Chicken Taco Cups

So the Super Bowl is a week and a half away.

And I am so pumped.

I’m obsessed football food because of how casual and unfussy it is.

Chips, dips, wings, and brownies… it’s all amazing.

But, I wanted to do something different this year.

Something substantial.

Something interactive.

Something new.

So I made Chicken Taco Cups.

Homemade taco cups (just like the ones I love that hold the guacamole at the local Mexican restaurant) stuffed with salsa chicken and all the fixin’s.

And to make game day easier, you can make the shredded chicken ahead of time and keep the taco cups warm in the oven. When you’re ready to serve, just set everything out and allow everyone to build their taco cups themselves.

A fun, interactive dinner for the big game!

(plus, they are super yummy)

The taco cups start with the shredded chicken.

Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, cumin, dark chili powder, and garlic powder. Then heat olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add in the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for five minutes on the first side and then flip the chicken over.

Add in some low sodium chicken broth (even water works here) and put a lid over the skillet. *note: no lid? Use a cookie sheet to cover the skillet* Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes, checking every five minutes to assess the liquid level in the pan – add additional chicken broth if the bottom of the pan seems dry. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, remove from the pan and shred it with two forks. Pop the chicken in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve!

To make the taco cups, grab some taco-sized flour tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in a warm tea towel and microwave them for 30 seconds until they are warm and pliable. Lightly spray the warmed tortillas on both sides with cooking spray.

Mold the tortillas into cups using an inverted muffin tin. Bake the cups three at a time in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. After all the taco cups are made, keep them warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

When you want to serve up the taco cups, toss the chicken with some salsa (I love salsa verde) and set it out alongside different toppings. I love when my guest can customize their dinners the way they want too! I topped my Chicken Taco Cup with avocado and pickled onions, but the sky’s the limit when it comes to toppings.

YUM!

A fun and healthy way to celebrate the big game!

oxox,

Catherine

Chicken Taco Cups

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Simply A (RD) Fact: Chicken is a good source of lean protein.

Serves: 6-8 taco cups

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ½-1 cup low sodium chicken broth

For the Taco Cups:

• 6-8 taco-sized flour tortillas
• Cooking spray

For Serving:

• Salsa, enough to coat – use whatever kind you like!
• Taco toppings – avocado, pickled onions, jalapeños, sour cream, cheese

Instructions

To Make the Chicken:

1. Combine salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder – stir to mix. Sprinkle over the spice rub all over the chicken breasts, rubbing the spices all over the chicken. Wash your hands with soap and warm water.
2. In a skillet set over medium heat, add in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add in the chicken breasts. Cook for five minutes. Flip the chicken over, add in ½ cup of the chicken broth. Place a lid on the skillet – if you don’t have a lid for your skillet, cover it with a baking sheet. Cook the chicken breasts for an additional 15-20 minutes with the lid on – check the liquid level every five minutes and add additional broth if the pan looks dry. The chicken breasts are finished when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
3. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. When all the chicken is shredded, store in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to serve!

To Make the Taco Cups:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Take a standard-size muffin pan and flip over.
2. Wrap the flour tortillas in a clean tea towel and microwave for 30 seconds until pliable.
3. Take one tortilla and lightly spray with cooking spray. Mold the tortilla in the divots created by the inverted muffin pan to form a cup – it should look like a bowl! You can fit three per muffin tin.
4. Bake the taco bowls for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Make as many taco bowls as you want. When you are finished making all of the bowls, keep them warm in a low oven until serving time.

To Serve:

1. Take the shredded chicken and toss with just enough salsa to coat – I like spicy salsa verde, but you can use whatever you want!
2. Take a taco bowl and add in a large spoonful of chicken. Top with your favorite taco fixings and then dig in!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 taco cup (containing about 5oz shredded chicken, no toppings) Calories: 294 calories Fat: 8gm Saturated fat: 2gm Carbohydrates: 17gm Sodium: 551mg Fiber: 2gm Protein: 37gm Cholesterol: 108mg

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