One-Pot Wonders: 20-Minute Spicy Chicken Tacos With Corn, Feta, and Avocado

I tend to get a tad over-excited about the diversity of toppings and ingredients that I can put in a taco, forgetting that the tortilla will likely fall apart or half of my stuffing will slide out the other end. To this day, I have a sorry habit of piling my fillings too high, then watching with as most of it falls back onto my plate. But, if you, unlike me, can remember not to overfill them, then these 20-minute chicken tacos will be quick, easy, and not nearly as messy as I seem to always make them.

I start off by searing the chicken thighs and setting them aside, then add onions, jalapeño, cumin, and oregano. Then I stir in a couple of chipotles and a bit of their adobo sauce to heat things up, followed by a cup of chicken broth. The result is a spicy braising liquid that gives the chicken a rich, earthy flavor and incredibly tender, juicy texture. It's a decidedly hot dish, so feel free to reduce the amount of chipotles if you're sensitive to spice. Either way, a bright and fresh topping of sweet raw corn, tangy feta cheese, and creamy slices of avocado helps balance the heat at least partway.

While it is an undisputed fact that bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs produce more flavorful meat, it takes more work and finesse to remove the meat from the bone. I opted to use boneless, skinless thighs here since it also saves time—you can pull the meat apart with a fork and knife as soon as it's done braising, instead of having to wait for it to cool and getting into the crevices with your fingers. If you're making a more leisurely dinner, then by all means use the bone-in and skin-on chicken (you can refresh your deboning skills here) but make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.