Turkish Chicken Tacos

The flavor of these tacos is inspired by the chicken kabobs popular in Lebanon and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. The yogurt sauce is based on the Turkish version of tzatziki — in Turkey, it’s called cacik (ja-jeek), and it uses refreshing mint. Using bone-in, skin-on chicken yields more flavor than skinless, boneless poultry. If you’d like to take a shortcut, skip cooking the chicken yourself and pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery. You’ll still get plenty of flavor to enjoy with the yogurt sauce and toppings.

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, divided

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 lemons

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves

1 English cucumber, divided

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 package La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style Flour Tortillas, Grande Size

Topping Suggestions:

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

1 radish, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

 

Directions

Chop 2 garlic cloves, and then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the garlic. Using the flat side of your knife with the sharp edge facing away from you, rub the garlic and salt into a paste. Transfer garlic mixture to a small bowl. Zest 1 lemon. Stir zest, smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon oil into garlic paste.

Loosen chicken skin but don’t remove it. Rub pepper mixture beneath skin. Place chicken in a plastic zip-top bag, and add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Seal bag and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Transfer chicken to a skillet, skin-side up. Roast for 32-37 minutes or until internal temperature registers 160°F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

While chicken roasts and rests, prepare toppings. Grate 1/4 cup cucumber. Finely chop remaining garlic clove. In a small bowl, combine grated cucumber, chopped garlic, yogurt, salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and mint.

Thinly slice half the remaining English cucumber. Cut the remaining lemon into 6 wedges. Warm tortillas on a hot griddle or directly over a gas flame, flipping as they begin to bubble. Keep warm.

To serve, cut each chicken breast into 1/ 2 inch slices, discarding skin and bones. Divide chicken evenly among 6 tortillas. Top evenly with yogurt-mint sauce, cabbage, cucumber slices, radish slices and cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.

Number of Servings: Makes 6 tacos

Calories: 370 | Total fat: 13 grams | Total carbohydrates: 31 grams | Dietary fiber: 3 grams | Protein: 33 grams