Espazote or Oregano
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt or more to taste
• ½ cup cashews
• Guacamole:
• 3 Avocados ripe
• 1 Lemon juice
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic
• ½-1 tsp Ancho chili powder or any type of chili you enjoy. Any amount too. Your Guac, your choice
• 1 tsp kosher salt. Or more to taste
• Salsa:
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• Juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon
• Fresh coriander optional
• Fresh red or green chili optional
• Salt pepper
• Seasoned Sour cream mix:
• 4 tbsp Sour cream
• 4 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 lime juice
• Salt to taste
• 8-10 wholewheat tortilla wraps depending on your preferred filling amount and dexterity in eating them.
• Or homemade tortillas. See note in post.
• 2 cobs fresh sweetcorn boiled for 5min
• 1 large romaine lettuce heart shredded
• 1 bunch spring onions chopped into thin rounds
• 1 cup shredded cheese I use sharp cheddar. Feta, crumbled would be lovely too.

Instructions

 

• For the Chicken and Cashew Filling:
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cubed chicken with olive oil, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, ancho chili powder, espazote or oregano, and kosher salt. Toss well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices. Allow it to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until it's browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally for even cooking.
• In the last minute of cooking the chicken, add the cashews to the skillet and cook for an additional minute, stirring to combine and slightly toast the cashews. Remove from heat and set aside.
• For the Guacamole:
• Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl.
• Add lemon juice, crushed garlic, ancho chili powder, and kosher salt to the bowl.
• Mash the ingredients together using a fork until you achieve your desired guacamole consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
• Or follow my recipe here: https://forthepleasureofeating.com/easy-guacamole/ for a smooth and creamy version.
• For the Salsa:
• Chop the cherry tomatoes into small pieces and finely dice the red onion.
• In a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes and red onion.
• Add lime juice, fresh coriander (if using), fresh chili (if using), salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
• For the Sour Cream and Greek Yogurt Sauce:
• In a bowl, whisk together sour cream, 0% fat Greek yogurt, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Adjust the salt to taste.
• Optional but delicious:
• Grill your sweetcorn cobs for a few minutes in a griddle pan for a bit of smokiness and pretty marks.
• Once cool enough to handle, cut the corn off the cobs with a knife. I do this in a large bowl with a small bowl turned over at its bottom, to stand the cobs on. This prevents the kernels from scattering everywhere.
• To Assemble the Tacos:
• Warm the wholewheat tortilla wraps according to package instructions. I usually heat them for 30 seconds in the microwave.
• To each tortilla, add a layer of shredded romaine lettuce, followed by the cooked chicken and cashew mixture.
• Top with a spoonful of guacamole, salsa, sour cream and Greek yogurt sauce, fresh sweetcorn, shredded cheese, and chopped spring onions.
• Serve the tacos immediately and enjoy the burst of flavours and textures!

Notes

Needless to say, these are fantastic for meal prep. Chop up all your ingredients, prepare salsa, guacamole, and sour cream mix. Fry your marinated chicken. Store everything in separate containers and you are set for the next few days. Make more than you think you need. It will be eaten, trust me. Especially the guacamole.

Makes about 8 large wraps or 12 small homemade tacos.
Nutrition is calculated for 8.

Total Estimated Nutrition per Portion:
Calories: Approximately 410-450
Fat: Approximately 22-25 grams
Protein: Approximately 18-20 grams
Carbohydrates: Approximately 35-40 grams
Fiber: Approximately 7-9 grams
Sugar: Approximately 4-6 grams

Please keep in mind that these values are approximate and may vary based on the specific brands and measurements of the ingredients used. Additionally, the quantities of the ingredients are provided for 1 portion, and the nutrition information is based on a rough estimation.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Chicken Tacos

Amount per Serving

Calories

430

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword Easy, For Guests, Healthy, High Fibre

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