Tacos de pollo con salsa verde de aguacate Recipe
These chicken tacos with a creamy green avocado sauce taste just like street food from Mexico City, only without having to stand in line at the stall. Tender meat, fresh cilantro and a slightly tangy salsa create a combination that just begs for one more tortilla. It’s a great way to use up cooked or roasted chicken from the day before.
These tacos taste like a quick dinner from a Mexico City street stall: juicy chicken, creamy avocado salsa and fresh cilantro create an intensely citrusy, herb-forward duo. The creamy sauce made from avocado, yogurt and jalapeño replaces classic, heavier sour cream, making the whole dish lighter yet still filling. It’s also a clever way to give leftover roasted chicken from the previous day a second life.
Chef's tips
Don’t fry the chicken for too long – as soon as the pieces are golden on the outside and completely white inside, take them off the pan so they don’t dry out. If the avocado sauce starts to darken, add a little more lime juice and cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. Warm the tortillas briefly and keep them wrapped in a clean cloth – if they dry out, they’ll crack when you fold them.
How to serve
Serve these tacos with a simple red onion and lime salsa or with pickled jalapeños if you like a more pronounced heat. They go great with a cold lager or a non-alcoholic lime-and-mint agua fresca. This dish works brilliantly for casual get-togethers with friends – set all the toppings out on the table and let everyone assemble their own tacos.
Ingredients
- corn tortillas small, about 12 cm in diameter - 12 pieces
- chicken breast boneless, skinless - 500 g
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- lime for juice and serving - 2 pieces
- avocado ripe, soft to the touch - 2 pieces
- plain yogurt thick, Greek-style - 80 g
- fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems - 15 g
- onion small, white or red - 0.5 pieces
- garlic clove - 1 piece
- jalapeño chili seeds removed if you want a milder dish - 1 piece
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- ground black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- iceberg lettuce sliced into thin strips - 80 g
- tomato firm, diced finely - 2 pieces
Preparation
- Cut the chicken breast into thin strips or small cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the juice of half a lime, mix and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Finely dice the onion. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and slice the lettuce into thin strips. Set the vegetables aside separately; they will be toppings for the tacos.
- Put the peeled, pitted avocado, yogurt, cilantro leaves, juice of 1.5 limes, garlic clove, jalapeño cut into pieces and 2–3 tablespoons of water into a blender jug. Blend until smooth and thick. If it’s too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until it has the consistency of thick cream. Season with salt to taste.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes, until the pieces are golden on the outside and completely white inside. If they release a lot of juices, increase the heat so the liquid evaporates.
- Warm the tortillas: place them on a dry pan over medium heat for 20–30 seconds on each side, until they become soft and pliable. Keep them covered with a cloth so they don’t dry out.
- Place some lettuce on each warm tortilla, add a few pieces of chicken, sprinkle with tomato and onion, then top with 1–2 tablespoons of avocado sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
Storage
Store leftover chicken and avocado sauce separately in the fridge in airtight containers and use within 1–2 days. Warm the tortillas fresh before serving again so they stay soft and don’t crack.
