Easy chicken veggie tacos
This is an old recipe of Gran’s. She always made the frijoles negroes from scratch — which is way better. I find a good quality canned variety works, though. The kids love this because it is flavorful but not spicy. It’s relatively light and quick to put together and healthier than the ground-beef-and-cheese variety. This recipe makes 5-7 tacos and cost about $30 to make, with all organic ingredients.
2 whole skinless chicken breasts
2 bell peppers, whatever color you like (I usually do a mix of red and orange.)
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos*
1 can black beans, drained
1 can white shoepeg corn, drained
1/2 cup chicken stock or water or beer
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 package white corn taco shells
olive oil
cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1) Prep: trim chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper. Mince garlic and rough-chop cilantro. Cut peppers and tomatillos into bite-sized pieces. (Hull tomatillos and then chop just like tomatoes.)
2) Sear the chicken on high heat for a minute or two, or until the outside developes a nice brown glaze. Add vegetables and garlic. Toss to heat. Add beans and corn and then chicken stock. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and everything is cooked through.
3) Add cilantro, salt and pepper and cumin to taste.
4) Serve in toasted taco sells, topped with cheese.
*These are little green-husked tomatoey-looking things. They’re actually part of the corn family. They’re tangy and add a nice zest to Southwestern style foods.
November 9th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I always thought you lived in DC - and occasionally wondered why you’d drive CH and your kids 8+ hours here for the marathon when the Marine Corps Marathon is right in DC! Now I know you’re a Masshole, I want to babysit! You can pay me in tacos. Did you move or did I just decide in my head that you lived in DC? I feel I’m being way too familiar for an Internet stranger, and I apologize. I’ve just been reading you for years and was shocked - shocked! - to read your Election Day post about voting in MA.
best,
Pam
P.S. Yay Obama!
November 9th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Oh gosh, and Salem too! I guess I just thought you really loved driving!! Der
November 9th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Pamela — I’ve always written from MA, but lived in DC for a couple of years.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Yummy recipe!! I’m so trying that tonight. Yum!
PS I totally agree on Hannibal. The sight of Anthony Hopkins makes me cringe.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am
$30!! Seriously?!! I am so glad I live in the Midwest…prices have gone up, but apparently not like on the East Coast! Sounds like a really tasty recipe though….
November 10th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Delicious sounding recipe, but $30??? Hell, I thought Japan was expensive…but maybe I’m staying here!
November 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Actually — and I wouldn’t say anything except I freaking *LOVE* tomatillos — but they are related to tomatoes. I did a quick Google and can’t find anything to suggest that they’re a member of the corn family.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
These sound really good. But I need to be convinced that it is worth it to spend twice as much money per meal on all organic ingredients. Is the evidence truly in that all organic will save our lives? Or that regular fruit and veg, washed thoroughly, will harm us? I have plenty of friends willing to give opinion, but I need proof.
I am not being a smart ass, I would really just like some valid, unbiased data. If anyone can direct me to a neutral source that would be really helpful. I buy some organic now, but we do have a food budget, and I am struggling with this issue. Thanks.
November 10th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
“Is the evidence truly in that all organic will save our lives?”
For some of us, the more important evidence is that non-organic farming methods cause irreparable harm to the farmworkers who are exposed to the pesticides, as well as making their way into the groundwater and affecting plants and animals in the areas around such farms.
I can’t always afford organic, but we buy the majority from small local farmers, where we know the people growing our food. Since they grow and sell it themselves, they’re also not working under an incentive to mass-produce it using the cheapest labor and production methods available, when those methods would harm the workers - because they and their families ARE the workers.
But yes, actually, I think growth hormones and antibiotics used in mass production of MEATs, especially, are not so great to feed to your kids.
Just some food for thought.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
The chicken was the bulk of the cost in this recipe — about $18, I think. (Two whole breasts, four half breasts. The equivalent from Perdue would run you about half that price, I think.) Bell peppers are also hideously expensive at any time.
We do buy organic, and it is expensive. I have particular concerns about pesticides’ effects on farm workers and the environment, and also about the hormones and antibiotics used in meat production.
In terms of the tomatillo — Beth you’re totally right. I looked it up after I read your comment. Don’t know where I read that they were part of the corn family? Sorry for the bum information. Ah well, whatever, they are delicious, aren’t they? Thanks for the correction.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
These sound DELICIOUS. But gah, only to have $30 to spend on a meal.
We do try to buy organic whenever possible… I figure, I might as well try my best to keep the kiddos (and the rest of us) as healthy as possible. But oh, how it makes me frustrated when I can’t afford to do it as much as I’d like.
Liz, I’ve been reading your blog FOREVER and just wanted to pass on my congratulations for your new little one! Keep resting and try sleep even when Roo and her naked self hogs the bed and the body pillow
November 10th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
So now I want tacos. Thanks for that. I’ve been a lurker for quite some time. If you like organic, try a CSA or farm share. That’s what we do–like Tzipporah. Organic yummy goodness, and I’m convinced the price is better than big organic. They can usually provide eggs and chicken, too and the food doesn’t have to travel quite so far.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I may try the non-organic variety, because there are some weeks that $30 is all I have for groceries for the entire WEEK.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I have recently moved to a fairly remote community in Canada from London England and organic is not always an option anymore.
Re: battery chicken (aka cheap chicken) you may want to look at this article
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1574267/Jamie-Oliver-campaigns-for-chicken-welfare.html
We are trying to balance needs and wants in these seemly harder times. With the privledge of eating meat as often as we want there also comes a responsibility……a lesson I learned today from the Bernstein Bears cartoon show.
Liz, I too have been reading you through both my pregnancies….I couldn’t get a hold of myself when you were put into Emergency after the car washing accident of pregnancy a la Roo.
I like the recipes. Is this Ducky’s or your mum’s?
November 12th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Yankee Amanda — I understand about food budgets. For many years, my kids’ primary source of protein was peanut butter. I did make lots of lentil dishes and beans and mac and cheese those are reliable and delicious.
Mare was almost vegetarian for a while. It was really hard. I hope it gets better for you soon.
Enaj — Thanks for the compliment. Doodle has managed to be responsible for the two big dramatic events around here, that horrible fall and the burn accident. I happened to re-read both posts recently and realized those two moments were the most terrified I ever was. Little shit.
November 12th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Liz,
I would love to have some of your favorite lentil and bean recipes - I’ve never made them before but I’m open to learning new things. Necessity is the mother of….well, in this case, creativity, I suppose!
Thanks!
November 13th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Hi, Liz!
We too, are facing the necessity of going much more vegetarian than normal, here lately–so I’d love some of your lentil and bean recipes, too. (We would live on PB too, but my kid can’t have it. *sigh*)
Read you constantly, love you and your family fiercely. Wishing you the best, always.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Liz…I have started cooking more again (partially because my MIL has left, and partially because I am no longer working). I am addicted to the site recipezaar.com. I have had some great recipes from there. Have you ever checked it out? You can find organic recipes, and even if you have some randon thing like say eggplant, you can type in eggplant for a search by item and get recipes of eggplant.