the thin chef

One of my greatest loves in the kitchen is a roast chicken. But I’ve already told you this, haven’t I? It’s perfect right out of the oven, but it’s also great to have on hand for later meals. The meat is so tender and moist, the leftovers store well in the fridge just waiting to be used in sundry delicious dishes. I roasted a chicken on Sunday for dinner, and we ate the dark meat, leaving the succulent breast meat for tonight. As a side note, the chicken was a Publix Greenwise chicken, and it was really great. Hormone and antibiotic free, and humanely raised…when we can’t afford the locally raised chickens at $15 apiece, this is a great second option.

I’ve used plain leftover roast chicken in tacos before, but tonight I wanted a little more oomph going on, because I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes for salsa or avocados for guacamole. We were pretty much condimentless, but we both were in the mood for tacos. So. I crafted an easy little sauce and tossed in the two breasts from our roast chicken (shredded), for a perfect, if untraditional, taco filling. I topped mine with crumbled goats milk feta from a local dairy, which added a lovely, salty layer of flavor.

On the side were refried black beans that were so easy to make I decided I’d probably never buy prepared refried beans again. This one’s a keeper. (But an unattractive photograph, so just use your imagination…) Oh, and p.s., I didn’t get a very good picture tonight…the lighting in our kitchen is lame and it’s dreary outside. Sorry for the blur!

Saucy Chicken Tacos with Refried Black Beans
serves 2 with leftovers

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
5 green onions, finely chopped (white and light green parts)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 big pinches coarse salt, divided
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 cooked chicken breasts, skin and bones removed and discarded
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, cut into wedges
Corn tortillas, warmed
Optional toppings: crumbled cotija (or feta), shredded Monterey jack, sour cream, sliced avocado, shredded lettuce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant and softened. Add the garlic, spices, and a generous pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and a splash of chicken broth (maybe 1/4 cup). Stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add a splash of chicken broth (maybe 1/4 cup) and mash the beans with a potato masher until creamy. Turn heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding chicken broth to maintain the creamy consistency.

Shred the cooked chicken, and add it to the tomato sauce. Add more chicken broth, if needed, if sauce seems too thick. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste, and add a second pinch of salt, if desired. Stir in the cilantro.

Spoon chicken mixture into warmed corn tortillas. Add the toppings you like, and serve immediately with lime wedges. Serve with refried beans on the side.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 8:40 pm and is filed under chicken, mexican, money saving, quick and easy, spicy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.