These chicken tacos are one of Keith's creations that is sure to become a weeknight staple at our house. They are easy to prepare, verifiably healthy, and made with love. Fair warning: these are not your mother's generic homage to Mexican cuisine. Oh no. Leave it to my superman to kick it up a notch. By using fresh ingredients, carefully marinated and grilled chicken, and a healthy hit of Sriracha, Keith created a unique meal bursting with flavor.
Keith is very particular about his tacos. I have watched him search the supermarket for fresh corn tortillas, and then char them on the grill to bring out the flavor. He believes in fillings that are carefully seasoned, and (of course) a healthy dose of his favorite herb: cilantro. Taco night for us is easy and fun. The table is filled with plates of ingredients and everyone helps himself to create the perfect combination. My only problem is that I don't know when to stop! For me, it was the Sriracha Aioli that made these tacos unique. Just a little dollop of it adds so much rich flavor to this simple dish; I know I will continue to crave it for months to come.
As with all of our recipes, we recommend you try your own unique mix of ingredients: black beans, cheese, and more veggies can create endless combinations that you and your family will love. It's the Sriracha aioli that you cannot go without. We recommend our Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita to wash these chicken tacos down.
Chicken Tacos with Sriracha Aioli
A unique chicken taco made with fresh ingredients and a flavor boost of Sriracha
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 12-14 tacos 1x
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut up
- 1 C chopped cilantro
- 1 C salt
- 12-15 corn tortillas
- 1 lemon
- 3 limes
- 2 TBSP chopped garlic
- ½ Cup olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 green onion
- ½ C shredded carrots
- 2 Cups shredded lettuce
- 1 C shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 C mayo
- 2 TBSP Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Start by brining the chicken. This should be done at least 6 hours before grilling.
- Place cut up chicken in a large stock pot covered with water at least 3 inches over top of chicken.
- Add salt, and lemon juice along with zest of the lemon.
- Store in refrigerator 6 hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from water and discard water.
- Pre-heat grill to high.
- With paper towels, dry off chicken and rub chicken with olive oil.
- Place chicken pieces on grill and "char" chicken, turning as to not burn chicken (about 10 minutes)
- Lower temp to medium and cook chicken till juices run clear when pierced with fork (about 45 minutes)
- Remove from grill and allow to cool to the touch.
- With your hands, remove all skin and set aside. Pull all chicken from bones and place in large bowl.
- Take charred skin and dice finely and add to chicken (optional, but adds great flavor).
- Add cilantro, juice of two limes, garlic, cumin to chicken and mix to combine.
- Set aside and prepare lettuce slaw by adding lettuce, carrots, diced green onions,and juice of 1 lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To prepare Sriracha Aioli: simply combine mayo, sirachia and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- To assemble taco: place corn tortillas on hot grill for 20-30 seconds.
- Add chicken mixture, lettuce mixture, and sirachia mayo to tortillas and top with shredded cheese and tomatoes.
- Serve with a great pineapple jalapeño margarita
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: entrée
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
These chicken tacos sound delicious! I'm loving the pink color of the aioli from the Sriracha!
Jackie says
thanks so much Rachelle! We so appreciate your comments!!
K & J