Caribbean Jerk Chicken Tacos

I’m pretty sure that this is one of the only recipes on my blog that I haven’t eaten more than a single bite of. Not because it’s not delicious (which, according to Joe, it absolutely, 100% is), but because I got a migraine the night I made this for dinner which made me sick to my stomach. As a result, this meal (which I’d been looking forward to all week, of course) seemed incredibly unappealing all of a sudden – as did all food. The headache hit me halfway through cooking, and by the time I’d served my family the only thing I had any energy for was curling up on the couch and whimpering.

So, here’s what Joe had to say about these tacos, straight from his mouth to your ears eyes: “At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like them, because I thought the cinnamon taste was weird. But then I had a few bites and they really grew on me. They’re [expletive deleted] delicious. So is the mango salsa.”

Now if that isn’t a glowing recommendation, I don’t know what is! Get that man a food blog!

I know this recipe is really long and it looks complicated, but honestly, most of it is just spices. It’s not too difficult at all, especially if you make the salsa ahead of time. The beans and the chicken mixture both come together really quickly.

I do plan to try these tacos again on a night when I'm feeling better. I mean, look how gorgeous they are! How could they not taste good?!

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
adapted from Macaroni and Cheesecake

For the chicken:

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime

For the black beans:

1/4 cup chopped red onion
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 can black beans, slightly drained
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of 1/2 lime

For the mango salsa:

2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Flour tortillas
Sour cream

1. For the chicken: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add chicken and all seasonings. Stir to combine. Add in lime juice, red wine vinegar and 1 to 2 more tablespoons of olive oil (depending on how moist it is). Stir to combine and cook until chicken is heated through. Add more olive oil if chicken needs more moisture.

2. For the black beans: In a medium sized pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Pour in black beans and add in garlic powder and additional olive oil. Stir to combine and allow to cook down until most of the liquid is dissolved. Mash with the back of a spoon. Keep on low heat until ready to use. Right before you use it add a squeeze of lime and stir to combine.

3. For the mango salsa: Combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. For assembly: Begin with a flour tortilla, spread a thin layer of the black bean mash across the center of the tortilla. Top with chicken, then sour cream, then mango salsa.

One year ago: Creamy burrito casserole