Chile Lime Chicken

More About This Recipe

• This is the first in our new Easy Mexican Recipes Series. Watch for upcoming posts in this series this week!
  
  It's taco night! Growing up, taco night was a huge thing in my house. We would set up bowls of finely shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, several salsas, lettuce and more. Then we'd go to town, stuffing our tacos and chowing down. My husband jokes that few people love tacos the way my family does.
  
  But recently, my meat-loving husband gave up red meat in an attempt to live a healthier lifestyle. That means the ground beef-based tacos that I grew up on are a no-go. So, what do we do instead? Chicken. There are so many fabulous ways to do chicken tacos. Here are three of my favorites:
  
  EASY: Chile Lime Chicken Tacos
  
  As far as chicken tacos go, this is my go-to. This  recipe for Chile Lime Chicken Tacos is a step out of the ordinary, using a tasty marinated chicken in a crispy taco shell, but it's fabulous and something that the whole family adores. Start by making the chicken. Then, chop it into bite-sized morsels. If desired, toss the chicken back into the pan where you cooked it and add a tablespoon or so of water to deglaze the pan and infuse a little extra flavor into the chicken.
  
  Toppings? Sharp cheddar, perhaps some diced avocado ... and a great, tangy fresh salsa like Easy Tomato Tomatillo Salsa (see recipe shown below).
  
  EASIER: Tacos with Ground Chicken
  
  Whether you are looking for something a little speedier than marinating or want something a little more like mom used to make, creating homemade chicken tacos is a cinch with ground chicken. It's available at most supermarkets and can be substituted for ground beef in any recipe. Try using ground chicken with Homemade Mild Taco Seasoning.
  
  Toppings? Go traditional with cheddar, iceberg lettuce shavings, tomatoes and a chunky salsa like Muir Glen's Cilantro Lime Salsa recipe.
  
  EASIEST: Shredded Chicken Tacos
  
  When time is of the essence, you can make chicken tacos in a second by shredding rotisserie chicken. Use it immediately, or season it with a taco seasoning and cook it down quickly. Either way, you will save major time by using the precooked chicken.
  
  Toppings? Go spicy with Hot Salsa, perhaps some extra chopped jalapenos and cool sour cream or Guacamole.
  
  Sarah W. Caron (aka scaron) is a food writer, editor and blogger who writes about family-friendly foods and raising a healthy family at Sarah's Cucina Bella.