taco tuesdayz: chicken + mushroom tacos

i <3 tacos.

who doesn’t <3 tacos?

if you know someone who doesn’t <3 tacos, please fill me in on who and WHY?! i’d love to meet such a unique individual.

tacos are undeniably wonderful and they are one of my favorite make at home meals. i love all shapes and sizes. soft taco, crispy shells, corn or flour tortillas. they are all golden. but why not lighten it up and mix it up with some lettuce tacos. lately i’ve been loving crisp, crunchy, refreshing iceberg lettuce cups and they are a a great taco vehicle.

chicken + mushroom tacos

serves: 4

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenders. 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, diced. 4 green onions, white & green parts thinly sliced. 1 lime, sliced into 8 wedges. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .5 tsp dried oregano. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp ground pepper. 1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and leaves washed and dried. .25 cup tequila. 1 cup fresh pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa. optional: 1 avocado, diced. 1 cup mexican cheese blend. handful of cilantro sprigs.

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start by blending the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, half the salt and all the pepper. place all your chicken in a bowl, drizzle it with the olive oil and season with your spice blend.

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squeeze half the lime, into the mix, stir well and set aside. reserve the rest of the limes for serving. heat a large, heavy pan over medium heat.

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when the pan is nice and hot add in your chicken in an even layer. don’t crowed the pan or the chicken won’t get a nice brown. if you need to cook the chicken in two batches to not over crowed the pan, do so.

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cook the chicken till browned on each side and just cooked through. about 4 minutes a side. remove the chicken and set it aside to rest.

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add the mushrooms, the white and light green parts of the green onion and the rest of the salt to the pan.

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cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. about 7 minutes. pour in the tequila to deglaze the pan. use the liquid to scrape up any little brown flavor bits from the pan. cook until almost all the liquid has cooked off. about 3 minutes. while the tequila cooks down, chop up your chicken.

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add the chopped chicken and all it’s juices back into the pan.

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stir in half the salsa and stir well to combine. cook for 2 minutes till everything is nice and hot and then turn off the heat.

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to serve, fill your lettuce cups with a couple spoon fulls of your chicken mixture.

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top with the dark green parts of the green onion, some cilantro sprigs, avocado, some salsa and cheese.

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serve with a lime wedge and enjoy.

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xo, a

chicken + mushroom tacos

serves: 4

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenders. 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, diced. 4 green onions, white & green parts thinly sliced. 1 lime, sliced into 8 wedges. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .5 tsp dried oregano. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp ground pepper. 1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and leaves washed and dried. .25 cup tequila. 1 cup fresh pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa. optional: 1 avocado, diced. 1 cup mexican cheese blend. handful of cilantro sprigs.

start by blending the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, half the salt and all the pepper. place all your chicken in a bowl, drizzle it with the olive oil and season with your spice blend. squeeze half the lime, into the mix, stir well and set aside. reserve the rest of the limes for serving. heat a large, heavy pan over medium heat. when the pan is nice and hot add in your chicken in an even layer. don’t crowed the pan or the chicken won’t get a nice brown. if you need to cook the chicken in two batches to not over crowed the pan, do so. cook the chicken till browned on each side and just cooked through. about 4 minutes a side. remove the chicken and set it aside to rest. add the mushrooms, the white and light green parts of the green onion and the rest of the salt to the pan. cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. about 7 minutes. pour in the tequila to deglaze the pan. use the liquid to scrape up any little brown flavor bits from the pan. cook until almost all the liquid has cooked off. about 3 minutes. while the tequila cooks down, chop up your chicken. add the chopped chicken and all it’s juices back into the pan. stir in half the salsa and stir well to combine. cook for 2 minutes till everything is nice and hot and then turn off the heat. to serve, fill your lettuce cups with a couple spoon fulls of your chicken mixture. top with the dark green parts of the green onion, some cilantro sprigs, avocado, some salsa and cheese. serve with a lime wedge and enjoy.

friyay happy hour: winter citrus + white wine spritzer

it’s march first and i know i’m not alone in craving warmer weather and longer days. more rain is due in socal, but for a few hours yesterday the sun was out and i sat on our side yard soaking it up like a lounge lizard. and even though the weather is cooling right back down, i’m keeping my spring vibes going with a lighter, brighter cocktail this week.

the citrus is still pumping at my local produce store and it is the perfect compliment to a dry, bright white wine. i love the cara cara oranges that are currently in season, but if they aren’t your favorite or you can’t get your hands on some, you could sub valencia or navel oranges. even something more exotic like a blood orange or a grapefruit would be delicious. do you!

winter citrus + white wine spritzer

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 5 oz white wine. 1 oz freshly squeezed cara cara juice (or sub your favorite orange or sweeter citrus). 3-5oz club soda. 1 cup ice. 1 sprig rosemary. orange wheel for garnish.

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start by filling your serving glass with ice. pour in the orange juice.

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then pour in the white wine.

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finally, fill your glass with club soda. smash your rosemary sprig to release the oils and add it to the glass.

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garnish with your orange wheel. serve and enjoy.

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xo,

winter citrus + white wine spritzer

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 5 oz white wine. 1 oz freshly squeezed cara cara juice (or sub your favorite orange or sweeter citrus). 3-5oz club soda. 1 cup ice. 1 sprig rosemary. orange wheel for garnish.

start by filling your serving glass with ice. pour in the orange juice. then pour in the white wine. finally, fill your glass with club soda. smash your rosemary sprig to release the oils and add it to the glass. garnish with your orange wheel. serve and enjoy.