Callies Chicken Soft Tacos (because I made this up and its yum!)
- Carbohydrate 1.984466617 g
- Cholesterol 34.22 mg
- Fat 0.77128933234 g
- Fiber 0.754097304997326 g
- Protein 13.90092532638 g
- Saturated Fat 0.1998596132042 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (99g)
- Sodium 48.272333085 mg
- Sugar 1.23036931200267 g
- Trans Fat 0.1974782532638 g
- Calories 73 calories
Step-by-step
- Put first 3 ingredients in crock pot.
- Cook 5-6 hours on low, or until chicken is done.
- Shred chicken, return to crock pot for another hour.
- Fill tortillas with chicken and cheese.
- Roll up, wrap in foil, freeze batches of tacos in gallon sized zip lock bags.
- Pull out, unwrap, and microwave for an easy lunch on the go!
Enchilada sauce acts as the primary driver of moisture in this dish, bathing the poultry in a spiced, acidic liquid that breaks down tough muscle fibers over hours of gentle heat. When poultry stews in an enclosed vessel like a slow cooker, collagen denatures slowly between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, transforming connective tissue into gelatin that coats the meat. Rushing this process with high heat causes muscle proteins to seize violently, squeezing out internal moisture and resulting in a dry, stringy texture that cannot be easily reversed. Slow simmering allows the sauce to penetrate the protein strands thoroughly while simultaneously reducing the liquid into a rich coating. Maintaining a low setting on the cooker guarantees that the meat reaches the shreddable threshold without scorching the tomato and chili solids present in the sauce. Once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the flesh yields easily to the tines of a fork, pulling the meat apart creates maximum surface area for absorbing the surrounding seasoned pan juices. Returning the shredded poultry to the pot for that crucial final hour of cooking ensures every individual morsel reabsorbs the flavorful cooking liquid before assembly. Freezing the assembled, foil-wrapped packages halts further moisture loss only if they are wrapped tightly enough to prevent freezer burn during storage. Reheating these packets requires moderate microwave intervals to thaw the tortilla and filling evenly without turning the outer wrap tough or rubbery.
