Simply Southwestern

Ok, I think you’re great, Bobby Flay,* but have you ever tried to make one of your recipes after a long day at the office? On a budget? Without an outdoor grill? It’s not easy, my friend.

I’m a huge fan of southwestern cuisine (or Tex-Mex, Latin fusion, whatever you want to call it), but I generally like to keep things pretty simple. Save your ancho chili-crusted tilapia taquitos with mole reduction for a celebratory meal and give me a taco any old day. That said, I do enjoy experimenting with new flavor combinations (within reason), so I immediately looked for a way to simplify the original B. Flay recipe for this dish. I think I succeeded it making it accessible for week-night cooking, but still interesting enough to tickle your taste buds. I’ll let you, readers, be the judge.

Ginger Chicken Tacos with Red Curry-Peanut Sauce
Serves 4.

1 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8, 6-inch corn tortillas
Red Curry-Peanut Sauce, recipe follows
1 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
1/2 c. chopped peanuts (I used the chipotle spiced variety for fun)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Red Curry-Peanut Sauce
1 ½ tbsp. vegetable oil
½ tbsp. sesame oil
½ tbsp. red curry paste
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
3 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. smooth peanut butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium baking dish, whisk together the soy sauce, oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Heat a large grill pan over high heat until smoking. Remove chicken from marinade and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing each breast into thin strips.

To make the sauce, heat the oil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the curry paste and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, coconut milk and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the peanut butter and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lay tortillas out on a flat surface. Divide cheese, chicken strips and cilantro evenly among them. Drizzle with the peanut sauce. Fold the tortillas in half and brush the tops with vegetable oil (or spritz with cooking spray). Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts before serving with extra peanut sauce on the side.

*Side bar- How could anybody that married Stephanie March, aka ADA Alexandra Cabot on L&O: SVU, be anything short of thrilling to talk to? Surely she’s told him all of her stories about working with Ice T—that alone is worth the proverbial price of admission.