Every year, people lose their minds for Shark Week. But I have to ask…WHERE IS THE HYPE FOR TACO WEEK?
I get it, sharks are fascinating, deadly sea monsters that convinced an entire generation to never swim in the open sea. (Alright, that one was mostly Spielberg.)
But tacos? How have we, as a food-loving society, not had a week dedicated to one of the best vehicles for meat, cheese, avocados and did I mention cheese?
There’s enough variation on the taco that it could fill a whole week and more. Beef tacos, carnitas tacos, pork belly tacos, shrimp tacos, Korean BBQ tacos, breakfast tacos… I’m starting to sound like Bubba talking about shrimp, so I’ll get to the point.
Chicken tinga tacos. In the Instant Pot. Bonus: You can make these if you don’t have an Instant Pot. I basically need you to join me in the fight for #TacoWeek2k18 and make these.
The recipe is super easy, and even easier with the Instant Pot. I loved making this because the flavor was different from most tacos I make at home – i.e. ground beef and the usual spices. The chipotle peppers and fire roasted tomatoes (from a can, I’m not that intense) give it an incredible smoky flavor, and a dollop of sour cream plus avocado balances it all out.
Check it out, and write your local reps about #TacoWeek2k18. (Or, I mean, write to them about actual issues. Even if it's just to your alderman about the potholes on your street because your car's alignment really can't take it much longer. Just an example...)
Recipe courtesy of Pinch of Yum and The Minimalist Kitchen.
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup roughly chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
3⁄4 cup canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1⁄4 cup chicken stock
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (or for the Instant Pot: 1lb chicken breasts)
Instructions
I’m sharing the Instant Pot version here, but if you’re doing it stovetop style, check out the original recipe in the link above.
Blend the sauce ingredients (everything but the chicken) and add to the Instant Pot. Place chicken breasts on top and coat with sauce.
Seal the valve and set for 10 minutes on high pressure.
Release pressure when finished and shred chicken.
Add to tacos and eat!
Test Kitchen Notes
I sautéed some bell peppers to add to the tacos. Also served with lime wedges, cheese, avocados, sour cream and cilantro. Dress it up as much or as little as you want. You could eat this chicken out of the pot, alternating with bites of tortilla, and I wouldn't judge you.
The chicken breasts didn’t shred as nicely as I would have liked. It still tasted great, but next time thigh meat might be a better choice. If I were to sub in rotisserie chicken, I would stick to the stovetop method, because I wouldn’t want to overcook it in the Instant Pot.
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