I love making this for a group of people because there is something for everyone - lots of flavours, textures and options. I do chicken or turkey - sometimes 2 ways, I also do beef (I know - I never do beef but people love it) and I usually include shrimp. Sounds daunting but many things can be made ahead of time. Plus - you generally have leftovers and they are so good. I had a taco feast on Saturday to say thank you to friends who catsat for us over the summer, it was a great evening and they enjoyed the meal very much.
 These are the ingredients for the chicken breast marinade. It should marinate for at least an hour.   |  The 2nd chicken option I make uses my taco seasoning and ground turkey or chicken, although ground beef would an option as well. You can also do a cut of top sirloin, tenderize it then smother it in taco seasoning and barbecue. My guests on Saturday loved the beef done this way. Third option is shrimp - dead easy.  All I do to make the shrimp is toss them in olive oil then Montreal Steak Spice. Depending on the weather, I either grill them on the barbecue or saute them over a medium heat, flipping them when pink on one side. When cooked, which only takes a few minutes, I squeeze a little lime or lemon juice over them. That's it. Easy Peezy.  This slaw is also very easy and a great component. It gives your tacos a nice crunch or can be eaten as a side salad. I have a seperate blog post for this recipe - Creamy Asian Slaw. Making the dressing for this slaw should be done ahead of time, ideally in the morning of the day you are going to serve it. |
I also always include pickled onions and chillies (recipe in the link). They should be made the morning of and only takes 5 minutes to throw together. They are a delicious addition to a taco.
Taco Feast
Chicken:
6 chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into strips (about 3 cm thick)
Marinade:
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp of paprika
½ tbsp of onion powder
1 tsp thyme
4 garlic cloves minced
zest and juice of a lime
⅓ cup of olive oil
Marinate the breasts for at least an hour. Barbecue or fry in batches over a medium heat.
Ground Chicken/Turkey or Beef
1 package of meat (about 500 grams)
2 tbsp of taco seasoning (see link for homemade taco seasoning)
1 cup of water
tbsp of olive oil
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. When hot add the olive oil if cooking ground turkey or chicken, not necessary for beef. Add the meat and break it up into small pieces. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Mix the taco seasoning with the water, before adding, drain any liquid that has accumulated in the pan. Turn the heat to simmer and allow the meat to cook in the seasoning for another 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.
Beef - Top Sirloin
1 cut of beef (I used top sirloin about an 1.5 inches thick)
2 - 3 tbsp of coarse salt
~ 3 tbsp of taco seasoning
Place saran wrap on top and underneath your steak. Using a meat tenderizer, gently pound the steak (I know that's an oxymoron). Flip and do the other side as well. Remove the saran wrap and cover both sides in coarse sea salt. Place in the fridge and let sit for 1 - 2 hours. The rule is about 1 hour for every inch of thickness. After the 1 - 2 hours, rinse the salt off the steak and pat dry. Cover the steak liberally with the taco seasoning and put back into the fridge. Take the steak out about an hour before barbecuing. Barbecue to your taste, time all depends on the heat of your barbecue, the thickness of your cut and the way you like your meat done. Let the meat rest before slicing it up.
Taco Black Beans
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small onion diced
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tsp of cumin
salt and pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil
Over medium heat, add the olive oil and when hot, add the minced onion, some salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the black beans and cumin and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes and add a little more salt and pepper, taste test for flavour. This can be made ahead and reheated before the meal. You could also add some lime juice and cilantro just before serving. These beans are a great leftover - fry an egg and place on top of warm beans for a yummy breakfast.
Chicken:
6 chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into strips (about 3 cm thick)
Marinade:
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp of paprika
½ tbsp of onion powder
1 tsp thyme
4 garlic cloves minced
zest and juice of a lime
⅓ cup of olive oil
Marinate the breasts for at least an hour. Barbecue or fry in batches over a medium heat.
Ground Chicken/Turkey or Beef
1 package of meat (about 500 grams)
2 tbsp of taco seasoning (see link for homemade taco seasoning)
1 cup of water
tbsp of olive oil
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. When hot add the olive oil if cooking ground turkey or chicken, not necessary for beef. Add the meat and break it up into small pieces. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Mix the taco seasoning with the water, before adding, drain any liquid that has accumulated in the pan. Turn the heat to simmer and allow the meat to cook in the seasoning for another 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.
Beef - Top Sirloin
1 cut of beef (I used top sirloin about an 1.5 inches thick)
2 - 3 tbsp of coarse salt
~ 3 tbsp of taco seasoning
Place saran wrap on top and underneath your steak. Using a meat tenderizer, gently pound the steak (I know that's an oxymoron). Flip and do the other side as well. Remove the saran wrap and cover both sides in coarse sea salt. Place in the fridge and let sit for 1 - 2 hours. The rule is about 1 hour for every inch of thickness. After the 1 - 2 hours, rinse the salt off the steak and pat dry. Cover the steak liberally with the taco seasoning and put back into the fridge. Take the steak out about an hour before barbecuing. Barbecue to your taste, time all depends on the heat of your barbecue, the thickness of your cut and the way you like your meat done. Let the meat rest before slicing it up.
Taco Black Beans
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small onion diced
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tsp of cumin
salt and pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil
Over medium heat, add the olive oil and when hot, add the minced onion, some salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the black beans and cumin and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes and add a little more salt and pepper, taste test for flavour. This can be made ahead and reheated before the meal. You could also add some lime juice and cilantro just before serving. These beans are a great leftover - fry an egg and place on top of warm beans for a yummy breakfast.
| Toppings: salsa ( I often cheat and use a store bought salsa and add chopped cilantro) guacamole pickled jalapenos grated cheeses lettuce/tomatoes hot sauce pickled onions and chillies creamy Asian slaw Side Dishes: tasty grilled corn salad Mexican corn on the cob |  |
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