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Made from dried, ground poblano peppers, ancho chile paste can provide complex, smoky flavor to Mexican dishes. Tonight, it’s the star of our chicken tacos, which also get seasonal flair from shishito peppers—cooked on the stovetop until their skins blister, for satisfying depth of flavor. Cooling lime crème fraîche and a crisp red cabbage slaw balance out the zesty tacos. (Chefs, shishitos are generally mild, but about one in ten can pack a punch!)

Ethan Mick

with Blistered Shishito Peppers & Cabbage Slaw

Ancho Chile Chicken Tacos

Chopped Chicken Breast

Corn Tortillas

Shishito Peppers

Scallions

Lime

Red Cabbage

Cilantro

Crème Fraîche

Ancho Chile Paste

Sugar

Grated Cotija Cheese

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Place in a large bowl. [Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops.](#) Cut off and discard the pepper stems. Place the peppers in a bowl; drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Quarter the lime. In a bowl, combine the **crème fraîche** and **the juice of 1 lime wedge**. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the ingredients & make the lime creme fraiche:

Add the **sugar**, **white bottoms of the scallions**, and **the juice of the remaining lime wedges** to the bowl of **cabbage**. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the slaw:

While the slaw marinates, heat a medium, dry pan (nonstick, if you have one) on medium-high until hot. Add the **peppers** (including any oil from the bowl) in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and blistered. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned and softened. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop.

Blister & chop the peppers:

While the slaw continues to marinate, pat the **chicken** dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Add the **chile paste** and **2 tablespoons of water**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the chicken:

While the chicken cooks, stack the **tortillas** on a large piece of aluminum foil; tightly wrap the foil around the tortillas to seal. Carefully place directly onto the oven rack and warm 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through and pliable. Remove from the oven. Transfer to a work surface and carefully unwrap.

Warm the tortillas:

Divide the **cooked** **chicken** and **chopped peppers** among the **warmed tortillas**. Garnish with the **lime crème fraîche**, **cheese**, and **cilantro**; divide between 2 dishes. Transfer the **slaw** to a serving dish. Garnish the tacos and slaw with the **green tops of the scallions**. Enjoy!