Many people underestimate the virtues of salsa. Most varieties of this “Mexican ketchup” are virtually fat-free, sugarless, and packed with heart-healthy ingredients. In this recipe, salsa verde is combined with white meat chicken and red salsa is mixed with long grain brown rice, all rolled into corn tortillas and packing a powerful amount of delicious flavor, fiber, and protein while helping to attain weight loss goals.
Extra Ingredients and Calories
Each taco is approximately 150 calories, not including sour cream.
Be sure to check the contents of the salsa prior to buying. Mango salsa is delicious, for instance, but is higher in sugar and calorie content than the average tomato-and-cilantro variety. Salsa with black beans and corn is another example of healthy, delicious, yet slightly more caloric salsa.
For another 50 calories each, half of a sliced avocado makes this recipe even more heart-healthy and delicious.
Cheese is often a staple of traditional tacos; however, nothing will sabotage weight loss goals faster than fromage. Luckily, these chicken tacos are tasty enough that the cheesy stuff won’t be missed.
Healthy Chicken Taco Recipe
The following ingredients are based on serving two people. Double as necessary.
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cubed or shredded
- 1 Jar Salsa Verde
- ½ Cup Red Salsa
- 1 ¼ Cup Long Grain Brown Rice
- 1 Cup Water
- 6-10 Small Corn Tortillas
- Fat-Free Sour Cream (optional)
How To Make Chicken Tacos
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In small saucepan, bring water to boil. Add red salsa and rice. Cover and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally.
- While rice is cooking, prepare chicken by trimming fat, followed by shredding or cubing.
- Pour entire jar of salsa verde into a medium frying pan. Add cubed or shredded chicken and cook on medium to high heat, stirring as needed to cover every piece of chicken in the salsa. Cook chicken until the salsa verde is reduced and very thick.
- Cook rice until the water evaporates and holes appear on the surface. Rice should be very soft and thick.
- Put the tortillas into the preheated oven for no longer than three minutes. They should be soft, warm, and pliable. A rubbery consistency is undesirable.
How To Serve Chicken Tacos
If desired, the tacos can be prepared all at once; however, it is much easier to put the rice into one bowl, the chicken in another, and the tacos on a small plate. That way, portions can be controlled and the food will stay warmer longer. Spread rice onto a soft tortilla and then add chicken on top. Fat-free sour cream can be added if desired without guilt or calorie concern.
This recipe was created by the author and has been tested successfully on some of the pickiest eaters.
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