Chicken Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa

First snowfall of the season yesterday! Naturally, you would think I’d post about something hearty and comforting but I did that for my last two posts. It’s time for something lighter. Something that will help you get through the coming winter storms without despairing of little sunlight, short cold days, and long bitter nights: imagining the tropical climes you could be in.

I made this with my sister in mind while our parents were away. She picked so much while waiting for me to come home to make dinner that she almost didn’t eat these chicken tacos with mango salsa courtesy of Cooking Light! Lucky for me, one of my best friends joined us for dinner so I didn’t eat alone.

We picked up a bottle of moscato, if you like drier white wines I suggest a pinot grigio. This recipe is easy to whip together, even while enjoying a glass or two ;) My favorite part about it is the mango salsa which you could put together very easily if you can find prechopped or peeled mango in the produce section. Usually the mango spears I find in the produce section that are prepped ahead of time were peeled before they were ripe. It’s pretty disappointing but your grocery store might be better than mine!

You could also make the salsa for an appetizer some night with friends and drinks. Serve with tortilla chips and you’ll be all set! The sweetness of the mango is countered by the acid of the lime juice, some jalapeno kick, and the creaminess of avocado chunks. The freshness is positively delightful. In fact, any time you can, make your own salsa. It will beat jarred salsa 9 out of 10 times. (And I only say 9/10 for those nights where you’re craving your favorite jarred salsa).

Some tips for your taco shells:

·         Never used corn tortillas before?

o   Toasting them up is a snap if you’ve got a gas stove. Just turn a burner on and use a pair of tongs to settle the tortilla on top of the burner. Keep an eye on it and toast it to your liking. Be very careful, they can burn easily or even catch on fire.

o   Don’t have a gas stove? You have other options: toaster ovens and traditional ovens can also be used to toast your tortillas. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to watch them. If you toast them to the point where they are no longer supple enough to curl into a shell, you’ll end up making tostadas and not tacos. (They’re delicious but not easy to eat).

·         If you prefer soft tacos, substitute flour tortillas for the corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are meant to be heated, toasted, or fried; they aren’t very tasty raw.

·         Want a crunchy taco? Pick up your favorite crunchy tacos shells for a fast fix!