Also, as my grandpa would say, a man's eye is typically bigger than his stomach. Mine especially, because I tend to make way more food than I really need.
Last weekend was Memorial Day, so I was grilling up a frenzy by the pool. The holiday weekend left me with an abundance of grilled chicken marinated in Italian dressing, and the last two pieces needed a purpose. From the last entry, Steak Street Tacos (On the Cheap), you can probably guess that I'm a big fan of tacos. They also happen to be a great way to clear out all the leftovers in your fridge.
In addition to leftover grilled chicken, I also had a third package of bacon approaching its Best By date. There was also a bunch of cilantro close to wilting, and a week-old avocado starting to get soft. I also gathered a farm stand tomato and a sweet Vidalia onion, both of which are in overabundance this time of year. I grabbed a lime at the supermarket as well, since it really gives that extra hint of freshness to this recipe.
I highly recommend soft corn tortillas over flour. They have a lot less calories, the texture holds up a lot better, and (in my opinion) the flavor is more authentic. You can generally find them for cheaper as well, which is the very basis of Cooking Shrewd for the Single Dude.
The real flavor of these tacos comes from the balance between the salty smoky bacon crumbles and the sweetness of the sauteed onion strips. They add the extra oomph that really takes these tacos over the top.
Putting this meal together is very simple. Just cook and pile everything together, then eat.
Ingredients:
2 leftover boneless chicken breasts from the grill
2 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled (I usually bake them in the oven for 1-15 minutes until they are stiffened, but not quite crispy)
Soft corn tortillas
1 medium tomato
1 small-medium avocado
1 sweet onion
1 lime
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
(optional) 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Sugar
Salt
Olive oil
Equipment
Medium skillet
Sharp knife & cutting board
2 mixing bowls
How-To
1. Split the sweet onion into halves. Take 1 half and cut into 2" strips about 1/4" thick and sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onion strips and stir to coat. Let the onions sit in a single layer until slightly brown on the bottom (about 3-5 minutes), then flip. Cook the onions until just brown, then remove them to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2" cubes and add them to the skillet. Stir to coat with remaining oil from the onions and heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken cubes are hot.
4. While the chicken heats, dice the tomato and remaining half of the sweet onion. Add them to a mixing bowl and add the juice from 1/2 a lime and 1/4 cup cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Dice the avocado and add to a second mixing bowl. Add remaining lime juice to the bowl, them use a fork to mash the avocado chunks. Add garlic clove & remaining cilantro, then stir to incorporate. Salt and pepper to taste. (I recommend letting this guacamole-like mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors properly mix).
6. This final step is optional, but I think it improves the texture and flavor of the soft corn tortillas immensely. Remove the chicken from the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Place each soft corn tortilla in the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until each side is slightly browned.
Assemble the tacos
Take a large plate and place 3-4 tortillas flat. Add a spoonful of each ingredient, fold the tacos and enjoy. If you want to get fancy, put a pinch bit of whole cilantro leaves on top of each taco and squeeze some lime juice over everything. Do not forget the bacon crumbles!
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