With the holidays being over, we all want to get rid of unhealthy food around our house. I had some white potatoes left over from a holiday meal and needed to use to avoid expiration. To keep them from going to waste, I made some twice fried french fries.
Comfort food made easy…
There is nothing better than a crispy fry with a creamy center. It is something really homey to me about cutting fries and they all don’t come out perfect. It reminds me of my grandma who use to hand cut fries due to my grandfather’s disdain for the frozen kind. I cut some misshapen fries and prepared them for frying. First, they had to soak in water.
Soaking…
After I soaked them in water for an hour, I dried them thoroughly with a paper towel. If you have time you can soak them overnight. However, I was hungry so I didn’t wait. If you’re a rebel like me it will still taste delicious I promise!
The first fry…
In a large pot heat some canola oil to 260 F. Using a heat thermometer is crucial when frying to control your temp. I allowed the fries to cook for 8 minutes slowly. Once the eight minutes passed, I placed them on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. The fries will still be pale in color.
The first cook is to just let the fries become soft. The resting process will allow the fries to firm and to continue to cook inside a little before the second fry. This is how the fries develop the different textures for a wonderful eating experience.
The second fry…
After the resting period is complete, heat the pot back to 365 F. Then cook fries for another 4 minutes. Remove from the oil. They will be beautifully brown and crispy.
Place the fries in a large bowl. Then sprinkle season salt, onion powder, and garlic powder on top. Flip the hot fries until the seasoning has coated. Lastly, I poured them into a serving bowl and garnished with chives.
The Naked Chicken Chalupa made everyone lose their minds when they found out they could eat a taco shaped chicken nugget stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado ranch sauce. I also fell in line with the masses and ran to Taco Bell to try this HUGE nugget. When I tasted it, I won’t lie I wasn’t over the moon for the calorie intake for one damn taco. How am I still hungry, after taking in damn near 500 calories?
I was not here for that. So I decided to make my own version without the deep-fried oil, some substitutions in prep, and lastly more nutritional ingredients.
My version of Taco Bell’s Naked Chicken Chalupa is healthier and just as delicious. I must admit to you this was no easy task like most of my other recipes. You must have a taco mold and be patient in the process. Lastly, I repeat for this recipe to go smoother than mine did make sure your chicken taco shells are frozen hard. That is the most important tip I can give you when attempting this recipe.
When I filmed this recipe for you all one of my shells fell apart. At that point I truly wanted to give up. I was like this is simply ridiculous. Then my husband gave me a much need cooking pep talk and told me to finish. I pieced the chicken taco shell back together and placed back in the freezer. In total I had them in the freezer for about 4 hours uncovered. In the end it all worked out and that is why I am here giving the recipe to you. Now if you are brave enough to try it, please tag me on Instagram @Jdelawcious so I can see what you did. This recipe can also be made fried but that would defeat the entire purpose lol. So let’s get started!
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This recipe will make 4 taco shells
What You Will Need:
2 Pounds of Ground Chicken Breast
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Parsley
1 Tbsp Coriander
1 Tsp Ground Mustard
1/3 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup of Egg Whites
Dredge Station:
1/3 Cup Egg Whites
1 Beaten Egg
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
Tools:
Parchment Paper
Taco Shell Mold
Cooking Spray
Spatula
Plastic Gloves
Blender
Fixings:
Chopped Romaine
Monterey Jack Cheese
Fresh Salsa
Prepared Avocado Ranch Sauce
Avocado Ranch Sauce:
1 Chopped Avocado
2 Tsp Avocado oil
1/4 cup Water
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp of light sour cream
1 Tbsp of Ranch Dry Mix
Juice of Half of a lime
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Preheat Oven to 365F.
Prep:
In a large bowl add chicken, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, coriander, ground mustard, panko bread crumbs, and egg whites. Wearing the plastic gloves, mix well until ingredients are incorporated. Sit aside.
Mold:
Spray the taco mold with cooking spray evenly. Then fit individual pieces of parchment paper over each shell mold. The paper will stick to the mold. Next spray cooking spray lightly on top of the paper. This will help the chicken shells move away easily once frozen. Then evenly divide the chicken mixture in the bowl into four parts. Then place one section of the four divided parts on top of the shell mold. Mold and shape the chicken as best you can to make it look like a shell. Repeat this step until all four taco molds are shaped. Once all shaped and molded place the chicken shells in the deepest part of the freezer for 4- 6 hours.
Sauce:
Add avocado, avocado oil, water, salt, pepper, sour cream, ranch dry mix, lime juice, and cilantro to a blender. Blend until smooth. Then sit in the fridge until ready for use.
Dredge:
You will need pour the egg whites and one whole egg beaten into one large bowl. Pour the bread crumbs into another large bowl. Lastly pour the flour into another large bowl. Remove the frozen shells from the freezer. Remove one chicken shell from the mold and delicately coat the outside in flour. Shake the access flour and then dip the outside of the chicken shell in the egg mixture. Coat evenly and then dip into the Panko. Coat the bread crumbs all over the outside and shake the access. Put the chicken shell back on the mold. Repeat these steps for each one. Once you have completed the coating of the shells. Place back in the freezer for 20 minutes for the coating to adhere.
Cook:
Remove the shells from the freezer and place in the oven for 24 minutes. After baking let cool for 15 minutes.
