Time for a change

It’s definitely time for a change when it comes to filling our Tacos, let’s be honest, anything goes really. You can’t go that wrong when it comes to creating a good filling. But this recipe is absolutely, positively one to keep handy as it is so blooming delicious! Enter the star of the show……the amazing Chicken, Chorizo & Sweet Potato Tacos.

More than just the flavour

The crazy thing is, when we think about eating things like Tacos, Burritos, Burgers etc, it gets associated with the term ‘junk food’. But when you make these meals at home, they are far from junk food. Let’s think about it, they contain, vegetables/salad, usually a high protein ingredient such as chicken, fish, beef. and the topping can be a tomato salsa or yoghurt, guacamole etc. There are so many benefits in one of these meals with regards to vitamins, minerals and macronutrients.

Getting people together

Another benefit when we are eating foods such as tacos, pizza, fajitas etc is that it brings people together. Our lives can get so hectic and crazy that it’s easy not to enjoy the simple things in our lives, like having a meal together. We “grab something on the run” or you eat your dinner in one room while your partner eats theirs whilst finishing off some work in another. Maybe you give your children their dinner earlier and you and your partner have yours later. A simple meal like Tacos can change all that by bringing people around a dinner table.

In my house, we started something called ‘Fajita Friday’. It is a date in our weekly diary that brings the family around the table, where we can talk, listen, joke, make plans……..and it’s my favourite night of the week. There is something special about having food in the middle of the table where everyone jumps in and helps themselves.

What’s involved?

The great thing with this recipe is that you can make it as easy or complex as you like. I have a few different components in this dish, that can be used or not, depending on time and preference. You have the main taco mix, then the easy tomato salsa and finally the pickled red cabbage. If you want to buy a salsa and leave out the red cabbage, then do it, but keep it in and you’ll elevate the dish to another level (as well as adding in a truckload more micronutrients).

Chicken, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Tacos

The Recipe

So let’s get into this bad boy in a hurry, so it gives you more time to get to the shops and buy the ingredients! I will list the individual spices below for a Taco mix, but my advice, rather than buy all these individual spices (unless you’re in the kitchen all the time and will use the spices regularly), just buy a taco spice mix.

Taco spice mix (if you want to make it yourself)

• 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Chilli Flakes
• 1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

Ingredients 

Serves x 4 people

• 25-30g Taco spice mix
• 4 x Chicken breast
• 2 x large Sweet Potatoes
• 200g Chorizo (diced)
• ½ Red Cabbage Shredded as fine as you can get
• Tortilla Wraps/Taco shells
• A bag of baby Spinach
• 1 x Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes (normal Tomatoes will also do)
• 1 x bunch of Coriander
• ½ Cup of White Wine Vinegar (or any you have available)
• 2 Tspn Cinnamon
• 2 Tspn Honey
• Natural Yoghurt for dressing

Method

1. Put oven at 185°c. Slice Chicken into thin strips, place into a bowl, put in your taco spices, mix and leave to marinate.
2. Dice up your Sweet Potatoes into 1cm dice (size doesn’t have to be exact, please don’t go and get your rulers), put in a tray, drizzle with a little oil, salt & pepper and bang in the oven. These will take around 15-20  minutes to cook. By the time you’ve done the rest of these steps and cooked the chicken, they should be ready.
3. Shred that vibrant red cabbage and put in a bowl. Put in 1tspn of the Cinnamon,1tspn of the honey and the vinegar. Give it a good mix and set aside to soften.
4. ¼ up the Cherry Tomatoes or chop your regular tomatoes and place in small bowl. Place in the rest of the cinnamon and honey and mix. Chop up a good handful of Coriander, throw into your tomatoes, mix then set-aside.
5. Place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Put a glug of oil in the pan and place in your chicken. Depending on how thick you have cut up the strips they should take 8-10 minutes to cook.
6. Throw in your diced up chorizo and cook for a further two minutes. Take out the thickest piece of chicken and slice through it to make sure it is cooked. Place mix into a bowl, add your sweet Potato and serve.
7.  It is now time to start loading up your Tacos. Serve your wraps, red cabbage, tomato, spinach and yoghurt in separate bowls in the middle of the table.
8. Place in the wrap some raw baby spinach, add in your chicken mix, top with all the rest of the ingredients and enjoy.

Like what you see?

If you like the look of this recipe and fancy seeing some more then come and be social and check out The Urban Canteen on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Leave comments, like, share subscribe and be part of an ever growing community. We love hearing from you guys, so get in touch and get social.

As always, thank you very much for taking a look #theurbancanteen

https://www.instagram.com/theurbancanteen/

https://twitter.com/TheUrbanCanteen

https://www.facebook.com/TheUrbanCanteen/?ref=bookmarks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKONm2YBUtwps0ueXPQ9tQ