A visit to Mexico

Tonight I tried a new taco recipe and was pleasantly surprised at how great it was!  I adapted the recipe for Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream from the May 2011 edition of Cooking Light Magazine.  While you can find the original recipe online at cookinglight.com, my version is below.  I served the tacos with cilantro lime rice and garlic roasted broccoli.  My toddler loved the rice and broccoli, but I knew the chicken would be a bit too spicy for him so I grilled a chicken breast for him without the spices.   I promise these are good authentic tacos made at home in as little as 20 min.  Enjoy!!!

Sarah's Chipotle Chicken Soft Tacos
Avocado Sour Cream:
1/2 ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 tsp grated lime rind
2 T lime juice
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
Mix together in a bowl and set aside in fridge to let the flavors meld. 

Mexican Slaw topping:
2 cups of angel hair slaw (cabbage only)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 finely chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
2 T lime juice
1 T olive oil
Mix together in a large bowl and set aside to let flavors combine.  (I made it ahead of time and let it sit for 30 min before I started to make the rest of dinner, but it can all be made at the same time to save time).

For the chicken:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (much smokier and spicier than the regular chili powder)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp salt
Evenly sprinkle the spices over the chicken, or use a gallon sized zip lock bag to toss chicken strips in the spices.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray pan with cooking spray and saute the chicken for 4-6 min or until done, stirring frequently. 

To assemble:
Use 8 corn tortillas and heat them in dry frying pan for 10-15 sec each side (no oil).  Divide chicken evenly among tortillas, top with 1/4 cup of slaw and 1-2 T of avocado cream.  I added extra slices of avocado from the left over 1/2 of avocado.

Serving size: 2 tacos  (you could easily have 4 because they are so good)
Original recipe had 319 calories, 11.6 g of fat, 30 g protein, 25.3 g carbs, 5.1 g fiber
My recipe had only minor adjustments in salt, lime juice, less green onions used, and about 2 T more sour cream.  Please note that the nutritional value would change slightly due to the modifications to the original recipe.  The extra vaocado and side dishes also add extra calories, etc to the total nutritional content.

I served the tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice and Garlic Roasted Broccoli, both of which were cooking while I prepared all aspects of taco recipe.

Cilantro Lime Rice
2 c water
1 c long grain rice
1/3 c finely chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
1/2 t salt
Boil water in medium sauce pan.  Add salt and stir to dissolve.  Add rice then reduce heat to simmer and let cook with lid on for 20 min or until all water is absorbed.  Mix in lime juice and cilantro and stir,

Garlic Roasted Broccoli
3 c broccoli florets
1 T olive oil
1 tsp Two Sisters Seasoning Salt (mixture of dried garlic, onion, and salt)
Toss together and place on cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pyrex pan and roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 min or desired tenderness.