*Contributor Note: Today’s post is brought to you by Marla Murphy, a registered and licensed dietician and the founder of The Blonde Pantry, a Houston based gluten / dairy free meal delivery. Marla is a self proclaimed foodie and loves to try new restaurants and indulge while also balancing a healthy lifestyle. As a nutrition consultant, it is her mission to help people “change the way we define health, to step back from nit-picking nutrition/fitness and look at the bigger picture: personal wellness.”  You can find Marla on Instagram @theblondepantry. 

 

Who doesn’t love tacos?? “Taco Tuesday” has basically become a national holiday that is celebrated every week. Not only are tacos very simple to make, they are the perfect dish to serve to a crowd or family. A taco bar can satisfy everyone’s mealtime needs because it caters to different tastes (picky eaters), allergy needs (celiac disease or lactose intolerant) or dietary restrictions (low carbohydrate lifestyles). A huge win for the cook in the kitchen! Taco bars are also excellent for events and parties because they provide a built in activity of building your own tacos, not to mention, they are less work for the host and look beautiful when styled for a fiesta!

Our recipe below is simple, healthy, quick and will definitely become a staple on your weekly menu!

Chicken Taco Ingredients:

2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 packet of taco seasoning (we used this one but feel free to make your own as well)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons of lime juice, or the juice from 1 fresh lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Tortillas: corn, flour, gluten free / paleo, lettuce cups, or an assortment

 

Toppings:

Jalapeno, chopped

Tomato, chopped

Avocado, sliced

Lettuce, shredded

Limes, sliced into wedges

Mexican blend of cheese

Salsa

Sour cream

Guacamole

Red onions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Directions

Crock Pot instructions (6-8 hours):

In a crock pot, place in the chicken breast, olive oil, bell peppers, onions and 2/3 of the taco seasoning packet and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Once the the chicken is fully cooked, shred directly in the crock pot using two forks, squeeze in the lime juice and then transfer to a plate to serve.

Baking in the oven (20-30 minutes):

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. while the oven is preheating cover a baking dish with foil and add in the chicken, olive oil, and 2/3 of the taco seasoning packet. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breast.

While the chicken is baking, place a skillet on the oven, heat to medium heat and add in a touch of olive oil, the bell peppers, onions, 1/4 of the taco seasoning and sauté until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the skillet and and plate to serve with the tacos.

Once the chicken is finished baking and while still hot, shred the chicken. One of our favorite time saving tips is to place the chicken in a kitchenmaid mixer and let the your mixer shred the chicken for you or you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Plate the shredded chicken on a serving plate for the taco bar.

Prep Your Toppings:

Wash, prep and place all of your favorite topping options into serving bowls to allow for everyone to easily build their own taco and enjoy!

Tacos can make any ordinary day into a fiesta that your family will love. So the question isn’t if you are going to try this recipe, it’s are we invited to come over?!

Time saving tips:

Purchase pre-chopped vegetables, ready made guacamole, and seasoning packets to decrease, waste, prep/clean up time!

Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot to decrease dirty up extra dishes.

– Marla

 

Be sure to follow Marla @TheBlondePantry on Instagram for more amazing recipes and meal tips!