Smokey Cider Chicken Tacos w/ Quick Apple-Pomegranate Pico (30 Minutes!)

Smokey cider chicken tacos!!!

They’re one of my favorite meals… ever.

Tacos are a great weeknight meal because they’re fun, fast, and easy, but if I’m not cooking them myself then I almost never eat them — Enchiladas, burritos, and ‘dillas are much more my thang. But these cider chicken tacos have become a downright obsession for me, I legit DREAM about eating them.

They’re crisp and refreshing like summer, yet bursting with ALL the fall flavors.

It’s like the best of both worlds, all nestled in a hard shell.

You begin with apple cider-poached chicken breasts which cook on the stove in just 20 minutes. Now I know many of you SWEAR by your crockpot, but sometimes you need juicy, tender shredded chicken in a pinch, and when you do poaching is the answer. The key is to use a flavorful liquid to avoid blandness, so for these tacos I put together a mix of apple cider (sweet), apple cider vinegar (tang) and molasses (syrupy!). This combo not only infuses a deeply sweet, cinnamon-y flavor, but the molasses clings to the chili powder seasoning to create a wondrously smokey aroma that perfectly balances the bold apple flavor.

Frankly, you could just eat the chicken by itself.

But just when you think your kitchen can’t possibly smell any better…. it does. And it’s all thanks to the pico.

Like all great picos this apple-pomegranate version injects freshness into every bite, so get ready to be obsessed. Normally I love both of these fruits on their own, but when combined with a classic pico they add the most INTENSE, citrusy flavor ever, it’s amazing! Every morsel explodes with sweet, tangy taste, plus the texture is off the charts too. You could also eat this solo — I legit did so with a spoon — but when it’s smothered over these tacos?

SWOON!

I believe it’s what they call magic.

To be clear: YES, hard shells are making a very chic comeback! Remember you heard it here first. But most importantly, these painfully pretty — and tasty! — tacos are like a cheat meal without the cheating, so they’re ideal to eat anytime.

Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays?!

Tacos alllll day.

Smokey Cider Chicken Tacos w/ Quick Apple-Pomegranate Pico (30 Minutes!)

Yield: 8 - 10 tacos

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• TACOS:
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• a few pinches salt & pepper
• 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp mollasses
• 8 – 10 hard shell tacos
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or more if you’d like!)
• fresh cilantro to garnish

• PICO:
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 4 oz mini tomatoes, chopped (should yield 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 a honeycrisp or gala apple, chopped (should yield 1/2 cup)
• 3 oz pomegranate arils
• 1 small lime, juiced
• a pinch of salt & pepper
• fresh cilantro, torn

Directions:

1. In small mixing dish combine the chili powder, cinnamon, and salt & pepper. Rub this seasoning all over the chicken breasts, then transfer to an un-greased, small skillet.
2. In another mixing bowl combine the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and molasses, whisking well. Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts until they are nearly submerged — There should be around 1/4 cup of the marinade left, which you should set aside. Transfer skillet to stove top and poach the chicken, covered, over a medium flame for 15-20 minutes until each breast reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Once cooked through, transfer chicken to large cutting board to rest for several minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the pico.
4. Once the chicken is cooked and rested, use two forks to shred each breast apart — It will do so easily. Toss the shredded chicken in the remaining apple cider marinade, then the build tacos with layers of chicken, pico, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. EAT!

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