Valorie’s in my Kitchen: Hawaiian Tacos

I had the great pleasure of hanging out with my ‘cousin-in-law’, Valorie, last week when she came in for a visit from Colorado. You may have seen her In the Kitchen posts here over the last few months so what did we do during her trip? Cook, of course! First we made a delicious homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, which I will be posting soon, and on Sunday night Valorie shared a favorite of hers, Hawaiian Tacos! I’ll let her take it from here…

Someone I knew once made me tacos with teriyaki-marinated chicken. Other than the teriyaki flavor, these were pretty standard tacos, but I remember the uniqueness of the Asian-style chicken in the Mexican dish and like it quite well. Maybe that’s what people mean by Asian Fusion? I’ve taken the idea of teriyaki-marinated chicken and blended it with pineapple, salsa, and cilantro. Yes, it sounds odd, but I’ve never met anyone who tried it and didn’t like it. You’ll find a link to a printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Prep time: 30 min | Serves about 4

Ingredients:

6-8 eight-inch corn tortillas
2-4 tablespoons canola oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
8oz can of crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup thick teriyaki sauce or marinade
shredded cheddar cheese
roasted, diced green Chile peppers
fresh cilantro, finely chopped

fresh lime wedges
sour cream, salsa, guacamole

If you have time, marinate the chicken in the teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice for 2-6 hours. Alternatively, add uncooked chicken, teriyaki sauce and the can of pineapple (with juice) to a nonstick skillet. Simmer over medium heat until chicken is cooked, liquid is evaporated, and sauce is thick and slightly sticky, about 20 minutes.

To prepare the tortillas, heat canola oil in a skillet over medium flame. Well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick finish works best, as stainless steel tends to stick and require more oil. Heat tortillas in canola oil for about 30 seconds on each side, or just until the tortilla forms air bubbles inside. Set aside on a paper towel to catch any oil.

Assemble tacos with chicken and pineapple mixture, cheese, fresh cilantro, green chiles, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and a squeeze of fresh lime juice (this really adds to it!). We couldn’t find fresh, ripe avocados so had to pass on the guac this time, but I’ll share my homemade recipe here soon.

Delicious with a side of black beans jazzed up with fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, chopped green chilies and your favorite seasonings.

Pile high, fold and enjoy!