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Lynds
May 19, 20203 min read

Pulled chicken Tacos, with Pineapple Black Bean Salsa and Pickled Turnip


A healthy and easy meal, with a homemade taco seasoning that still only takes 30 minutes to create!


It Taco Tuesday again and I'm really enjoying figuring out new and unique tacos to make. I'm fairly A type and when I give myself a challenge to try and do a unique taco every Tuesday.... I stick with it until I run out of ideas! This one was easy honestly. I'll talk quickly about the pickled turnip....You may have seen or eaten these on falafel, they are delicious and simply just the pickling of a Turnip in vinegar. It calls for small slices of beets to give the turnips their vibrant pink colour. We pickled these in apple cider vinegar, and it started taking on the colour within 24 hours. I have not tried a quick boiling version like my pickled red onion yet... if anyone does, let me know how it went!


I started with some antibiotic free chicken breasts and put them in a pot to boil. This is the best way that I know to get a perfect pull and fast! This chicken took about 20 minutes to fully cook and another 5 minutes to "pull" using two forks or a claw.



The taco seasoning was easy as well provided you have the spices on hand...2 Tbsp's each of chili powder, cumin and paprika, 1 Tbsp each of onion flakes, garlic powder, oregano and 1/2 Tbsp of black pepper. Mix well and add in some oil to create a paste.




Incorporate it into the pulled chicken to coat evenly.



I cut up some lettuce and tomatoes and prepped the pineapple salsa which is simply diced pineapple, some thinly diced red onion, cilantro and black beans!


I wanted these to be a crunchier taco this time, so instead of serving the tortillas just slightly warmed, I placed them in a frying pan with oil until they puffed and crisped up, flipping half way through.



I miss the cooling addition that sour cream brings to a taco, but I can't eat dairy any more. I did however find a cashew nut spread that does the trick to bring a touch of creamy to this taco! I spread this thinly on the taco first before layering my toppings.



You can do this however you see fit, but I started with the taco chicken, then added lettuce, the pineapple salsa and finished with pickled turnip and pickled red onion. The sweetness of the pineapple worked really nicely with the spice of the chicken and the tangy vinegar of the turnip and red onion. A perfect summer dish that packs colour and flavour!



The Recipe:


Cook 1 chicken breast per person you are serving, by boiling it in water for approximately 20 minutes or until completely cooked.


Taco seasoning: (make this full batch but if you are only cooking 2 breasts, use only half to create the paste)


2 Tbsp's each of chili powder, cumin and paprika, 1 Tbsp each of onion flakes, garlic powder, oregano and 1/2 Tbsp of black pepper. Slowly add in oil until you create a paste. Mix into the shredded chicken. (note: if you are using this taco seasoning with beef, you can omit the oil and just add and incorporate to the beef while it is cooking, possibly with some water to help you coat the beef)


The pineapple salsa consists of mostly pineapple cut into bite sized pieces. If you cup up 1 cup worth of pineapple, you probably want to do half that portion with cilantro (1/2 cup) and 1/3 of that portion of black beans and sprinkle the red onion depending on how much you like onion... it can either play a greater role in the flavour or a mild accent! Up to you.


Fry the tortillas in a pan on the stove with some oil. Watch them carefully to not burn, and when the first side puffs off the pan, be sure to flip it. This is best to right before serving.


Include any other ingredients you like lettuce, tomato, sour cream or even cheese!


Layer on top. If you want to make the pickled turnip, cut a turnip lengthwise and place as many as you can in a sealable jar, but do not ram them in, they need room to swish in the vinegar a bit. Cut a few small chunks of red beet and add to the jar, fill with either white or apple cider vinegar and leave for a minimum of 24 hours.


To learn how to make the pickled onions please check out my post here.



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