Chicken Alambres

For those days when the weather is inclement or time is pressing, the efficacy of the outdoor grill becomes greatly reduced, so I believe this chicken version of the classic beef skewer from my last post, is a very convenient alternative.  As I mentioned before, the original dish is called alambre – wire, from the metal skewer used to cook on the grill, and the long shape of the resulting preparation; chicken alambres have kept the name, although they are cooked indoors and without the “wire”.

Chicken Alambres – Alambres de pollo

Ingredients (for two portions)

2 chicken breast pieces; skinless, boneless
2 slices bacon
1 green sweet pepper; washed, stem and seeds removed
½  white onion; peeled
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup grated cheese, for melting (such as Chihuahua, mozzarella, friulano, etc.); optional

To serve:
Warm corn tortillas
Lime wedges
Salsas (such as cook tomatillo or creamy green; click highlighted text for my recipes)

Chop onion and green peppers into small dice; slice bacon into one-inch long pieces; cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste:

In an iron skillet or heavy pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy (photo below, left); transfer onto a plate lined with paper towels and reserve.  Remove and discard most of the rendered bacon fat from the skillet, leaving about one to two tablespoons, and add onions and green peppers (photo below, right):

Sauté until onions are translucent, then transfer them and the peppers to a bowl, and reserve.  Cook the chicken in the same skillet over medium-high heat, turning and stirring occasionally, until browned all around and cooked all the way to the centre (slice the biggest piece open to check doneness, there should be no trace of pink flesh.)  Return sautéed vegetables to the skillet with the chicken (photo below, left).  Stir together, then add fried bacon and incorporate, as well (photo below, right): 

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed. If using cheese, sprinkle on top; I sprinkled the cheese on one half only, since my husband did not want any (photo below, left).   Allow all ingredients to heat up, the flavours to meld, and the cheese to melt (if using) for about one to two minutes longer, (photo below, right):

Carefully bring the skillet to the table, with the aid of an oven mitt, and place on a trivet or wooden board; offer along with warm corn tortillas, lime wedges, and salsas.  Below, a close-up of one of my tacos, with a generous portion of chicken alambre with melted cheese, and topped with creamy green sauce:

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I had a selection of two restaurant-style green creamy sauces for this dish; in the photo below, from left to right: creamy avocado, and creamy … zucchini!

This sure started the conversation; the zucchini sauce was designed in restaurants as a substitute for the avocado one.  My husband usually skips the creamy sauces, but he tried them both and thought they were equally tasty, and not too different once on the taco.  His favourite remains cooked tomatillo green sauce, though.  I have used all three in previous posts, with stories and recipes (click on highlighted text):The green cooked tomatillo salsa has appeared in several posts, including its feature in  “Moving on to Greener Salsas” (raw or cooked tomatillo); however, the other two have been only mentioned as secondary items on the menus for “Smoked Fish Tacos, Sonora Style” (creamy avocado sauce); and “A Special Request: Flautas” (with “secret” ingredient, creamy green sauce), so I will be featuring them on their own in my next post.

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I am sharing my recipe at Over the Moon #235, graciously hosted by Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, and Marilyn @ Marilyn’s Treats. Special thanks to Bev, for featuring my Classic Mocha Slab Cake at this party.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #495 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my recipe at Thursday Favourite Things #450 with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday # 339 with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

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I am also joining What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #264 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.