Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos

There are days when I don't get asked "what's for sups?" so much as I get told what's for sups. This recipe came from one such decisive day. The request was for soft tacos, specifically with shredded chicken if possible, so I tried my best to deliver on this demand. As it turned out, the tacos were a hit and B now wants this meal added to the list of regulars on our dinner rotation!

Yields approx 6 soft tacos (depending on how heavily or lightly you stuff them)

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade: 

• 1 1/2 tbsp coke (the carbonation & chemicals in coke work great to tenderize meat)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper 
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp cajun powder
• pinch red chili flakes
• 1 cup tomato sauce (or spicy pasta sauce!)
• 1 package whole wheat/multigrain 6-inch soft tortillas (I like the Mission brand pictured below as they are high in fibre)
• 1/2 hothouse cucumber
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup skim mozzarella (or low-fat cheese of your choosing)
• optional: taco sauce or hot sauce, to taste

Start by marinating the chicken well in advance (a couple hours up to overnight). Trim any fat off the chicken breast, slice in half to maximize the surface area being coated in saucy goodness. Add all marinade ingredients, mixing well to coat evenly. Cover and set aside in fridge til closer to serving time. 

  

Heat a small amount of olive oil (~1tsp) in a small non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add chicken breast halves, including any excess marinade. Cook for 3min, flip, then cook the other side for another 3min. Pour the tomato/pasta sauce over the chicken, reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let simmer for 20min (or til chicken is no longer pink inside).

While the chicken is simmering, wash and prepare the taco fixins: Slice cucumber and spinach into thin strips. Chop cilantro. Grate mozzarella. Set aside on a serving plate, keeping refrigerated until the chicken is ready.

Preheat the oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in tin foil, and warm in preheated oven for 5-7min.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan, and shred with two forks. Place the shredded chicken back in the pan, stirring to coat in the remaining sauce, cover, and continue simmering for another 10-15min. 

Once the tortillas are warm and the shredded chicken is ready, I set up a build-your-own-adventure style taco station on the kitchen counter or at the dinner table. I put a bottle of taco sauce and hot sauce out as well.