Chicken Tacos with Sautéed Chayote
Zesty Radish Pico de Gallo & Seasoned Crema
Cooking time
40 minutes
Servings
2/4
Calories
660 /serving
There’s a new vegetable that’s trending this season: chayote squash (pronounced “chah-yo-tay” or “chocho” for fun). This pear-shaped gourd makes a worthy complement to our spiced chicken tacos, offering a festive side! Crunchy and mild like an unripe pear, when cooked with garlic and zesty citrus, this squash has a mild, almost cucumber-like flavour. Add a pop of pink with a perky pico de gallo featuring tomato, radish and scallion and a dollop of zesty crema with pepitas to complete this tasty taco plate.
We will send you:
- 4 Chicken thighs (or 2 chicken breasts; or 4 bone-in chicken thighs; or 2 bone-in chicken legs; or 6 chicken drumsticks)
- 60g Radishes
- 1 Garlic clove
- 2 Scallions
- 1 Lime (or lemon)
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Chayote
- 25g Roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 60ml Crema
- 6 Wheat flour tortillas
- 8g Smoky Mexican Moment spice blend (smoked paprika, paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic flakes, oregano, black peppercorns, cloves, allspice, cinnamon)
Contains: Milk, Wheat
You will need:
Large pan
Zester
Peeler
Oil
Salt & pepper
Aluminium foil
Total Fat
32 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Sodium
670 mg
Total Carbs
51 g
Sugars
8 g
Protein
48 g
Fibres
9 g
Preparation
Cook the chicken
In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel; season with ½ the spice blend and S&P. Add the chicken thighs* to the pan and cook, partially covered, 4 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through (if you received a different cut of chicken, find your alternate cooking method at www.makegoodfood.ca/chicken). Transfer to a cutting board, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan. Reserve the pan. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing it against the grain.
Mise en place
Preheat the oven to 450°F. While the chicken cooks, zest the lime. Juice ½ and quarter the remaining ½. Slice the radishes into rounds; place in a bowl of water. Small-dice the tomato. Peel and julienne the chayote; toss in a small bowl with a splash of the lime juice to prevent browning. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Mince the garlic.
Sauté the chayote
In the reserved pan of fond, heat a drizzle of oil on medium. Add the garlic and white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the chayote and ½ cup water (double for 4 portions); season with the remaining spice blend and S&P. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with as much of the lime zest as you’d like.
Warm the tortillas
While the chayote cooks, stack the tortillas on a large piece of foil; tightly wrap the foil around the tortillas. Carefully place directly on the oven rack and bake, 6 to 8 minutes, until heated through. Keep wrapped until ready to serve.
Make the pico de gallo & seasoned crema
While the tortillas warm, in a medium bowl, make the pico de gallo by combining the tomato, radishes (drain before adding), up to ½ the green tops of the scallions (to taste) and up to ½ the lime juice (to taste); season with S&P to taste. In a small bowl, combine the crema and as much of the remaining lime juice as you’d like; season with S&P to taste.
Plate your dish
Divide the tortillas between your plates. Add the sliced chicken and sautéed chayote. Top with the pico de gallo. Garnish with the pepitas and as many remaining green tops of the scallions as you’d like. Serve the seasoned crema and lime wedges on the side. Bon appétit!
*Health Canada recommends cooking poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 74°C.
