Cilantro Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

It’s only recently that I’ve started putting together simple dishes in my new (and very small) kitchen. Pasta salad. Mac and cheese dolled up with broccoli and chicken. Nothing fancy. My main priorities are that it’s cheap to piece together and perfect for leftover lunches throughout the week.

Today, as I thought about what I’d like to have on hand for lunches, I began dreaming of the amazing tacos I see at food carts on every corner in the city. I wondered if I could drum up my own version, and a cilantro/lime combo came to mind. A quick Google popped up several recipes for the kind of thing I was aiming for, so I took myself to the store to get what I’d need for my version.

This space is the farthest thing from a cooking blog. But these lovelies turned out looking, smelling and tasting so delicious, I just had to share.

Here’s what you’ll need (note the highly non-scientific measurements from this non-chef):

• One onion, chopped finely
• olive oil, enough to lightly coat the pan
• 1lb ground chicken or turkey
• 1 lime
• small handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used a spanish style tomatoes/peppers version)
• garlic to taste
• iceburg lettuce, finely sliced
• Tortillas (whichever size/kind you like, though I think this blend looks prettiest in the smaller ones)

Here’s how I put it all together:

Warm up enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan, adding the chopped onion. Sauté the onion until its transparent, then add the chicken (or turkey). Chop up the cilantro while the meat cooks; use a spatula to break up the grounds and blend with the onions.

Once mostly cooked, add the tomatoes (drained), cilantro and garlic to taste. Squeeze in the juice from one lime. Stir until very well mixed. Leave over a low flame for a few minutes to really help the flavors meld (or something else very chef-like to say).

Warm up the tortillas for just a few seconds, either on a pan or in the microwave. Add a bit of the lettuce, and the chicken mix on top. I don’t think the blend needs any salsa or other additions to be divine, but the beauty of this dinner is that I created it based on the tastes I was going for. A dollop of sour cream might add just the right amount of tart and creamy, but really – they’re moist and citrusy as is! But I hope you do add to or adjust it as you like!

I didn’t expect much, which is probably why I’m so pleasantly surprised. Add a chilled white wine or a frozen margarita and I think I’ve found my new favorite summertime dinner.