Green Chile Chicken Tacos

I made these in the instant pot because its so fast and easy but these could easily be converted to a slow cooker recipe. We needed some Taco Tuesday variety this week and I am still feeling the need to be relatively healthy following the holiday binge. Chicken thighs are the preferred protein here because they are so juicy, all the fat melts away and helps create the luscious sauce.

What you need:

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tsp cumin

1.5 tsp chili powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 4 oz can diced green chiles

Fresh squeezed Lime juice (1/2 lime) and cilantro (1 tsp)

Rub chicken thighs with dry ingredients. Turn instant pot to sauté and brown chicken on both sides, about 2.5 minutes per side. Add green chiles and garlic. Cover with lid and set to pressure cook for 12 minutes. Allow to natural release for about 10-12 minutes then vent and open. Shred chicken with a fork, add fresh squeezed juice of 1/2 a lime and cilantro, I added another light sprinkle of salt and pepper too. If you like crispy edges, transfer to a sheet pan and throw under the broiler for about 3 minutes...Johnny insists on this but I leave it up to you.

I served mine simply with just hot sauce and cotija cheese but J put arugula and hot peppers on his. This is a good base for all sorts of creativity.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Green Beans

This is another quick and easy weeknight meal that goes from the fridge to the table in 20 minutes. Pepper jelly, orange juice, and soy sauce provide a sweet/savory/ spicy balance that is delicious on the salmon and the green beans.

What you need:

1/4 cup of hot pepper jelly

zest + juice of half of an orange

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp)

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 lb of salmon

1 cup of green beans

Mix first 4 ingredients together in a bowl (microwaving the pepper jelly for 30 seconds will help). Put green beans in the bowl and mix around, scoop them out and place around the outer edges of a baking pan. I like to line the pan with parchment paper, but brushing or spraying vegetable oil will prevent sticking as well. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top of the salmon and green beans. Drizzle remaining sauce evenly on top of the salmon and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on as well. Bake at 400 for about 13-15 minutes. As soon as the fish starts to flake, its done. Serve with rice. Yum!

Elk Tacos (or beef or bison)

Elk meat is a really healthy and lean red meat option, I use it a lot because I can get it easily and it has so much flavor. Supposedly its very nutrient dense while being low in fat. That being said, it can be a little dry depending on how you prepare it, for taco meat I like to add a slice of bacon and/or a tbsp of butter to increase the fat content so its not too dry. Another option to tenderize the meat is add 1/2 can of beer when the ground elk is about 1/2 way cooked, it will add great flavor (use something light like a pilsner) but make sure to cook all of the alcohol off completely. This recipe is perfect with just a little pat of butter to finish it off.

What you need:

1 lb of ground elk, beef, or bison 1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion diced

In a sauté pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil, onions, and all of the spices. Cook over medium heat until the onions have softened. Now add your garlic and your meat and cook through, crumbling the ground elk as it cooks. If you want to add a slice of bacon to the dish, chop it up into tiny pieces and add along with the raw ground elk. It will add a nice smokiness and flavorful fat to the dish. Serve with taco shells, cheese, shredded lettuce, and salsa. So good!