Chicken Tinga Tacos

I now have a tortilla press that I was dying to use last night. Probably not something everyone needs, but I saw it at Sur La Table and remembered that my Mexican cookbook said homemade tortillas were infinitely better than store bought. I'll post about that later, but in the mean time, here's a great Chicken Tinga Taco recipe that you can use on store bought tortillas - or be crazy like me and go buy a tortilla press and use on fresh tortillas. Your call.

Pulled Chicken Tacos

After making these nachos, I wanted to try the same method with chicken. It's cheap, pretty easy, and makes for great tacos (and quesadillas). Chicken thighs are affordable and juicy and pull apart nicely when braised - and unlike short ribs, braising takes 20-30 minutes. I topped them with some sliced avocado, sliced onion, and a dollop of tomatillo salsa.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 dried cascobel chile, stem removed
1 seranno or jalapeno chili, halved
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp oregano
1 15 oz can tomatoes
1 carrot, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Corn tortillas

Directions:
Take chicken thighs out, pat dry, and salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet to high. Add onion, chiles, and garlic and cook, turning, until lightly charred. Add to a food processor with tomatoes, spices, and carrots and puree until smooth.