Stacked Tacos (Pork Canitas or Chicken Version)

 Stacked Tacos (Pork Canitas or Chicken Version)

Want to make tacos more fun? Try stacking them! I made these delicious stacked tacos with leftover frozen pork canitas, but of course, you can use chicken instead—it'll be faster!

Ingredients Needed:

Taco Stacks:

8 small tortillas or flour tortillas (about 6 inches/12 cm wide)

3 cups pork canitas or quick Mexican chicken (see recipe below)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups grated cheese (Monterey Jack cheese recommended, other options see note 1)

Salsa:

1 1/4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned, drained)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small box of cherry tomatoes, diced (or 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced, about 1...) 1/2 cup (Note 2)

2 scallions/green onions, green parts only, sliced

1/2 lime, juiced (adjust to taste)

Quick Mexican Chicken:

1.2 lb/600 g boneless, skinless chicken thigh, sliced ​​into 1 cm/2/5 inch pieces (Note 3)

1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove of garlic, minced and added to the oil in a skillet)

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp oregano powder

A pinch of chili powder or hot pepper powder (adjust to taste)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 lime, juiced

1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Prepare the meat: Prepare the pork canitas or quick Mexican chicken in advance.

Preheat the oven:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

Prepare the tortillas:

Place the tortillas directly on the oven rack and bake for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until slightly firm but not browned.

Assemble the Taco Stacks:

Place a tortilla on a baking sheet, top with 1/6 of a pork canita or quick Mexican chicken, then add salsa (reserve some for garnish) and cheese.

Repeat the above steps, stacking two more layers, and finally top with a tortilla. You can also sprinkle some cheese on the top layer.

Repeat the above steps for the remaining 4 tortillas.

Bake the Taco Stacks:

Place in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Prepare the Salsa:

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over high heat. Add the corn kernels and sauté for a few minutes until slightly browned (optional).

Let cool slightly, then combine with the other salsa ingredients.

Prepare the Quick Mexican Chicken:

Mix all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the chicken, and sauté until golden brown and fully cooked.

Let cool, then roughly chop or shred with a fork.

Garnish and Serving: Remove the taco stacks from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining salsa and your favorite toppings (such as sour cream, avocado, chili, and cilantro/coriander).

Tips:

Other suitable cheeses include cheddar, saffron, Gruyère, and Provolone. Mozzarella is not flavorful enough.

Removing the tomato seeds prevents the salsa from becoming too watery and keeps the tortillas from becoming soggy during baking.

I prefer to use chicken thighs because chicken breast tends to dry out in this recipe. If using chicken breast, I recommend pairing it with a salsa-style dip for added juiciness, but add it after baking to prevent the tortillas from becoming soggy.

Do not flip the pork cannitas while baking to keep them crisp and lock in the juices.

Now, enjoy these delicious and fun taco stacks!