Soft Chicken Tacos with Lime Crema and Quick Slaw

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A single taco template you can run all year: fast chile-rubbed chicken seared in a skillet, corn tortillas warmed the right way until they're pliable and toasty, and a two-minute lime crema plus crunchy cabbage slaw to finish. Swap the chicken for shrimp, steak, or mushrooms and everything else stays the same.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp water, as needed to thin

• 4 cup green cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar

• 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco (optional)
• hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry. In a bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the 1 tablespoon lime juice, and all of the spice mix until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you make the crema and slaw.
2. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lime juice, lime zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it drizzles off the whisk in a thin ribbon. Refrigerate until serving.
3. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, cilantro, and red onion with 2 tablespoons lime juice, the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Massage with your hands for 30 seconds to soften slightly, then set aside; it will get crunchier and more seasoned as it sits.
4. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken in a single layer without crowding (work in two batches if needed) and cook undisturbed 5 to 6 minutes until deeply browned. Flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer reads 175°F at the thickest point.
5. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then chop into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Toss the chopped chicken back into any juices on the board and taste for salt.
6. Warm the tortillas: set a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Flick a few drops of water onto each tortilla and rub it in with your fingers, then lay the tortilla in the dry pan for 30 to 45 seconds per side, until it puffs slightly, smells toasty, and shows a few brown freckles but is still fully flexible. Stack the warmed tortillas inside a clean kitchen towel in a bowl as you go; 5 minutes of steaming in the towel makes them soft and stretchy.
7. Build the tacos: double up two tortillas if they're thin, add a small handful of chicken, a tangle of slaw, a drizzle of lime crema, then jalapeño and queso fresco. Serve immediately with lime wedges and hot sauce.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem