Recipe for Creamy Cilantro Chicken Soft Tacos

Cool off your spring and summer menu with this creamy cilantro chicken soft taco recipe developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Cilantro chicken tacos

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition .

Yields 40 Servings

This recipe yields 80–3.7 ounce creamy cilantro chicken soft tacos: 2 per serving.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

10 pounds frozen, fully-cooked, chicken fajita strips (U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food item)
5 pounds and 14 ounces as purchased fresh medium tomatoes
7 ounces AP fresh cilantro
1 pound and 4 ounces or 2½ cups plain Greek yogurt
5 fluid ounces lime juice
2 tablespoons ready-to-use minced garlic
1¼ cups olive oil
2 teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 pounds or 1 gallon, 1 quart and ¼ cup fresh ready-to-use shredded green cabbage
5 pounds or 80–1 ounce, 6 inch whole grain-rich tortillas (USDA food item)

Directions

Thaw chicken one to two days in advance in refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
Rinse tomatoes under cool running water. Dice tomatoes.

To Prepare Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Rinse cilantro under cool running water, drain. Remove stems and chop.
Pack loosely cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, oil, salt, and sugar in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth consistency.
Hold dressing in bulk and covered or portion ⅛ cup or 1 ounce ladle in 2 ounce individual cups and cover with lid in refrigerator. CCP: Hold dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or below.

To Make Tacos

Lay out tortillas on flat surface.
Top tortilla with ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop shredded cabbage.
Top shredded cabbage with about ½ cup or one number 8 scoop or 1.8 ounces of fajita chicken.
Scoop ⅛ cup or number 30 scoop diced tomatoes on top.
Drizzle ⅛ cup or 1 ounce ladle of dressing or serve in 2 ounce individual cups on side.
Fold soft tacos burrito style or snack wrap style.
Portion 2 soft tacos in one–8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch individual serving container or similar capacity or place in two–12 inch by 20 inch by 2½ inch pans. Cover and refrigerate until use. Note: for best quality use within 24 hours. CCP: Refrigerate tacos at 41°F or below.
Serve two–3.7 ounce soft tacos per serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories, in K calories: 402.00
Carbohydrates, in grams: 37.00
Protein, in grams: 24.00
Saturated fat, in grams: 4.00
Trans fat, in grams: 0
Total fat, in grams: 16.00
Sodium, in milligrams: 1,064.00

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 80 Servings

This recipe yields 160–3.7 ounce creamy cilantro chicken soft tacos: 2 per serving.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

20 pounds frozen, fully-cooked, chicken fajita strips (U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food item)
11 pounds and 4 ounces as purchased fresh medium tomatoes
14 ounces as purchased fresh cilantro
2 pounds and 8 ounces or 1 quart and 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
10 fluid ounces lime juice
¼ cup ready-to-use minced garlic
2½ cups olive oil
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 pounds or 2 gallons, 2 quarts and ½ cup fresh ready-to-use shredded green cabbage
10 pounds or 160–1 ounce, 6 inch whole grain-rich tortillas (USDA food item)

Directions

Thaw chicken one to two days in advance in refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
Rinse tomatoes under cool running water. Dice tomatoes.

To Prepare Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Rinse cilantro under cool running water, drain. Remove stems and chop.
Pack loosely cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, oil, salt, and sugar in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth consistency.
Hold dressing in bulk and covered or portion ⅛ cup or 1 ounce ladle in 2 ounce individual cups and cover with lid in refrigerator. CCP: Hold dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or below.

To Make Tacos

Lay out tortillas on flat surface.
Top tortilla with ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop shredded cabbage.
Top shredded cabbage with about ½ cup or one number 8 scoop or 1.8 ounces of fajita chicken.
Scoop ⅛ cup or number 30 scoop diced tomatoes on top.
Drizzle ⅛ cup or 1 ounce ladle of dressing or serve in 2 ounce individual cups on side.
Fold soft tacos burrito style or snack wrap style.
Portion 2 soft tacos in one–8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch individual serving container or similar capacity or place in two–12 inch by 20 inch by 2½ inch pans. Cover and refrigerate until use. Note: for best quality use within 24 hours. CCP: Refrigerate tacos at 41°F or below.
Serve two–3.7 ounce soft tacos per serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories, in K calories: 402.00
Carbohydrates, in grams: 37.00
Protein, in grams: 24.00
Saturated fat, in grams: 4.00
Trans fat, in grams: 0
Total fat, in grams: 16.00
Sodium, in milligrams: 1,064.00

Recipe Options

General Recipe Information

Serving Suggestion

Yield 80 or yield 160–3.6 ounce creamy cilantro chicken soft tacos: 2 per serving.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

2.25 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
2.00 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
¾ cup vegetable (¼ cup red/orange vegetable and ½ cup other vegetable)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.