Chicken Tacos w/Eggplant Shells

Shredded chicken taco meat with white bean & corn salsa, cilantro pesto, avocado, tucked into a juicy roasted eggplant “taco shell” and sprinkled with Aleppo pepper flakes, these tacos make you feel like you’re dining at one of the best taco shops ever, but without the tortilla carbs and preservatives.

I know most people don’t rejoice when it’s eggplant season, but my heart skips a beat when I see those gorgeous purple beauties growing and ripening in the garden. Purple is my favorite color and I could totally just gaze on the beauty of this fruit (er, vegetable?) like forever … but that wouldn’t work, because then they would go bad and what a waste that would be. Because not only are eggplant beautiful, they taste amazing when cooked correctly.

I had a few gorgeous eggplant I picked from my mom’s garden last time I visited her and I was debating what to do with them. (Yeah, I don’t have much of a garden at home … my home is surrounded by trees. Not much sunlight for a garden!) … and I’d seen this eggplant “tacos” recipe from epicurious and that got the wheels in my brain spinning. I had some shredded chicken taco meat in my fridge that my kids requested, but they haven’t eaten all of it. And some spicy cilantro pesto in my freezer and a can of cannellini beans in my pantry. Plus a nice big green chile from the parents’ garden too. All of this coalesced into my mind at yoga one Saturday (when I was working up an appetite!), so after yoga and the morning errands were over, I rushed home to roast some eggplant and toss together a nice lunch for myself.

I was SO freaking pleased with myself at first bite of these pretty tacos and quickly gobbled down the two that I’d made for myself. Not only were they beautiful, they tasted AH-mazing! Juicy shredded taco meat, spicy cilantro pesto with the creamy white beans, crunchy peppers and onions and the sweetness of the corn … and then you have the creamy avocado and the juicy eggplant taco shell and a few lively aleppo pepper flakes on top for an extra bit of zing. My taste buds were totally dancing and singing and perhaps even doing the tango. My brain said to me, “this belongs on a menu at a fabulous restaurant somewhere” …. so for you chefs with a restaurant who are cruising food blogs for menu inspiration, please tell me if you put this on your menu. This recipe is free to add to your menu, but I want to know where it goes. (And of course I want to hear from the home “chefs” too! I love to hear what ALL of you think.)

What is Aleppo pepper?

According to Bon Appetit, Aleppo pepper comes from a burgundy chile also known as the Halaby pepper that was originally sourced from the Syrian city of Aleppo, but mostly grown in Turkey now. Once ripened, the peppers are semi-dried, de-seeded, and coarsely ground. Aleppo is a common Middle Eastern condiment, traditionally used to season meat, beans, salads, and muhammara dip, but it can be used like any other dried red pepper. Aleppo is about half as hot as the crushed red chile flakes you put on your pizza, and so much more flavorful. Aleppo-style pepper marries slow-building heat with earthy, cumin-y undertones and a little hit of fruity tang—and yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds. It’s a little addictive!

Not into eggplant?

I get that. I’m an eggplant convert. For much of my life, I was DEFINITELY not a fan. But then one day (oh so many years ago), we were invited to have dinner at a vegetarian friend’s house and she served this amazing eggplant parmesan … after that I was hooked. If you’ve not reached that “eggplant turning point” yet, you can still enjoy these tacos with the traditional tortilla shell using warmed corn or flour tortillas.  If you want a low-carb alternative that is not eggplant, you might try zucchini, but you’ll need a REALLY big one (and/or cut on the diagonal) to give you a big enough slice to make a taco shell.

How to make this vegan?

If you want to make this dish meatless, just skip the chicken taco meat! All the rest of the flavors will give you a satisfying, plant-based meal. For mixed families where some eat meat and some don’t, serve the toppings in bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.

Eggplant Chicken Tacos

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 - 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the eggplant “shells”:

• 1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced horizontally into 1/3 inch rounds
• Olive oil
• Salt & Aleppo pepper

For the corn & white bean salsa:

• 1 cup cooked cannellini beans (canned is fine)
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or leftover cooked corn)
• 4 Tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 green chile, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• Juice of half a lime

For the tacos:

• Shredded chicken taco meat (recipe here)
• Corn & white bean salsa
• Cilantro lime pesto with cashews (recipe here) + extra fresh-squeezed lime juice
• Sliced avocado

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil. Set on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Sprinkle with salt & aleppo pepper.
2. Roast at 400 for 8 minutes, then flip and sprinkle the other side with salt & aleppo. Roast the other side for 8 minutes.
3. While the eggplant is roasting, toss together the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Mix the pesto with a bit of extra fresh squeezed lime juice.
4. To assemble the tacos: Top each eggplant slice with some shredded chicken, some of the bean salsa, a slice of avocado and drizzle with the juicy pesto. If desired, sprinkle the top of the tacos with a bit more Aleppo pepper. Serve hot with a slice of lime.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2019, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tacos