Simple Chicken Tacos and Black Beans

A very simple dinner using leftover chicken for tacos and a quick black bean side dish.

These tacos were completely unexpected and delicious.  I bought corn tortillas, made slaw, and had black beans warming in preparation for Fish Stick Tacos (which I'll post next time).  I was waiting for my husband to get home from work before I cooked the fish sticks when he surprised me by bringing home leftovers.

Unexpected leftovers make great tacos.  [Tweet this]

Someone from his work had barbecue/grilled chicken for lunch and couldn't finish it all so he brought me the leftovers.  I don't want y'all to think we can't afford to buy our own food.  We can, but my husband hates to see any food go to waste and he knew I had tacos planned so thought I might sub chicken for the fish sticks.  It wasn't much chicken but plenty for the two of us and even easier than the dinner I had planned.  So that's how these Simple Chicken Tacos came into existence.  Once again an unplanned meal rescued leftovers and tasted great.  This would work well with leftover rotisserie chicken too.

Rescue leftover rotisserie chicken with tacos.  [Tweet this]

Simple Chicken Tacos

Prep/cook time:  15 minutes or fewer
Servings:  2

Ingredients:

*Quick lime slaw
1 cup leftover chicken, shredded
4 Corn Tortillas, toasted/grilled
Cilantro

**Quick Lime Slaw:  1/2 head of cabbage sliced/shredded, juice of 1 lime, 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise, and 1 tsp sugar.  Toss the cabbage in the juice, mayonnaise, and sugar until thoroughly mixed.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to use (it's great right away too if you're crunched for time).

Grill the tortillas quickly on both sides until pliable and sturdier (see my trick for more details).  Cover with a towel and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the leftover chicken (in the microwave is fine).

Lay out the tortillas (2 per person).  Spread some of the slaw on each tortilla, then 1/4 of the chicken, and top with cilantro.

Serve with black beans (recipe below).

Black Beans and Red Pepper Side

Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups pre-cooked black beans (or 1 can drained)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
Hot sauce or hot pepper flakes, optional

In a medium saucepan cook the onion and red pepper, over medium-high heat (with a sprinkle of salt and pepper), until tender.

Add the black beans (and salt if needed), garlic powder, and hot sauce if using (enough to make it spicy to your liking).  Stir to mix well, lower the heat to low, and cover until the beans are heated through.

Serve as a side dish for any meal.

Enjoy.

For more taco ideas check out:

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

Cinnamon Spice Fish Tacos

Beans and Rice Tostadas

Linked to:  2 Cup, Treasure Box, Lou Lou Girs, Talk, Wake Up, Whimsy, Full Plate, Freedom, Food Friends, Pretty Pintastic, Best of the Weekend

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Chicken Enchiladas

Corn tortillas rolled with chicken and cheese then smothered and baked in a chili sauce.

What to do with a collection of hot sauce packets from Taco Bell?  Make Enchilada Sauce.

I don't remember exactly how many packets of hot sauce I had somewhere around 30 or more.  It was a little tedious opening each one and squeezing out the sauce; but then I started stacking 5 together and cutting the tops off with scissors and squeezing the sauce out of all 5 at once.  That sped up the process and I ended up with 3/4 of a cup of sauce. This I turned into Enchilada Sauce.

Hot Sauce Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup hot chili sauce (I used leftover TacoBell fire sauce)
1/4 cup lard or butter
1/4 cup flour
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup dried chili flakes (optional)

Melt lard, or butter, in  large sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes until the raw flour taste is gone and there are no clumps.

Pour in the chicken broth and stir until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the chili sauce and chili flakes (if using).  Let cook a little longer then taste for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper if needed and more chili flakes if you like it spicier.

Now on to the Enchiladas.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

Enchilada sauce
12 corn tortillas
1 cup cooked shredded chicken (leftover rotisserie is great)
Shredded cheese (Mexican blend is fine, whatever you like, I used Monterey Jack...that's what I had)
Jalapeno slices (optional)

First I prepare my tortillas by grilling them on each side to make them more pliable (like in my Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos).

Preheat oven to 350F

Spread a thin layer of Enchilada Sauce on the bottom of an 11 by 13 baking pan or casserole pan.

Dip a tortilla in the sauce (or I used a brush to coat both sides in sauce...it's messy either way) and lay it flat in the baking dish.

Spread some chicken and cheese in the center then gently roll the tortilla placing the seam side down.  Slide the rolled tortilla to one side of the pan and continue with the rest of the tortillas.

Dip or coat the tortilla on both sides with the sauce, fill with chicken and cheese, roll, and lay each roll side by side then stack them until you have no more tortillas left.

Pour any extra Enchilada Sauce, evenly, over the rolled tortillas.  Spread cheese on top and add jalapeno slices if you are using them.

Bake in 350F oven for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings (2-3 enchiladas per person).

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Tasty Tues, Tickle Tastebuds, Full Plate, Cook Craft Share, Freedom, Eat Create, See ya in the Gumbo

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Blue Cheese Buffalo Chicken Dip

A warm and spicy dip made with cream cheese, sour cream, blue cheese, chicken, and buffalo sauce.

My husband loves chicken wings.  When I first saw this dip I knew I had to make it for him.  I finally got around to making this dip and it was delicious.  It's hot wings with out the bones, mess, and with cheese.

I made it a little differently to suit our tastes.  First, I only used half Franks Red Hot Original Sauce and the other half my favorite hot sauce (Big Daddy's Ass Burn Sauce). Then, instead of using ranch or blue cheese dressing I used sour cream and plenty of blue cheese.  I also threw in some green onions because I had them.  All these changes added up to make a delicious dip that was great on tortilla chips or, my favorite, celery.

Blue Cheese Buffalo Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
8 oz blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (great use for leftover rotisserie chicken)
green onions (optional)

It's pretty easy just mix it all together and heat.  I baked it in the oven at 350F for about 30 minutes but you can also microwave it (that's how I reheated the leftover dip).

Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.  This made plenty of dip.  We had enough dip to last the two of us all weekend (of football watching) and the rest of the week too. So there's plenty for a party.

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Merry Mon, See ya in the Gumbo, Two Cup, Lou Lou Girls, Tasty Tues, Tickle my Tastebuds, Cook Craft share Full Plate, Eat Create, Freedom, Foodie Friends

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Chicken Burrito Bowls

Chicken, peppers, corn, beans, and rice all mixed together with tomatoes.  Ready to eat or wrap in a tortilla.

How can you make burritos gluten free?  Just don't use a flour tortilla.  Burrito bowls are everything that is great about a burrito without the tortilla.  If you don't want to get rid of the tortilla you can always use this as a filling too.

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup, uncooked, rice
1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
1 can corn, drained
1 cup cooked chicken (great use for leftover rotisserie chicken)
2 cups cooked black beans
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large stock pot.  Add the onions and peppers (generously season with salt and pepper)  and saute until tender.  Then add garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.

Pour in the uncooked rice and stir to mix well.  Allow the dry rice to cook for a few minutes then add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer until rice is cooked.

Lastly add the corn, chicken, beans, and tomatoes.  Mix thoroughly and allow to cook on low until heated through.

Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

Serve in bowls topped with cheese, salsa (such as Roasted Pepper Salsa or Fresh Salsa), and/or any other toppings of your choice.  You can even roll it all in a tortilla for a traditional burrito.

Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Two Cup, Lou Lou Girls, Teach Me, Tasty Tues, Tickle my Tastebuds, Whimsy, See ya in the Gumbo, Merry Mon


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Chicken and Black Bean Salsa Nachos

Crunchy tortilla chips layered with leftover rotisserie chicken, black bean and corn salsa, and shredded cheese.

Nachos are always a great gameday snack, or even dinner.  In my house anything can be used for nachos.  We've made Bacon Nachos, left over prime rib Nachos, plain cheese and jalapeno nachos, and many more varieties.  This time I had left over rotisserie chicken and left over Black Bean and Corn Salsa so I used these to make nachos.  All nachos are tasty and these did not disappoint.  The chips were crunchy, the cheese melted perfectly, and every chip had toppings on it.  We've got nacho making down to an art.

Chicken&BlackBeanSalsa #Nachos are a great #gamedaysnack  [Tweet this]

Chicken and Black Bean Salsa Nachos

Ingredients:

Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Leftover rotisserie chicken
Guacamole

On an oven proof platter lay down a layer of tortilla chips.

Top the chips with cheese, chicken, and salsa (I put a little cheese below the other toppings and then again on top so when melted it would help hold everything on the chip).  Then top with another layer of chips and toppings finishing with a sprinkle of cheese.

Bake at 200F for about 10-15 minutes to melt the center cheese, then broil for  few minute until the top cheese is melted.

Servings depend on the size of the platter and how many layers you make.  We use a roughly 9x12 pan with 2-3 layers for 2 people.

Top with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream and serve with more guacamole, sour cream, and/or salsa.

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Best of the Weekend, Sat Night Fever, See ya in the Gumbo, Two Cup, Teach Me, Lou Lou Girls, Tickle my Tastebuds, Tasty Tues, Whimsy

Recipes mentioned in this post:

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Great Guacamole

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Tequila Lime Chicken Taco Salad

Left over rotisserie chicken,  shredded,  marinated in tequila and lime juice topping green lettuce and tortilla chips.

Rotisserie chickens are wonderful.  They taste great and are usually cheaper than whole chickens (at least here) that still need to be cooked. We try to pick up a rotisserie chicken once a month, or more, and this is one meal from the chicken.   Two meals (for 2) were just chicken and  sides. Then we had 2 meals (also for 2) of salads topped with chicken. Finally we were left with mostly carcass which I was able to pick off about 1 cup of meat.  This is what I used for our final meal (for 2) of tequila lime chicken taco salad.  I love that we can get 6 meals from a 6 dollar chicken.

If you follow this blog you know that I love taco salad. I think I could turn just about anything into taco salad. I also had avocados (from my 3 for $1 purchase that I mashed with lime and froze) that I planned to turn into guacamole so that sealed my decision.  Then I saw a bottle of tequila and some limes and my plain chicken taco salad morphed into tequila lime chicken taco salad.

Tequila Lime Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 cup tequila
Grated zest of 1 lime (optional)
1 Tbsp minced gatlic
1 Tbsp minced shallot(s)
Habanero flakes to taste (or cayenne, or hot sauce)
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

Mix together all ingredients and place in a zipper bag and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Heat the chicken and marinade, in a frying pan over medium heat, until excess liquid evaporates (just a few minutes) and the garlic and shallots are cooked and fragrant

Serve chicken atop lettuce and tortilla chips with your favorite toppings. I used cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, jalapeños (for my husband), and guacamole.

Serves 2.  Finish with a shot of tequila or a Margarita :)

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Two cup, Tasty Tuesday, Tickle my Tastebuds, Wonderful wed, Wed Roundup, Cook Craft Share, Full Plate, Eat Create, Freedom Fri, Foodie Friends, Sat Night Fever, See ya in the Gumbo, Merry Mon

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Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

A simple chicken stir fry with a bite, from fresh ginger.

(Updated 1/18/16 pin-able image, minor editing, tweet-ables, and similar posts)

Store-bought rotisserie chicken is awesome.  It's cheaper (at least here) than buying raw chicken and cooking it yourself.  Not to mention it tastes amazing.  I know eating the skin is frowned upon but it's so good and crispy I always eat a bit of it.  For the two of us (my hubs and I), we can usually get a good 5 meals or more out of one chicken.  Usually, the first night or two we just eat plain chicken, with whatever sides we feel like making, then I pick as much meat as possible from the carcass and save it for other meals (the carcass can be used for chicken stock too).  This stir fry is one way I used some of the leftover rotisserie chicken.

Use #leftoverrotisseriechicken in Ginger Chicken #StirFry  [Tweet this]

I didn't want to make just a plain chicken stir fry (what would I blog about if I didn't experiment and try something new) and I had a large piece of ginger root so I thought I'd use it.  I always add some ginger to most of my stir fries and I love the kind of sweet and spicy flavor it gives.  

Spice up #chickenstirfry w/ #Ginger Chicken Stir Fry  [Tweet this]

Growing up the only time I was used to eating ginger was in baked goods and always the ground ginger.  Now, I don't know what I would do without fresh ginger root on hand.  It's very prevalent in the Chinatown markets I frequent, and it's inexpensive so I don't mind grabbing a rather large piece.  I love having fresh ginger in the house because it can be used in many recipes from stir fries to baked goods and even beverages (try it in an orange juice smoothie for a little kick).  Since I had plenty of ginger I thought I'd use lots of it to lend the stir fry a nice spiciness.  As usual, I used minced ginger and garlic (to me these are the main components of a good stir fry) and I wanted to make sure it was extra gingery so I cut some small matchsticks of ginger to toss with the veggies.  I wasn't sure how that would work but it was great.  The bigger pieces of ginger gave a nice texture and more of a gingery bite.  Delicious.  Oh, and ginger has many nutrition and health benefits (just Google it).

#Ginger has many #healthbenifits | Ginger Chicken Stir Fry  [Tweet this]

Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

Cook time:  about 20 minutes
Servings:  4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
dash of sesame oil
1 tsp chili oil
1 Thai chili, minced (optional)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp rice wine
1-2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1-2 Tbsp high heat oil
about 40 1/2 inch long matchsticks of fresh ginger
2 carrots, julienned
1 onion, chopped
1 head of broccoli, florets
1 cup frozen peas

Mix together the first 8 ingredients, pour over the chicken in a sealable container (or zipper bag), and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Pour in the oil then add the ginger and vegetables (about 5 cups of veggies total any combination would be fine).  Stir fry until vegetables are tender to your liking.  Then pour in the marinade and chicken.  Mix and stir until heated through then remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice and garnish with chopped green onions.  

Makes about 4 servings.  

Enjoy.

For more stir fries check out:

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Pork and Peas Stir Fry -

Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry -

Linked to:  Two Cup, Teach Me, LouLou Girls,  Tasty Tuesday, Brag about it, Wonderful Wed, Whimsy Wed, Wed Roundup, Eat Create, Freedom Friday, Foodie Friends, Best of the Weekend, Sat Night Fever, Share it Sunday

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