spicy cider beer braised chicken tacos w. sweet chili apple-pomegranate salsa
Ingredients
- 1 kg skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 in chipotle chiliesadobo minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or more or less to taste
- salt and peper
- 1 beer 8 ounce
- 1/2 cup apple cider plus more if needed
- 1/2 -3/4 cup enchilada sauce
- 8 warmed flour or corn tortillas for serving
- grated cheddar + parmesan cheese for serving
SWEET CHILI APPLE-POMEGRANATE SALSA.
- 2 granny smith apples finely chopped
- seeds from one small pomegranate
- 1 jalapeño seeded + chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh corriander chopped
- juice from 1 lime
- 2-4 tablespoons sweet thai chili sauce
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the garlic, minced chipotle chilies in adobo, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Toss well to combine, making sure all the chicken gets coated in seasonings.
- Heat a large thick based pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat slightly and pour in the beer + apple cider. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, make the salsa. Add the chopped apple, pomegranate arils, jalapeño, corriander, lime juice and sweet thai chili sauce to a bowl. Toss well to combine, taste and adjust if needed. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the pot and shred with two forks. Meanwhile reduce the sauce that is left in the pot down to about 3/4 of a cup. Add the shredded chicken back to the sauce in the pot and toss. Now add the enchilada sauce and continue to cook about 2 minutes or until warmed through. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of apple cider.
- To serve, add the shredded chicken to a warmed tortilla. Top with cheddar, avocado and then the apple salsa. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chopped corrainder.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!