chipotle chicken tacos

last weekend, i baked a bunch of brownies, cookies, and cupcakes and sold them at the farmer’s market with my fellow members of riverside democrats (our school’s democrat club) to raise money for planned parenthood. we didn’t expect to make much money, but we ended up raising over $250! after spending most of my time in high school not really participating in sports/club stuff, it feels good to be involved in a club where i can work with my friends to make a change.

today’s my last day of high school, so i made some celebratory tacos. don’t they just scream summer? they’re a super easy weeknight dinner to throw together, and they are CRAZY delicious. seriously, you’ve gotta make ’em.

chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 adobo chile, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo)

pico de gallo

• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of one lime
• kosher salt, to taste

lime crema

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• pinch of kosher salt

assembly

• 8 to 12 (4-inch) flour or corn tortillas
• 4 oz queso fresco cheese, crumbled
• 2 avocados, sliced

for the chicken, preheat the oven to 375º. heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the olive oil to the skillet and once it’s hot, add in the chicken. brown the chicken on both sides (about 2 minutes each). cover the skillet (use aluminum foil if the skillet doesn’t have a top) and place in the oven, roasting for 20 minutes. in a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, chili powders, garlic powder and onion power in a bowl. set aside.

while the chicken is cooking, combine the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro in a bowl with the lime juice. season with salt and refrigerate until serving.

in another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice and zest, adobo sauce, and heavy cream. season with salt and transfer to a ziplock bag or squeeze bottle. refrigerate until serving.

right when the chicken is finished cooking, place it in a bowl and shred it using two forks. add in the spices and toss well to coat. add the chopped chile and the sauce and toss until incorporated.

to assemble, place some chicken in a warm tortilla and top with the pico de gallo, queso fresco, and a drizzle of the crema. serve with avocado on the side or on top and a wedge of lime.