Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Who doesn't love tacos? I remember loving my mom's ground beef with lettuce and salsa tacos from my childhood. I fell in love again when my husband and I visited Mexico a few years back, and enjoyed the traditional tacos available on every street corner. And now I'm head over heels in love all over again with my discovery of this chicken taco recipe. Not only is it crazy easy - no cooking required if you have pre-cooked chicken on hand - but it is also crazy good. The cilantro lime pesto packs such a flavor punch, that I'm now looking for all sorts of new ways to incorporate it into my meals (I sometimes save a couple spoonfuls when I make this recipe so that I can toss it into a salad the next day with lunch, and I'm thinking that it would make an amazing pizza topping next... stay tuned!).

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

4 SERVINGS 

PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1 cup canned (or cooked) black beans
• tortillas (corn or flour), warmed over skillet or griddle
• taco toppings (we used red pepper strips, spinach leaves, finely diced onion with cilantro, avocado)

    For the Cilantro Lime Pesto:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup shredded asiago, parmesan, or romano cheese
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)*
• 2-3 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

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1. Using a blender or food processor, mix together the pesto ingredients (cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, cheese, salt). Add enough water to make it moist but not runny.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine chicken pieces, beans, and pesto. Toss together.
3. Assemble tacos with pesto chicken followed by the toppings of your choice. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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     2 tacos with corn tortilla and pesto chicken (no toppings)   499 calories   21.4 g fat (4.1 g saturated)   47.7 g carbs    40 g protein    1.5 g sugar   

*9/27/13 I've updated this recipe with less salt after realizing that the amount from the original recipe is definitely more than I usually put in and because the saltiness will vary depending on the type of salt you are using. Better to start with just 1/2 teaspoon, and add more if you want more flavor. 

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago?