There comes a time in every man's life when he needs to return to the shackles of tradition, lest he feel separated from his roots. I, speak of course, of Latin American food.
About two years ago, I was dating a girl who was a vegetarian (among other things that have no business being discussed on a food blog), but not for any real reason other than "animals are cute." After such a long time of take out Chinese food, my favorite of which is a toss-up between General Tso's Chicken and Roast Pork Lo Mein, she started to crave chicken. This resulted in her stealing bits of my chicken in the General Tso box, but she maintained that she was a vegetarian, with lapses from time to time.
Finally, the time came when I said, simply, "You have to start eating chicken. Stop pretending to be a vegetarian when you constantly want chicken and haven't the willpower to not eat it." She agreed and so, I made up a recipe.
Tequila Chili Chicken Tacos.
Serves 2
I love these. They were the first meal I ever made for Hannah when she moved here from Vancouver (for you see, the marinade is easily adapted to black beans.) and it has become a regular staple in our menu. It features the cactusy flavors of decent tequila (we prefer Jose Cuervo. We tried it with other brands and Jose is frankly the best flavored tequila for cooking), a hint of lime, chili powder, Cayenne pepper powder, garlic, onion (red or yellow. it all depends on the whim of my brain for that day), and cilantro. And I made these the other night.
This recipe came to me in my head all on my own and I never had any measurements. I still don't to this day; at best, this is an estimation. Experiment with it, fix it, change it, add to it, subtract for less heat, add for more, try cumin or oregano. This recipe is what I did the other night.
For the Marinade:
1-1 1/2 cup of tequila (we use Jose Cuervo)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
juice of 1 lime (more or less depending on quality...we get crappy limes in our neighborhood)
Salt and pepper
For the tacos:
1 skinless chicken breast*
1 can black beans, rinsed
Package of organic flour tortillas
Fixin's (sour cream, cheddar or smoked gouda cheese, salsa, tomatoes, etc.)
Combine everything for the marinade in a bowl; whisk it together. Let it sit while you deal with your chicken.
Cut your chicken in to strips, about the length of your index finger.
Open your can of beans, drain and rinse them. Place in a small saucepan and add about a 1/4 cup of the marinade to the beans. Place your chicken strips into the marinade and toss, covering all the chicken. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes are up, get a pan on the stove, and crank the heat to full whack. When water skitters across the surface, you're set. Grab your tongs and put all the chicken into the pan. You hear that sizzle? That is the sound of deliciousness. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn the heat down to a dull simmer. Cook the chicken until the liquid has reduced almost completely to a thick reddish tequila sauce.
At the same time as cooking the chicken turn on the beans. This should take about the same amount of time as the chicken. You should stir the beans regularly, though, to make sure the sauce covers them constantly.
Serve on warm flour tortillas with your favorite fixins. We use salsa and sour cream and cheese. You may add whatever accouterments you desire.
But it's important to note that our creativity isn't limited to marinades involving tequila and chili powder. Hannah and I decided that we wanted a salad and her clever little brain came up with:
Green Bean and Corn Salad with Herb and Citrus Vinaigrette
serves 2
Ingredients
3 handfuls fresh green beans (snapped at the ends)
5 oz yellow corn (frozen or fresh)
3-5 tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled
.25 red onion, finely minced
1 lime, juiced
4 fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
.25 tsp. ground cumin
.5 tsp. dried oregano
.25 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
Begin by preparing the dressing. Combine onion, lime juice, herbs, and olive oil in a medium serving bowl.
Steam the green beans until just tender, about 4 minutes, add corn at minute 3. Drain and blanch in bowl of ice water. Drain again and chill approximately 10-15 minutes.
Combine vegetables and vinaigrette in the serving bowl. Garnish with feta, salt, and additional herbs and seasonings (if you like).**
Green Bean and Corn Salad with Herb and Citrus Vinaigrette
serves 2
Ingredients
3 handfuls fresh green beans (snapped at the ends)
5 oz yellow corn (frozen or fresh)
3-5 tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled
.25 red onion, finely minced
1 lime, juiced
4 fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
.25 tsp. ground cumin
.5 tsp. dried oregano
.25 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
Begin by preparing the dressing. Combine onion, lime juice, herbs, and olive oil in a medium serving bowl.
Steam the green beans until just tender, about 4 minutes, add corn at minute 3. Drain and blanch in bowl of ice water. Drain again and chill approximately 10-15 minutes.
Combine vegetables and vinaigrette in the serving bowl. Garnish with feta, salt, and additional herbs and seasonings (if you like).**
*I bought a chicken breast package from Murray's Chicken. They have this new eco-packaging that eliminates the need for styrofoam. it's vacuum packed, so it's just as fresh and there is less packaging to throw out. You can also check out what farms your chicken came from on their website. The food is certified humane and "locally" raised in Lancaster, PA. If you can't get Murray's, try to get something similar.
**We think radishes or cherry tomatoes would also be a great vegetable addition if you happen to have them around. Add with the feta so as to keep the flavors very fresh.
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