Chicken Tinga Tacos w/ Cilantro Cream

I hosted a taco night a few days ago and was super excited about the three tacos that I had on the menu!  I was cranking those tacos out and realized how difficult it is to get a decent photo of them!  I was slightly annoyed and ready to scratch the whole thing and just stuff some tacos in my mouth, chased by a shot of tequila for my misfortune, but I managed to make one of the taco recipes look pretty enough for the blog.  

This braised chicken is the bomb -- just the right amount of heat and a real flavor explosion.  Add some crunchy lettuce, fresh red onion and cotija cheese and you’ve got yourself a great taco.  Now drizzle that great taco with my cilantro cream sauce and you’ve got yourself a taco that you can eat every day for the rest of your life.  MAN that sauce is good!

Chicken Tinga Tacos with Cilantro Cream

adapted from Food and WIne Magazine

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp EVOO

2 1/2 lbs trimmed skinless bone-in chicken thighs

salt and pepper

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped

1 c. chicken broth

24 hard taco shells, warmed

2 oz cotija cheese

scallions and cilantro for garnish

1 recipe cilantro cream sauce {recipe below}

1. Heat 3 tbsp of EVOO in large nonstick skillet.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, about 12 minutes.  Transfer to 9 x 13 glass pan and pour off skillet fat.
2. Add remaining 3 tbsp EVOO to skillet with onion. Cook 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes with juice, chipotles and broth and boil.  Simmer 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350.  Transfer sauce to food processor and cool 15 minutes.  Puree sauce then pour over chicken and bake for 45 minutes. 
4. Shred chicken and return to sauce.  Spoon 3 tbsp chicken into each taco shell, sprinkle with cheese, scallions and cilantro and drizzle with sauce.

Cilantro Cream Sauce

1 c. light sour cream

juice from 1 lime

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

1 small garlic clove, minced

1.  Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Drizzle over tacos.