Chicken Tacos with Black Beans

I love Mexican food...and Italian food.  I cook a lot of variations of both of these.  Tonight I had a taste for tacos.  And while I love the typical Americanized tacos with loads of cheese and sour cream, I am trying to eat healthy.  So tonight I made a fast, low fat, low calorie, and potentially Paleo version of Chicken Tacos.  And bonus...I get to use my dutch oven!  If you don't have one, buy one ASAP...best.invention.ever.

 

For the Chicken Tacos:
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2lbs of chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
Salt an pepper to taste

Combine all 8 ingredients in your dutch oven (or pot).  Stir and let simmer over medium to low heat for 20 minutes.

 

 

In the meantime, lets start the black beans!

 

Black Beans

1 green pepper, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 15oz can of black beans

2 Tbsp garlic

2 tsp cumin

 

 

 

Combine all ingredients in a pot on low and simmer for 20 minutes, until veggies are cooked down.  That's it!  So super easy.

 

While your chicken is still simmering, make your taco topping.  This is also delicious on top of the black beans!

 

Topping

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 good sized handful of cilantro (mmm I love cilantro!)

1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

dash of salt

 

 

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

 

After your chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, begin shredding the chicken with a fork and knife.  It should look somewhat like this:

 

 

Cover and reduce heat.  Cook for another 10 minutes, or as long as you would like the flavors to marry.  I have no patience, so I'm ready to eat now!

 

If you are using tortillas, pick corn tortillas please.  Heat them up individually on a skillet.  Using a slotted spoon to drain the liquid, drop chicken onto your tortilla.  Generously top with your onion & cilantro topping and add a side of black beans.  These beans also are fantastic on top of my garlic rice.  Yeah and they're also delish with a scoop of sour cream ;)

 

 

If you are going Paleo, use a romaine leaf as your "tortilla".  Same deal...use a slotted spoon to drain the chicken and scoop onto your leaf.  Top it with your onion & cilantro topping and add a side of not-so-paleo black beans :)

 

 

 

Easy right?  And fast!