Receta grilled vegan mandarin orange chick’n tacos

by Jackie Newgent

There’s something about it being sunny and warm outdoors (finally!) that makes me want to “play” with my food. That’s exactly what I was doing when I created this Asian-style taco recipe. It’s definitely not your ordinary taco! The tortillas and lime wedges are grilled for smoky goodness. You’ll get lots of crunch from a colorful cole slaw mix and dry roasted peanuts. There’s plenty of high-flavored ooziness from a lime-accented peanut butter sauce and gochujang. And the highlight is Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick’n, providing a unique plant-based protein twist. (Hint: You’ll make the chick’n in advance and can heat it up in a cast iron skillet on the grill.) It’s so yum! Plus, it’s vegan—so it’s ideal for a Meatless Monday-inspired Memorial Day BBQ. But please serve up this showstopper at any summertime cookout … no need to wait for next Monday. Eating less meat has never been so tasty—even for meat eaters!   Disclosure: As a Meatless Monday blogger, I received some samples of Gardein products. The recipe and opinions expressed in this post are my own. grilled vegan mandarin orange chick’n tacos Yield: 4 servings Serving size: 1 taco   INGREDIENTS Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons) + wedges of 1 lime 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon avocado oil or grapeseed oil 1 (10.5-ounce) package Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick’n* 4 soft-taco-size sprouted grain or whole-wheat tortillas 2 cups cole slaw mix (or shredded cabbage-carrot mixture) 2 tablespoons natural gochujang or sriracha sauce, or to taste 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves DIRECTIONS In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, peanut butter, and about 1 1/2 teaspoons cold water (or to desired saucy consistency). Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen chick’n pieces and cook, turning often until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Toss with the warmed mandarin orange sauce to fully coat. (Hint: The chick’n can be prepared in advance at this point.) Warm chick’n in the cast iron skillet placed over indirect heat on a grill. Brush the lime wedges with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Grill the lime wedges and the tortillas over direct medium-high heat until grill marks form. (Note: Tortillas should still be pliable.) Top tortillas with the cole slaw mix and drizzle with the lime-peanut butter sauce. Top with the chick’n and drizzle with the gochujang sauce to taste. Sprinkle with the peanuts and cilantro. Serve with the grilled lime wedges.   Per serving: 400 calories, 21g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 610mg sodium, 42g total carbohydrate, 5g dietary fiber, 13g total sugars, 14g protein   *Includes chick’n pieces and mandarin orange sauce   The “Before” Version Compare to Ranchero Chicken Tacos Nutrition info: https://www.chilis.com/docs/Chilis-Nutrition-Menu-Generic.pdf   Tasteover Tips Consider a high-flavored plant-based protein in lieu of chicken … at least on Meatless Monday! Go for whole grain or sprouted whole grain in place of white flour tortillas for extra flavor and health-promoting nutrients Choose to drizzle with a nut butter-based sauce to boost heart friendliness instead of relying on cheese or sour cream