Alright folks, grabbed the stuff today ‘cuz we needed dinner fast and everyone whines for tacos on Tuesdays. You know how it is. Saw this 20-minute Pollo Asada Taco thing and thought, “Yeah right, but let’s try it anyways.” Here’s exactly how it went down.
The Grab & Go Prep
First thing, shoved my hand into the freezer. Found a bag of pre-cooked grilled chicken strips – leftover from Saturday’s salad disaster. Perfect salvage operation! Dumped those onto a plate. Threw a pack of small corn tortillas straight into the microwave later. Didn’t wanna dirty another pan.
Over to the fridge now. Ripped open a bag of pre-shredded iceberg lettuce. Scooped a big spoonful of store-bought pico de gallo from a tub. Found a half-used tub of sour cream hiding behind the milk. Shook the bottle of that cheap taco sauce from last week – yeah, still half full. Oh, and squeezed some lime juice from one of those plastic lime bottles. Felt kinda guilty, but whatever.
Making That Pollo Asada Smoke
Okay, fired up the stove. Slapped my biggest cast iron pan on high heat – gotta get it screaming hot like the recipe said. Remembered it mentioned smoke. Heh. Poured in a glug of olive oil, almost sloshed it. Threw in the cold chicken strips straight from the plate. Heard that angry sizzle – good sign.
- Dumped a heavy sprinkle of garlic powder everywhere.
- Went crazy with the cumin – love that smell, reminds me of legit taco trucks.
- Shook some chili powder over it, not too much, kids gotta eat.
- Saw smoked paprika hiding on the spice rack? Tossed some in. Gotta get that fake grill flavor somehow.
- Found an ancient bottle of lime juice concentrate? Squeezed maybe a teaspoon in. Hoped for the best.
- Salt. Pepper. Yeah, dumped it on.
Kept flipping and ripping those chicken strips apart with my tongs. Wanted it kinda shredded-ish. Not burnt, just hot and coated with all those spices. Whole kitchen got smoky like, instantly. Fire alarm? Almost. But oh man, the smell! That fake grill magic actually kinda worked!
The Assembly Line of Chaos
Microwave beeped – tortillas are warm (and chewy, whatever). Called kids to help. Grabbed paper plates because screw dishes tonight.
- Slapped down two tortillas per plate – stacking ’em softens the blow if one rips.
- Kids spooned the spicy fake Pollo Asada chicken on top.
- Let ’em shovel iceberg lettuce everywhere.
- Scooped pico de gallo on like it was confetti.
- Drizzled sour cream in messy zigzags.
- Splashed that cheap taco sauce on for extra kick.
- Pretentious lime wedge squeezed on top? Skipped it. Used the plastic bottle again.
The Verdict?
Plates looked like a food fight. Kids inhaled them. Like, actually quiet for five minutes. Wife mumbled “This chicken tastes surprisingly good?” while wiping sour cream off her chin. Me? Shoved mine down standing at the counter watching the stove smoke clear. Tasted like real-deal tacos? Nah. Tasted like a delicious, fast, and dirty victory against Tuesday dinner rush? Absolutely. Was it true Pollo Asada? Heck no. Did it taste awesome and take under 20 minutes with stuff I already had? 100% yes.
Bottom line? Stop stressing authentic on busy nights. Fake the funk, use the shortcuts, get food on the table. Paper plates are totally valid.
