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Smitten Kitchen founder Deb Perelman published a weeknight chicken taco recipe as part of the site’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The recipe uses boneless chicken thighs, a dry spice rub, and a skillet braise in chicken broth, with no marinating or special equipment required.
Cooking website Smitten Kitchen published a simple chicken taco recipe this week, marking two decades since founder Deb Perelman launched the site and adding to an archive she says now contains more than 1,400 recipes. The recipe is designed as a fast weeknight dinner: chicken thighs seasoned with a dry spice rub, cooked in a single skillet, and finished in broth — with no marinating, no slow cooker, and no stand mixer involved.
The recipe calls for 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with a blend of kosher salt, ground cumin, chili or chipotle powder, paprika, and black pepper. The chicken is browned in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, then set aside while garlic is cooked in the same pan. Chicken broth is added to deglaze the skillet, and the chicken returns to the pan to finish cooking for 3 to 4 minutes as the broth reduces.
Perelman describes the pan-braising step as the answer to her main requirement: that the chicken “would not be dry or overcooked, the two reasons I spent years thinking I didn’t like chicken.” The chicken is then shredded directly in the pan with two forks or cut into pieces with a spatula.
The taco assembly uses 8 small flour tortillas, sliced avocado, shaved red cabbage, chopped cilantro, and hot sauce. A quick-pickled red onion is made by combining thinly sliced onion with red wine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Perelman’s shortcut: microwave the mixture for 10 to 15 seconds so the onions turn pink and pickled faster than resting at room temperature. Tortillas are warmed in foil in a 350-degree oven.
Why a Weeknight Taco Recipe Matters
The recipe reflects a broader approach Perelman says she has developed over two decades: “having enough cooking knowledge these days to know how to distill what I want to make into its simplest and most practical parts.” The chicken taco format is one of the most searched dinner categories in home cooking, and versions that avoid long marinating times or specialized equipment lower the barrier for weekday cooks.
The publication also serves as a marker for the site’s anniversary. Perelman writes that rather than winding down after 20 years, “most days, I feel like I’m just getting started.” The recipe is positioned as a demonstration of the site’s evolved philosophy: practical, minimal-ingredient cooking built around what home cooks already have — she notes the toppings rely on “an avocado on its last legs (every fridge has one)” and leftover cabbage.
Two Decades of Smitten Kitchen
Perelman started the website twenty years ago, she writes, to share recipes she was excited about, at a time when she knew how to cook but had not yet figured out staples like pasta sauce from canned tomatoes, meatballs, hummus, and crumb cake. The site has since grown to more than 1,400 published recipes.
The chicken taco recipe is part of a series of 20th-anniversary content Perelman lists in the same post, including interviews with Ravenous and the Columbia Journalism Review, a reader newsletter, and a list of what she considers 20 of the most iconic Smitten Kitchen recipes to date.
“Most days, I feel like I’m just getting started.”
— Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen founder
Questions the Recipe Leaves Open
The post does not specify total cooking time from start to finish, so readers planning a weeknight meal will need to estimate it from the individual steps. Perelman recommends Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt and notes that “use less of others” — home cooks using different salt brands will need to adjust quantities themselves.
Exact doneness temperature for the chicken is not given; Perelman relies on visual cues (browning and a 3-to-4-minute simmer in broth) rather than an internal temperature reading. For food safety, the USDA recommends poultry reach an internal temperature of 165°F. The post also does not include nutrition information or guidance for substituting chicken breast for thighs.
Anniversary Content Still to Come
Perelman says additional 20th-anniversary content is forthcoming, including the reader newsletter inviting followers to share their favorite recipes from the archive. Readers can also consult her published list of the site’s 20 most iconic recipes. No further anniversary recipes or events have been announced with specific dates.
Key Questions
Do I need to marinate the chicken for these tacos?
No. Perelman’s recipe is built specifically to avoid marinating. The chicken thighs are seasoned with a dry rub of salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and pepper, then cooked immediately.
Why cook the chicken in broth after browning?
The brief simmer in 2/3 cup chicken broth finishes the chicken gently and lets it absorb the pan juices, which Perelman identifies as the key to avoiding dry, overcooked chicken.
How do you make the quick-pickled onions faster?
Combine sliced red onion with red wine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar, then microwave the bowl for 10 to 15 seconds until the liquid is hot. Perelman says this turns the onions pink and pickled much faster than resting at room temperature.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
The recipe as published calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Perelman does not address substitutions; breasts would likely cook faster and risk drying out sooner under the same method.
What temperature should the chicken reach for safety?
The recipe relies on visual cues, but the USDA recommends poultry reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours.
Source: rss
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