Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

I probably have mentioned before I have a love for Mexican food.  We don’t have it often, but every once and a while I can't resist.  So, here’s a quick and easy taco recipe a bit different from chopped meat with a packet of seasoning. 

Other than the hard shells and enchilada sauce, I had everything for this recipe on hand.  I always keep shredded/diced cooked chicken in the freezer in 2-cup packages, usually leftover from making chicken soup, but could easily be pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.  The seasonings are staples in my cabinet and I almost always have an onion or two in the pantry.  And with all the beer left from my birthday bash a couple weeks ago, there was no shortage there.

One pot does the trick for this one and really you need only about 20 minutes from start to finish – a quick and easy Mexican fix.  While there is a little beer in the recipe, didn't taste it much at all and the chili powder (which next time I would reduce) and enchilada sauce gave this a nice heat.

And – I cannot close out without a shout out to the hard shells.  We don’t normally go the hard taco route, but I saw an ad for these “fiesta flats” and had to see for myself.  Let me tell you – they are genius!  You can fill them and set them without tipping.  And while I still stand by the soft shell and feel hard shells get stale while they sit on the table (and most often than not, are stale when you take them out of the package) these were a rare treat.

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

What You Need:

• 2 c diced cooked chicken
• ½ large onion, diced
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• ¾ c beer
• 1 tbsp chili powder (I might try ½ tbsp next time)
• ½ tsp cumin
• Shells and toppings as desired (We topped ours with sour cream and a little shredded cheese)

How You Do It:

1. Sauté chicken and onion in rimmed skillet until onion starts to soften, about 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add seasonings, beer, and enchilada sauce.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to an almost-simmer, and cook an additional 15 minutes uncovered, until the sauce reduces to desired consistency.  (Note:  I added a little slurry to thicken at the end).

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.