World's Best Chicken Tacos

Start by rinsing and stemming 7-8 plum tomatoes. Roast them in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.

For the chicken, add the seasoning ingredients to a bowl: 2 tablespoons crushed New Mexican chile (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a dollop of oil. Chop up two chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and combine well with the seasoning.

For the rice, start by adding a dollop of oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of rice and saute until the rice is turning opaque and golden brown. Meanwhile, add 1-2 of the roasted tomatoes to a blender along with 1/2 onion and a single garlic clove. Combine well and add this puree to the rice, cooking for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of stock and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed. Set aside and cover, letting it sit its own steam for a few minutes. Salt to taste. (Note: it's okay to pull the roasting tomatoes from the oven a bit early when you need them for the rice.)

When the tomatoes are done roasting add six of them to a blender for the Salsa along with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 jalapeno, and a pinch of salt (optional). Pulse blend, leaving it a bit chunky. Taste for seasoning and for heat level. You can always add more jalapeno if you want a more fiery Salsa.

To cook the chicken, I usually saute 3-4 tablespoons of chopped onion in some oil until tender (over medium-high heat) and then add the seasoned chicken. Form a single layer as much as possible and let the first side cook through all the way, then flipping and briefly cooking the second side. When done, add the chicken to a bowl and cover with foil until serving.

For the guacamole, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, and the juice of 1 lime to a bowl. Combine with the flesh of two ripe avocados. Taste for seasoning. I added another pinch of salt and another squeeze of lime to this batch. (I usually crush the chopped onion with the back of fork to mimic a molcajete and release some additional oils.)

I recommend half-assembling the tacos for your family and friends, i.e. crisping them up on a comal or skillet before serving. First, put the chicken, guacamole, and salsa on the table in serving bowls. Then add 4-5 corn tortillas to the comal or skillet over mediumish heat (or as many as you can fit). Add a layer of refried beans, cheese, and rice to each tortilla. Cook until the cheese is melted or the bottom of the tortilla is turning golden brown, approx. 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately and let your peeps add the chicken, guacamole, and salsa themselves.