Crispy Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice
Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.
Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.
Yield: 10 tacos
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
non-stick spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs, whisked
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 chipotles, rehydrated in hot water,drained, and pureed in a food processor until smooth
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup uncooked rice, cooked per manufacturer’s instructions
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (plus extra for garnish)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
ranch dressing, for drizzling (optional)
10-12 corn or flour tortillas, warm
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F, and spray a large baking sheet with a non-stick spray. Set aside.
In one shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, add the eggs. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko and plain bread crumbs.
Taking each chicken strip, dredge in the flour and then shake to get rid of any excess. Place in the egg and douse to coat. Let any excess drip off. Then transfer the chicken strips to the bread crumb mixture, evenly coat and press down so that it adheres.
Place the chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet, and drizzle the melted butter on top. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the chicken has cooked through and is crispy. Remove from oven.
While the chicken is baking, prepare your sauce. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the honey, brown sugar, garlic, ketchup, pureed chipotles, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, and a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, whisking throughout. In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and water until the corn starch has dissolved. Add it to the saucepan, continuing to whisk until the sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
Submerge each chicken strip in the sauce, and place on a plate to the side.
Prepare your rice by, combining cooked rice, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest and a dash of salt and pepper.
Assemble your tacos by layering on rice, chicken, a drizzle of ranch dressing (if you are using) and a sprinkling of cilantro onto a warmed corn or flour tortilla. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Adapted from a recipe on cookingandbeer.com