The Dish | Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tacos

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:
  1. Combine the chicken, chipotles and adobo sauce, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cumin in an electric pressure cooker. Stir well. 
  2. Cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes; then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

  1. Thinly slice a red onion and put the slices in a lidded heat-proof container.
  2. 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.)
  3. Pour the hot vinegar over the onions and let them cool.
  4. They’re ready to use right away, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  5. Alternatively, buy jarred pickled jalapenos from the grocery store.

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