Chicken Taco Budget Meal Prep

Name: Chicken Taco Budget Meal Prep
Prep time: 45 minutes
Ingredients: IngredientsFor the chicken:10 chicken thighs boneless & skinless; 1.5 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika; 1.5 teaspoons ancho chile powder; 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; Olive oil; Kosher salt; Corn tortillasFor the slaw:; ½ a small head red cabbage finely sliced; ½ small head napa cabbage finely sliced; 2 carrots peeled and grated; ½ bunch green onions finely sliced; ¼ cup raisins; ¼ cup peanuts toasted if desired; ½ cup mayonnaise; Juice of half a lime; 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce; 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; Kosher salt; Freshly cracked pepperFor the guaca-salsa:; 7 medium sized tomatillos husked; 1 sweet or yellow onion peeled & cut in 1/2 inch thick rounds; 1 poblano pepper; 2 cloves garlic un-peeled; 1 ripe avocado; 3 tablespoon cilantro chopped; Kosher salt; Freshly cracked pepper; Olive oil

Instructions

For the chicken, make the spice rub by combining the paprika and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl, mix well. Season both sides of the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and spice rub and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the slaw by adding the red cabbage and next 5 ingredients to a large bowl, mix well and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. To make the dressing, add the mayo and next 3 ingredients to a bowl along with a ¼ teaspoon of salt and a couple cracks of pepper. Whisk well until thoroughly combined. Check for seasoning, you want the flavor to be a little acidic, so you may need more lime juice. Store the slaw separately from the dressing in the fridge, when ready to eat, mix the slaw with just enough dressing to coat everything thoroughly.
To cook the chicken, pre-heat a large cast iron grill pan or regular pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. If using a pan, add 2 teaspoons of olive or veggie oil. Cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes on the first side, making sure not to disturb the chicken while it cooks. Flip and cook another 6-7 minutes. By not touching the chicken it will form a beautiful crust. You will have to cook the chicken in 2 batches as to not overcrowd the pan.
For the guaca salsa, pre-heat broiler to low. Place the first 4 ingredients on a sheet tray and season everything with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Do this on both sides of the onions. Make sure the oven rack is at least 8 inches away from the broiler and broil for 3 minutes and remove the garlic, as it will burn easily. Broil another 5-7 minutes until the nicely charred, flip and repeat. You may need t raise the broiler to high after 4-5 minutes if the veggies are not browning. Keep your eye on it, because the veggies will burn quickly.
Peel the skin off the garlic and add it to a blender. Peel the skin off the poblano pepper and remove any seeds, add to blender along with the roasted tomatillos, onions, and any juices from the pan. Add the avocado, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, couple cracks of pepper, and blend until well combined. Check for seasoning, you may need a little more salt or add a little water if the salsa is too thick.
To assemble a taco, char a corn tortilla directly on the burner for 10-20 seconds per side. This will make the tortilla more pliable and even tastier. Place some dressed slaw on the bottom, then some sliced chicken, and a couple dollops of guaca salsa, enjoy! The chicken will last in the fridge for 5 days or can be frozen for 2-3 months. The slaw will keep in the fridge undressed for 5 days, but can’t be frozen.

Recipe Notes

Macros w/o corn tortillas. Each tortilla has 58 calories, 1 gram of fat, & 12 grams of carbs.
479 calories per meal
19 grams of fat per meal
29.4 grams of carbs per meal
52 grams of protein per meal
8.8 grams of fiber per meal