Chris Berry On The Net

Here’s a simple one pot meal your whole family will enjoy. You can also double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd for a casual gathering. I usually top mine off with some shredded cheddar-jack cheese or a dollop of fresh guacamole. A cold Corona Extra with a lime wedge is the perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced
2 jalapeno peppers seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice – about 4 limes
1 cup water
1 package four tortillas

Technique

An enameled cast iron Dutch oven works best for this dish, but a heavy saucepan with a tight fitting lid will also work.

Preheat pan over medium heat and add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Add onions and jalapenos and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Add spice mixture and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Cooking the dry spice mixture this way releases the essential oils and will produce a much more flavorful finished dish. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute while stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes and be sure to scrape up all of the browned crust from the bottom of the pan. Add chicken, lime juice and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, then remove lid and increase heat to medium. Continue cooking until almost all of the liquid is reduced. When mixture is nearly dry, used a wooden spoon or paddle to break the chicken chunks into shreds. Serve wrapped in warm flour tortillas.

Chicken Dicing Technique

Dicing your chicken breasts into ½ inch bite sized chunks will shorten the cooking time required for this dish, and allow the chicken to absorb more flavor as it cooks.

Place a chicken breast on your cutting board and trim away any remaining skin or fat. If you are right handed, arrange the breast so that the long edge is parallel to the edge of the counter with the thick end on your right. Place your left hand on top of the breast with your fingertips at the thick end and the heel of your palm at the thin end. Starting at the thick end, cut the breast horizontally into two thinner halves. Lay the halves out flat on the board, and draw the tip of your knife through them lengthwise, then crosswise in a ½ inch grid pattern.

Enjoy this, and I will be happy to answer questions in the comments.