MEXICAN CHICKEN OR BEEF TACOS





CHICKEN TACOS
These tacos are rich and filling.   I think cheese tacos taste much better than the corn tacos, which are literally tasteless to me anyway.  Try these and you will be pleasantly surprised.    If desired serve with a big salad on the side.


Today is CINCO DE MAYO and here is what I made today!  I used my chicken filling and topped with chopped tomatoes and avocado and a little grated cheese.  Delicious with a dollop of sour cream!  I won't be hungry until tomorrow, I think.  I used grated Monterey Jack cheese for this....finely grated using my Food processor attachment.



HERE ARE THE STEPS TO MAKING IT:

Sprinkle grated cheese in 7-inch nonstick pan


Over medium to medium-low heat (reduce heat as necessary), cheese melts


Cheese is turning quite golden brown underneath as can be seen from the edges.  Flip and cook other side briefly until light golden brown - not too brown!


2 crispy tacos....Place cooked cheese on a dinner plate and fold over a big spoon to keep it open





Now filled with your favorite fillings! Top with sour cream, if desired.


8 oz regular cream cheese (250 g)
1/cup whipping cream (75 mL)
11/2 cups diced, cooked chicken (375 mL)
2 tbsp diced, canned jalapenos (30 mL)
1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
1/tsp chili powder (1 mL)
Mozzarella Cheese Tacos:  OR Monterey Jack Cheese (I actually prefer this - better flavor!)
2 oz grated Mozzarella (or better yet, Monterey Jack) cheese per taco (60 g)
Optional Fillings:
Lettuce
Chopped tomatoes

In nonstick pan, combine cream cheese and cream.  Over low heat, keep stirring until smooth.  Stir in chicken, jalapenos, salt and chili powder.  Fill Cheese Taco shells with this mixture.

Mozzarella Cheese Tacos:  In nonstick pan, with inside circumference of about 7 inches (18 cm), spread Mozzarella cheese evenly.  Cook until edges begin to brown and it is easy to flip.  Cook a little while longer after flipping.  Place on plate and fold in half over something like a big spoon (to keep it open).  When cooler, fill with chicken mixture, lettuce and chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Yield:   8 servings
1 serving
382.1 calories
33.7 g protein
25.6 g fat
2.9 g net carbs

BEEF TACOS
Delicious variation for your cheese tacos!  This TACO is made with Mozzarella cheese.

1 lb lean ground beef (0.454 kg)
1 cup water (250 mL)
10 Cheese Tacos (use 1.2 oz  (34 g) grated
  Cheddar cheese per taco) – see below
2/cup shredded lettuce (150 mL)
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
2/cup sour cream (150 mL)
Taco Mix:
2 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes (25 mL)
2 tsp ground cumin (10 mL)
3/4  tsp hot chili powder (3 mL)
1/tsp salt (2 mL)
1/tsp garlic powder (2 mL)
1/tsp Thickening Agent,  OR xanthan gum (0.5 mL)

In large frying pan, brown ground beef.  Pour off fat.  Stir Taco Mix into cooked ground beef, along with water.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens and onion is soft.

Taco Mix:  In small bowl, combine onion flakes, cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and Thickening Agent, OR xanthan gum. 

Cheese Tacos:  Spread grated Cheddar cheese to cover surface in nonstick 6-inch (15 cm) pan.  Melt until turning brown and it begins to bubble up, or until it flips easily (takes a while); flip, cook very briefly and fold over. Allow to cool briefly and fill with ground beef, lettuce, chopped tomato and sour cream.
Serve immediately with a Garden salad or Caesar salad on the side, if desired.

Variation:  Taco Omelet:  Taco Meat is a great filling for omelets.

Yield:  10 servings, or 50 g (1.8 oz) per serving.  (0.8 g Carbs)

Helpful Hints:  Unless you’re feeding a crowd, you will not require 10 cheese tacos.  One cheese taco with 50 grams (1.8 oz) taco beef, 1 tbsp (15 mL) shredded lettuce, 2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped tomato and 1 tbsp (15 mL) sour cream will yield the above nutritional analysis.  If tacos become too brittle to fill without breaking, warm in microwave oven 25 seconds and fill.