Taco Tuesday is a predictable event in our house. Yet afternoons are busy and getting dinner on the table at a reasonable hour is often a challenge. That’s when I turn to this winning recipe from the NYT Cooking. I can throw everything in the pressure cooker, walk away and know dinner will be ready when we are.
P.S. If you double the recipe, the leftovers are great to top a salad or add to burrito bowls for lunch the next day.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 1 to 4 canned chipotles in adobo (depending on level spice you prefer), finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 lime, juiced
- Warmed tortillas, for serving
- Pickled onion or pickled jalapenos, for serving (see Tip*)
- Sliced or cubed avocado, for serving
- Sour cream or crema, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine the chicken, chipotles and adobo sauce, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cumin in an electric pressure cooker. Stir well.
- Cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes; then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid.
- Remove the chicken to a bowl or cutting board using tongs. Shred the chicken with two forks. If you’d like to reduce the sauce, set to sauté and simmer, 5 minutes. Add the chicken back into the pot.
- Stir in the black beans and a squeeze of lime juice, set to sauté and let the beans warm through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve in tortillas with pickled onions and avocado.
*TIP: Quick-pickled onions
- Thinly slice a red onion and put the slices in a lidded heat-proof container.
- In a separate pot, bring about 1 1⁄2 cups cider or white vinegar to a boil. Add about 3 heaping spoonfuls of sugar and a big pinch of salt and whisk to dissolve. (You can also add a pinch of red-pepper flakes, a bay leaf or some dried oregano, if you like.)
- Pour the hot vinegar over the onions and let them cool.
- They’re ready to use right away, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Alternatively, buy jarred pickled jalapenos from the grocery store.