The flavours, the texture, the deliciously worth-it mess—simply put, few foods can put you in a better mood than tacos. In this Mediterranean-inspired twist on taco night, tortillas bring creamy hummus, juicy chicken meat, fresh tomato salsa, and a lively tahini-pepper sauce into a delicious embrace.
Med-Style Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup (250 mL) unpeeled chopped English cucumber
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced Kalamata olives
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
- 1 whole roasted red pepper
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) tahini
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) prepared hummus
- 10 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories454
- protein27g
- fat23g
- saturated fat5g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates37g
- sugars3g
- fibre7g
- sodium665mg
Directions
01
In large pot, place chicken thighs, a couple pinches of salt, and enough water to completely cover meat by at least 1 in (2.5 cm). Bring water to a temperature where it is steaming, with just the rare bubble breaking the surface. Reduce heat, partially cover pan, and poach chicken for 20 minutes, or until meat is cooked through to an internal temperature of 160 F (70 C). You want to keep the water temperature at around 160 F (70 C) while the chicken cooks and skim off any foam that forms during cooking. Remove chicken from water and, when cool enough to handle, thinly slice.
02
In bowl, toss together tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and jalapeno. Stir in balsamic vinegar.
03
In blender container, place 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water, roasted red pepper, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt, and blend until smooth.
04
To serve, spread hummus on tortillas and top each with sliced chicken and some of the tomato mixture. Drizzle some red pepper sauce overtop. Sprinkle on feta and parsley.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
