Filipino Chicken Sisig Tacos

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Let it be known that this is a total riff and by no means authentic (cuz, I can’t always find calamansi and coconut vinegar yet still want that sisig essence, you know?). But, it’s got the sweet, spicy, smoky of sisig while also a lot healthier —  as is made with chicken instead of pig and poached instead of fried — and a lot simpler. Most importantly, it can be made well ahead of time, so it’s perfect for warm-weather entertaining – Filipino taco bar, anyone?

Recipe Ingredients

These are the ingredients that you’ll need to prepare this recipe:

For The Cilantro Crema:

• plain Greek yogurt or sour cream or Mexican crema
• lime juice 
• fresh cilantro leaves and stems
• chopped green onions (aka scallions) 
• kosher salt

For The Chicken:

• bone-in chicken breast or thigh pieces
• kosher salt
• dried chile de árbol
• garlic cloves
• bay leaves
• black peppercorns

For The Sisig:

• coconut, grapeseed, or peanut oil
• unsalted butter
• red onion finely chopped
• red, orange, or yellow bell pepper 
• fresh ginger peeled and grated
• smoked paprika
• freshly squeezed lime juice
• 100% pure pineapple juice
• garlic cloves
• red wine vinegar
• low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari
• serrano or Thai chile

For Serving:

• Sambal or Chile-garlic sauce
• corn tortillas

How To Make This Recipe

These are the instructions that you’ll need to follow to make this recipe:

• For The Cilantro Crema: Combine the sour cream or crema or yogurt, lime, cilantro, scallion, and a pinch of salt in a mini food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Taste and add more salt or lime as desired.
• For The Chicken: Season the chicken pieces all over with the salt then place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with the chiles, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and peppercorns. Add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the liquid set aside until cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and bones, then shred meat into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Toss meat with a pinch of salt and set aside until ready to use.
• For The Sisig: Finely chop the remaining garlic then heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the shredded chicken and cook until crisp.
  Remove chicken to a plate then return the pan to the stove, add the butter, the onions and peppers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened. Add garlic, ginger, paprika, about 10 cranks of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, another 30 seconds.
  Add the pineapple juice, lime juice, vinegar, and soy sauce and cook until liquid is reduced by 2/3. Stir in the chicken and chiles and cook just until the sauce coats the bottom of the pan and the chicken.
• For Serving: Serve in warmed tortillas, topped as desired, with cilantro sauce, a squeeze of lime, chile-garlic sauce, and/or scallions.

Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!