Spicy Chicken Tacos (with an Indian twist)
Spicy Chicken Tacos are made with an Indian twist! These have the same components as a traditional Mexican taco but slightly modified with Indian flavors. A must try recipe if you love Indian food or all things tacos!
Servings 8 Tacos
Calories 301kcal
Ingredients
Spicy Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite size pieces)
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder add more or less depending on your spice level
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or use 1 teaspoon grated ginger + 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste I used ¾ tsp
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mint-Cilantro Sauce
- ¼ cup plain thick yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup minced mint leaves
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- ½ jalapeños pepper minced (remove seeds to make it less spicy)
- 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
Additional ingredients
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- Pico de gallo
- Sliced jalapeños optional
- Chopped cilantro optional
Instructions
- Make Spicy Chicken - Add chicken and all other ingredients (under spicy chicken), except vegetable oil into a medium bowl and toss well until evenly combined. Let marinade for about 10 minutes (begin cooking, if pressed for time).
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat with vegetable oil. Add chicken in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes, until golden brown, turn over, stir in ¼ cup water and cook for additional 2 to 4 minutes or until cooked through and no water remains. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
- (Make pico de gallo, mint-cilantro sauce and char tortillas while the chicken is marinating/cooking)
- Make Pico de Gallo
Toss all pico de gallo ingredients together in a small bowl. - Make mint-cilantro sauce - Stir all mint-cilantro sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, until evenly combined (add enough water to make sauce slightly thinner, DON'T MAKE IT WATERY)
- Char tortillas - Char tortillas on the stovetop over the flame, until lightly charred on both sides.
- Assemble tacos - Place about ⅓ cup cooked chicken on each tortilla and top with few tablespoons of pico de gallo and drizzle of the mint-cilantro sauce. Top with more jalapeños and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
How to char tortillas - Turn your gas burner to medium-low and using tongs, place tortilla, one at a time, directly over the flame. As soon as it starts to brown, give a quick flip to color the other side and then take off heat. Alternatively, you can cook tortillas in a cast iron skillet – Place tortilla in a hot cast iron skillet, for about 15 to 30 seconds on each side. You want to look few browned or darkened spots on both sides. Keep them warm wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
Storage instructions - Cooked and cooled chicken taco filling can be refrigerated for up to 4 days (reheat in microwave before using) or frozen in a sealed zip lock bag for up to a month (thaw overnight in refrigerator and heat in microwave until heated through).Mint-cilantro sauce and pico de gallo can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a covered container.
Chicken thighs : Chicken thighs cooks up tender and juicy, however boneless, skinless chicken breasts can used.
Both cayenne and jalapeños can be adjusted depending on your spice level.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 547mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g