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Hot Habanero Chicken Tacos

This is a super simple recipe and it really highlights the power of the Beyond the Shaker Hot Habenero Salt to add a kick of spice plus some tantalizing color and texture to almost any meal. The black lava salt in the Hot Habanero stands up well to liquid and heat, and so it retains a bit of its crunchiness throughout the cooking process. We guarantee this dish will put a smile on your face as the aroma waifs through your kitchen.

COOKWARE YOU WILL NEED

One non-stick large sauté pan
Wood spoon or heat resistant spatula

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 generous tablespoons of Beyond the Shaker's Hot Habanero Salt
3 to 4 tablespoons of oil for cooking, preferably vegetable or canola (you can also use substitute butter to give your chicken a richer flavor)
1 fresh green bell pepper seeded and trimmed, julienne sliced (basically in strips)
1 fresh red bell pepper seeded and trimmed, julienne sliced
1 medium sweet onion, diced (into little cubes)
1 small lime (seeded)
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into even-sized strips (you want them to finish cooking at the same time)
1 packet of your favorite soft or hard taco shells
As many fun toppings as you can think of to add to your tacos

DIRECTIONS

Using the large sauté pan add the oil (or butter), peppers and onions, sauté on medium-high heat until translucent (we like to add the onions first to an already hot pan, let them cook for 30 seconds or so, and then add the peppers).
Add chicken and vinegar (this heightens the tangy flavors) to the pan, and when chicken is almost fully cooked (most pieces should be white all the way through...feel free to cheat and take a piece out of the pan to test), evenly spread the Hot Habanero Salt through out the pan to really add the knock-out blow to your tacos.
At this point lower the heat and allow the Hot Habanero-goodness to seep into the entire dish (about another two minutes or so). Keep stirring as not to allow the chicken to become too dry.
Right before you are done cooking, squeeze the lime juice into the pan. Put your taco shells in a pre-heated 400 degree oven on a baking sheet for 1-2 minutes (be careful as not to 'cook' the shells...you just want to toast/warm them).

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Have any number of fun toppings waiting for your tacos to be build in an assembly-line fashion with the shells first, then the Hot Habanero Chicken, followed by, refried beans, sour cream (substitute plain non-fat yogurt if you would like), corn cut from the cob, finely shredded cheese (try a crumbled blue cheese for something different), lettuce, diced tomatoes, or anything else you can think of. Don't worry...the Hot Habanero flavor will shine through no matter what toppings you throw at it! As an added bonus, serve frozen margaritas with Beyond the Shaker Citrus Basil Salt along the rim to really wow your guests (or yourself). Another variation of this recipe that takes a bit more time, but is well worth it, is to brine the chicken breast ahead of time in 6 cups of cold water combined with 1/2 cup of Sel Gris (or for even greater flavor try our Citrus Wet Salt) and 1/8 cup of sugar. Stir the brine until the salt and sugar are mostly dissolved. Place the chicken breasts in the brine so they are fully submerged, and then cover the mixture and store in the fridge for 2-4 hours. When ready to cook, pull the chicken out and gently wash it under fresh cold water before cutting it into strips for your tacos. YUM!