Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Pesto

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I think that I have made it clear that I LOVE tacos. So when fellow blogger Heather Christo asked me to share a recipe from her upcoming cookbook, Pure Delicious, I just had to pick the taco recipe. These Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Pesto can be made in under 30 minutes, making them a perfect weeknight meal.

The cilantro pesto is delicious, and I think it would an excellent addition to any tacos. I am happy that I have some left over in my fridge. The red cabbage slaw comes together really quickly, and adds nice crunch and flavor.

Heather’s cookbook comes with a big story. Heather and her two daughters were diagnosed with a list of food allergies, which completely transformed the way her family ate. Pure Delicious is a compilation of 150 recipes that accommodate their allergies by eliminating gluten, dairy, egg, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish and cane sugar.

The amazing thing is that Heather has recreated classic recipes – like these tacos, pastas, and desserts, so that even if you don’t have food allergies, you won’t be missing out.

You can purchase Pure Delicious here.

Serves: 4

SLAW
3 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt

CHICKEN
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1⁄4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

CILANTRO PESTO
1 large bunch cilantro
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1⁄2 to 1 jalapeno coarsely chopped (seeded or not, depending on how spicy you like it)
1⁄3 cup pepitas (I used a Super Seed Mix containing flax, sunflower, and hemp seeds, and pepitas)
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt

TO SERVE
8 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large avocado, thinly sliced 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced 

To make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, and vegetable oil. Toss, then season with salt. Set aside.

In a heavy pan or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side (depending on thickness), until they are just cooked through in the center. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 

To make the cilantro pesto: In a food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, pepitas, vegetable oil, and lime juice. Pulse until well combined and season with salt.

Using two forks, shred the chicken. Combine the chicken with the cilantro pesto in a mixing bowl and toss to coat. Add salt if needed.

Rub the tortillas with the vegetable oil and set them directly over a gas burner until they are slightly charred and hot, about 10 seconds, turning them with tongs. You can also heat them directly in the bottom of a very hot dry skillet or heavy pan, using tongs to turn them. Stuff each tortilla with some of the chicken mixture and a scoop of the slaw, and garnish with a few slices of avocado and jalapeno. Serve immediately.

Reprinted from Pure Delicious by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Heather Christo