Chicken Carne Asada Tacos

This recipe introduced me to Catija cheese which is a Mexican parmesan-style cheese. I now use it all the time, but then again I cook a LOT of Mexican food. Don't be afraid of the pickled onions, they add a nice sweetness to contrast the traditional taco flavor. You can substitute the chicken thighs with breasts, but the flavor won't be as meaty.

Pickled Onions:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin
1 medium red onion, thinly vertically sliced

Combine ingredients minus red onion in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place onion in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; drain and plunge onion in ice water. Drain onion; add to juice mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

Tacos:
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled Cotija cheese
lime wedges

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned and done, stirring occasionally. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide chicken evenly among tortillas. Drain onion; divide evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with avocado and cheese. Serve with lime wedges. Yield: 4 serving, serving size 2 tacos.

Tip: my favorite way to warm up tortillas is to grill them for 1 minute on each side.