Paleo-Friendly Meals: Shredded Taco Chicken

Alooooooooooooooha! I love short work weeks. It’s like you have more motivation to be a good employee because you’ve (a) been away from work for more than 2 days and (b) the weekend is already a day closer to being here! Since summer is upon us, the days are getting longer giving you the feeling that you actually have more time to enjoy your day despite the obviousness that you must be asleep by 10pm to wake up like a functioning human-being at 6am the next day. No? Just me? Alright then. In that case, here’s to making daily tasks easier so you can at least enjoy a few minutes of the longer, lighter evening.

Damn kids, get off my lawn!

The following recipe was born out of sheer laziness. Really. It’s quick, easy, and tasty. You can customize it to fit what you have or are lacking in your fridge and pantry. To get started, grab whatever protein you have lying around. I always have bone-in or boneless chicken in either my fridge or freezer.

Other items I always have in the house are garlic, onions, and jalapenos. Also, Paleo taco seasoning. If you read my last blog post, you should have that in your cabinet too! If not, dishonor on your family.

Get a big pot, the size depends on how much meat you are cooking. Now, if you want to be really crafty and Suzie-homemaker-ish, you can add a bunch of spices and veggies to the water and save it as stock. I’ve done that a few times and felt especially accomplished as I used it. If not, then fine. So fill your big pot with water and put it on the stove, like so.

Now dump your protein and veggies in. Now pay close attention to the next step.

Put the stove to medium heat and walk away. This is the beauty of this recipe. You stick stuff in a pot and let it boil for as long as you want.

30 minutes? Cool. 1 hour? Fine. 3 hours? Man, you better have had yourself a nice margarita in your lawn chair.

Once you’ve decided your meat has boiled enough, turn off the heat and let it cool a little bit. Again, once you remove your protein, you can save the liquid as stock.
Now this part requires a little work. Not too much though. You’ll be done in time for your 10pm bedtime. I promise. In a medium frying pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat.

Remove your protein and veggies from the pot and place on a cutting board. If you were ambitious and let your meat boil for a few hours, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the liquid because chances are it will be crumbly and tender and delicious.

Chop into bite sized pieces or shred with a fork. Whatever floats your boat.
Now comes improvisation part deux. You can throw in whatever you think tastes good. Jalapenos, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc.

After you stir around your ingredients for a bit, add some of the Paleo taco seasoning and mix well. I usually season to taste. Sometimes 1-2 tablespoons will do. Sometimes I’m ready to dump the whole container in. Do what feels good.

Once the seasoning is stirred in well, add some water or chicken stock to the mix and let it bubble and cook for about 15 minutes longer. The resulting meat will be tasty and moist.
Not tasty enough? My usual suspect of add-ons include Taco Bell Mild Restaurant Sauce. Shockingly, Paleo!

Also, guacamole and pico de gallo are awesome wingmen for the taco meat. And there you have it; another easy and quick Paleo meal that not only allows you to have a delicious meal without going to the store, but also gives you some time for yourself before the sun goes down!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to add some Aloha to your day by doing something nice for others or keeping your mindset positive! Aloha!

Relax