Food & Drink

Skillet Chicken Tacos with Cauliflower Tomato Rice & Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

Serves 2

For the black bean salad:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white vinegar or white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
170g cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
170g pomegranate seeds
60g diced white onion
10g chopped fresh coriander leaves

For the cauliflower tomato rice

2 tbsp olive oil
3 medium Roma or plum tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt
400g cauliflower florets, finely chopped into pea-sized pieces
1 tsp smoked paprika

Pan-fried chicken tacos

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt
450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 large lime, zested and juiced, plus more lime wedges
for serving
4 hard-shell corn tortillas, for serving
1 red chili, seeded and thinly sliced, for serving

Directions

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the black beans, pomegranate seeds, onion, and coriander. Gently toss to coat.

Set aside at room temperature while you make the tomato rice and chicken tacos –the flavours will continue to blend as you do.

Next, make the cauliflower tomato rice. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add the tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
the tomatoes collapse and begin to turn jammy – 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the finely chopped cauliflower, smoked paprika, and another pinch of salt.

Cook for about 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is barely
tender – it should have the texture of al dente pasta.

Transfer the cauliflower tomato rice to a medium bowl and set aside while you make the chicken tacos.

To make the chicken tacos, wipe the pan with a piece of kitchen roll.

Add the olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and a pinch of salt to the pan.

Return to a medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic and spices begin to sizzle and smell very fragrant – around 60 to 90 seconds.

Stir in the chicken, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up anything stuck to the pan, until the chicken is browned all over and cooked through – around 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To serve, fill the tortillas halfway with a portion of the chicken. Top with a generous spoonful of the reserved black bean salad and scatter with the sliced chillies, if using. Serve alongside the reserved cauliflower tomato rice and lime wedges.