Shredded Chicken Tacos x2

I love taco night. I usually have a majority of the ingredients on hand: tortillas and chicken in the freezer, sour cream and salsa verde in the condiment drawer and some onion, tomatoes and avocado sitting in the fruit bowl.

So when I had to move last week, I resorted to taco night on several occasions. Oh, you didn't know I was moving? Yea, neither did I! I had been looking for a new apartment over the last several weeks but was able to find another unit in the same building just one floor up. The snag in all my planning happened when the previous resident moved out three weeks early so I had to plan an entire move in less than seven days! I packed, moved and unpacked in just a few days, all the while working to wrap up the semester. But it all worked out, and I love the new place. It almost feels like a whirlwind that didn't even happen...almost. Except for the bruises and sore muscles that inevitably arise from assembling Ikea furniture. If they asked, I think I could add words to their instructions now, reminding people what not to do and how to follow the implied aspects of those word-less directions that you only come to understand once you've done something wrong and have to backtrack two steps.


So here are a couple taco recipes, similar yet different. The first is adapted slightly from Deb over at my favorite food blog, and the second is my own.


Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 large onion, roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste


Salsa fresca
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 large white onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
2. Cover partially with a lid and lower the heat so that the mixture simmers.
3. Cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is very tender.

4. While the chicken cooks, prepare the salsa. Chop the tomatoes, and mince the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Also gently chop the cilantro leaves.
5. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and squeeze the lime juice over the top. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, allowing the flavors to combine for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

6. When the chicken is ready, remove from the pot and set aside to cool slightly, then shred with a fork.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
8. Serve on a tortilla spread with sour cream and top with the salsa fresca. I also like to add slices of ripe avocado.

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and black pepper

Ground cumin

Ground chipotle pepper

Ground ancho chile pepper

Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Rub the chicken with olive oil.

3. Season both sides with desired amounts of salt, pepper, cumin, chipotle and ancho chile peppers.

4. Bake for 40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Shred chicken with a fork and serve on a tortilla spread with sour cream and salsa verde (you could even try this tomatillo salsa recipe if you're feeling adventurous). Top with ripe avocado slices and some mexican cheese.