Description
These lighter chicken tacos are a healthy, flavorful twist on a classic favorite. Using skinless chicken breasts grilled with minimal oil and a vibrant mix of spices, fresh grilled vegetables, and a zesty guacamole, this recipe keeps fat and calories low without sacrificing taste. Crisp corn taco shells and 0% Greek yogurt replace heavier toppings, while fresh herbs and lime juice add brightness, making these tacos a perfect nutritious meal for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Spice Rub
- 2 tsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 450g skinless chicken breasts, preferably organic
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salsa
- 4 medium tomatoes, preferably on the vine, halved
- 1 red pepper, quartered
- 1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- ¼ tsp rapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp lime juice
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Good pinch of chilli flakes
Guacamole
- 2 medium-sized ripe avocados, stoned, peeled, and roughly chopped
- 4 tsp lime juice
- 2 spring onions, ends trimmed, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander
- Good pinch of chilli flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 8 corn taco shells
- 8 tsp 0% Greek yogurt
- 2 Little Gem lettuces, shredded
- Chopped coriander, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for squeezing over
Instructions
- Prepare the spice rub: Mix the rapeseed oil with ground cumin and smoked paprika on a large plate. Rub this spiced oil evenly over the skinless chicken breasts, then season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Cover the plate and set aside while preparing the salsa.
- Grill the vegetables: Heat the grill to high and line a large baking tray with foil. Arrange the tomatoes cut-side up, red pepper quarters, and red onion wedges on the tray. Brush the onion with rapeseed oil and season the tomatoes and onion with pepper. Grill for 12-15 minutes, turning the tomatoes and onion halfway, until they are well charred. Remove from the grill, keep the grill on, and set aside to cool. Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with cling film to soften the skin for easier peeling.
- Make the guacamole: In a bowl, lightly mash the avocado with a fork, leaving some chunky bits for texture. Mix in lime juice, finely chopped spring onions, chopped coriander, and chilli flakes. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Grill the chicken: Re-line the baking tray with foil and place the chicken breasts plump-side up. Grill for about 10 minutes until cooked through; no need to turn them. While cooking, remove seeds and juice from tomatoes to avoid a watery salsa. Peel the cooled grilled pepper to remove the skin. Chop the tomatoes, onion, and diced peeled pepper, then combine in a bowl with lime juice, ground cumin, chilli flakes, pepper, and a pinch of salt to form the salsa.
- Rest the chicken: When cooked, remove the chicken from the grill, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes to retain juices.
- Prepare the taco shells and serve: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Cut the rested chicken into chunky slices and spoon over any resting juices. Place the corn taco shells on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Serve the sliced chicken, warmed taco shells, Greek yogurt, shredded lettuce, chopped coriander, lime wedges, salsa, and guacamole separately to allow everyone to build their own tacos.
Notes
- Using skinless chicken breasts and grilling with minimal oil lowers fat and saturated fat content.
- Adding extra vegetables like red pepper, onion, and tomatoes contributes to your daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
- Replacing soft tortillas with crisp corn taco shells reduces calories, salt, and sugars.
- Swapping sour cream for 0% Greek yogurt cuts down on fat while adding protein.
- Make sure to rest the chicken after grilling for juicy and tender meat.
- Removing seeds and juice from tomatoes keeps the salsa from becoming too watery.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: chicken tacos, grilled chicken, healthy tacos, low fat, Mexican cuisine, grilled vegetables, guacamole, Greek yogurt, corn taco shells
