Spicy Cider Beer Braised Chicken Enchilada Tacos w/ Sweet Chili Apple-Pomegranate Salsa

Recipe from Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more or less to taste
  • salt and peper
  • 1 (8 ounce) beer
  • 1/2 cup apple cider, plus more if needed
  • 1/2 -3/4 cup enchilada sauce
  • 8 warmed flour or corn tortillas, for serving
  • sharp cheddar cheese + cotija cheese, for serving

Sweet Chili Apple-Pomegranate Salsa:

  • 2 honeycrisp apples, finely chopped
  • arils from one small pomegranate
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded  and chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • juice from 1 lime
  • 2-4 tablespoons sweet thai chili sauce

 

Instructions

Add all the ingredients for the tacos (minus the cheese + tortillas) to the bowl of your crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or low 4-6 hours. Shred the chicken and return to the crockpot. If needed cook the chicken oh high for 30 minutes with the lid off to help thin the sauce.

Meanwhile, make the salsa. Add the chopped apple, pomegranate arils, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and sweet thai chili sauce to a bowl. Toss well to combine, taste and adjust if needed. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the pot and shred with two forks. Meanwhile reduce the sauce that is left in the pot down to about 3/4 of a cup. Add the shredded chicken back to the sauce in the pot and toss. Now add the enchilada sauce and continue to cook about 2 minutes or until warmed through. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of apple cider.

To serve, add the shredded chicken to a warmed taco shell. Top with cheddar, avocado and then the apple salsa. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.

Ben’s Cognac Risotto

From CookingChannel.com

ingredients

Directions

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add cognac, bring to a boil, and reduce the liquid by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add cream and simmer 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the oil in a deep, heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Wait until liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding more. This process will take about 20 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

Stir in the mushroom mixture and cheese. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve garnished with parsley.

Brandied Cherry Clafouti

Brandied Cherry Clafouti
Allrecipes

2 cups canned tart cherries, drained
1/4 cup brandy
2/3 cup white sugar, divided
cooking spray (such as Pam®)
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar, or as needed

1. Mix cherries, brandy, and 1/3 cup white sugar in a bowl; let soak for 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

3. Remove cherries from brandy mixture using a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared pie pan. Pour brandy mixture into a blender; add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, milk, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and allspice to the blender. Pulse mixture until batter is smooth; pour over cherries.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until golden and puffy, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly and dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve.

Amount per serving (8 total)
Calories: 195 kcal 10%
Fat: 2.7 g 4%
Carbs:32.4g 10%
Protein: 4.9 g 10%
Cholesterol:82 mg 27%
Sodium: 116 mg 5%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet