A burgeoning Christmas tradition between Robbie and I is to get each other gifts that inspire or teach us to make new things. This past Christmas Robbie got me One Hour Cheese by Claudia Lucero of Urban Cheesecraft. I was so excited by so many of the recipes, but the one that stood out most was Chipotle-Lime Oaxaca. It's a sort of Mexican mozzarella that is rubbed with a chipotle chili powder and lime juice mixture. Before I made the cheese, I wanted to come up with the perfect dish to add it to.
The inspiration for the dish came during a trip to Whole Foods, where I found a mole sauce that I immediately wanted to try with the oaxaca. I knew the roasted chili flavors would pair so well with the sharp creaminess of the cheese. From here the rest of the dish came together easily; I knew that I wanted to make pulled chicken tacos, so that the flavor of the other ingredients would really stand out. I highly recommend that you get yourself a copy of One Hour Cheese for this recipe, not only to make the best version of this dish, but also to teach yourself how to make great, easy cheeses. If you can't wait to make these tacos, though, queso fresco also works.
Shredded Chicken Mole Tacos
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
4 12 oz bottles of Malta Goya
1/4 c cumin seeds
1 c mole poblano (Sky Valley Mole is a great organic option)
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 poblano pepper, sliced
1 c dried black beans, soaked overnight and cooked ahead OR 1 can, drained and rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
For assembly:
Flour tortillas
Chipotle-Lime Oaxaca or queso fresco
Lime wedges
Sliced Avocado
1. Add the chicken breasts, Malta Goya, and cumin seeds to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. At the end of that time, shred the chicken and toss in mole sauce. Add more mole sauce as desired.
2. Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes)
3. Add the sliced poblano pepper and cook until soft. Mix in the ground cumin and stir to coat the onion and pepper. When the peppers and onion start to brown add the corn. As the corn starts to brown, toss the black beans into the pot, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
4. Serve the cooked vegetables and chicken with warmed tortillas, oaxaca, lime wedges and avocado.
Enjoy!
XO
Pat