Toronto has caught a fever…the taco fever that is!
It seems like every day there is a new taco joint opening up – trying to come up with a new spin on the classic Mexican street food.
Well, we have definitely been feeling the heat and given the success of our fish taco recipe, it was high time for another taco treat. And this Asian inspired version definitely shows up your average chicken taco plate.
I mean, who doesn’t love that crispy kung pao chicken? And you can make a healthier version at home without deep frying in a vat of oil.
Coating the chicken in cornstarch and stir-frying in a wee bit of canola oil gives them a crispy exterior and super tender interior. Perfect contrast to the soft taco shells and crunchy veggie topping.
The sauce gets another shot of cornstarch to help thicken and coat the chicken in a sweet and spicy glaze. And this whole delicious and impressive looking Asian-Mexican feast is completely work week friendly. Hence the “quickie meal” title.
So go ahead and feed your taco fever!
Dara
Kung Pao Chicken Tacos
Print recipe| Serves | 4 |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Website | Adapted from Cooking Light |
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (cut into cubes)
- 6 Tbsp soy sauce (divided)
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tsp cornstarch (divided)
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 4 Tsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tsp sriracha
- 2 Cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup chopped cashews
- 3 Stalks celery (sliced)
- 2 red peppers (sliced)
- 1/3 cup green onions (chopped)
- 2 limes (cut into wedges)
- 8 corn or small whole wheat tortillas
Note
This Asian twist on the classic Mexican taco is also delicious served over rice or noodles. Feel free to sub tofu or shrimp for the chicken.
Directions
| 1. | Place chicken pieces in a large zip lock bag and add 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Let marinade for at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken and discard remaining marinade. Place 1/4 cup of cornstarch in a large bowl and add chicken, tossing to evenly coat. |
| 2. | Preheat a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add 1/2 tbsp of canola oil. Shake excess cornstarch from chicken and add half to pan, cooking until brown (about 5 minutes). Add remaining 1/2 tbsp canola oil and cook the remaining half of the chicken. Set aside. |
| 3. | Meanwhile, Combine remaining 3 tsp cornstarch, remaining soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and garlic. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. |
| 4. | Add celery to the same pan you used to cook the chicken over medium high heat and cook for about 3 minutes, or until slightly soft. Add back the chicken, sauce, and cashews and cook just until everything is heated through. Remove from heat. |
| 5. | Divide chicken mixture between tortillas and top with red peppers, green onion, and a squeeze of lime juice. |
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Kim MacKinnon says
Wow, this recipe is definitely going in my ‘keeper’ pile! So delicious! I’ve shared it with my family and told them the HAVE to try. Thanks for posting! Love it!
howt1653 says
So glad you enjoyed it Kim and thanks for sharing with everyone!
Robyn says
Made this for dinner tonight stuffed into homemade whole wheat tortillas, and it was SO SO SO good!!!
howt1653 says
So glad you enjoyed Robyn! It has become one of our favourites too.