Try this Buffalo Chicken Tacos recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken bre cut into 1 †pieces
- 1/2 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce (more to taste)*
- 3 oz blue cheese
- 1 cup plain yogurt (i used organic 4%)
- 1/4 tsp salt + a pinchground black pepper, to taste
- 1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce, shredd
Home cooks frequently crowd the pan when searing diced chicken, which causes the meat to steam in its own moisture rather than developing a proper golden-brown crust. When cutting boneless breasts into uniform one-inch pieces, maintain consistent dimensions to ensure even cooking rates across every piece. A heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet retains heat far better than thin aluminum pans, preventing temperature drops when cold meat hits the surface. Heat the oil and butter mixture over medium-high heat until the butter foaming subsides entirely before adding the poultry.
Working in two distinct batches prevents overcrowding and allows the protein to develop Maillard browning without burning the butter solids. Sear the chicken undisturbed for three to four minutes per side until the edges turn opaque and firm to the touch. Once cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, transfer the meat to a wire rack set inside a sheet pan rather than paper towels. Paper towels trap steam underneath the protein, softening the exterior crust you just worked to build.
Tossing the warm chicken directly with cayenne pepper sauce allows the hot fat and vinegar to cling properly to the seared surfaces. Yogurt mixed with crumbled blue cheese creates a cooling dairy counterpoint to the sharp vinegar bite of the pepper sauce. For the best texture, shred crisp iceberg or romaine lettuce just before assembly so the leaves retain their rigid crunch under the warm filling. Storing leftover cooked chicken separately from the sauce prevents the meat from becoming waterlogged in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Pairing these spicy poultry tacos with a sharp cabbage slaw dressed in apple cider vinegar cuts through the rich dairy notes of the blue cheese. The crisp acidity of raw brassicas provides a necessary textural contrast to tender, sauced meat wrapped in lettuce leaves.
