Chicken Tacos with Toasted Cumin Seed Sour Cream
Serves 6-8
We love these tacos because they are so easy to make and such crowd pleasers! We really like making the chicken filling in an Instapot, our new kitchen gadget obsession...but if you don’t have one, no worries! We’ve got you covered with a stove top method too!
Either way these will certainly become a family favorite.
INGREDIENTS
For the Toasted Cumin Seed Sour Cream:
(Inspired by Smitten Kitchen)
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, toasted and partially ground in a mortar & pestle or spice grinder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the Chicken Tacos:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno, plus more for garnishing
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried crushed oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon sweet, smoked paprika
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ chicken stock
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken parts (we used white and dark meat)
For serving: black beans, radishes, jalapeño, lime wedges, avocado, cilantro
DIRECTIONS
Make the Toasted Cumin Sour Cream:
Whisk all ingredients together. Adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the Tacos:
Stove top Method
In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook until soft, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook another minute. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the spices, lime juice, orange juice, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Bring mixture to a simmer and then add the chicken. Toss to combine. Chicken should just be covered by liquid. Place a tight fitting lid on top and reduce heat to low. Cook 35-40 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a sheet tray and evenly spread out. Place the sheet tray under your oven’s broiler for about 3 minutes to get crispy bits on the chicken. Meanwhile, bring the tomato sauce to a heavy simmer and cook until it has reduced by half and is very thick, about 5 minutes. Toss chicken with the sauce. Spread a spoonful of the toasted cumin seed sour cream on tortillas followed by shredded chicken, black beans and garnishes of choice.
Instant Pot Method:
Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press “sauté” button. Once oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook until soft, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook another minute. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the spices, lime juice, orange juice, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Bring mixture to a simmer and then add the chicken. Toss to combine. Chicken should just be covered by liquid. Secure the Instant Pot lid, press “manual” and set to 9 minutes. Release steam valve and then remove lid.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a sheet tray and evenly spread out. Place the sheet tray under your oven’s broiler for about 3 minutes to get crispy bits on the chicken. Meanwhile, press the “saute” button again on your Instant Pot and cook until tomato sauce is reduced by half and very thick, about 5 minutes. Toss chicken with the sauce. Spread a spoonful of the toasted cumin seed sour cream on tortillas followed by shredded chicken, black beans and garnishes of choice.
