Everyday Dinner

Easy Hobo Pack Chicken Tacos

Easy, Make-Ahead Packs with a Fajita Vibe
October 6, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday Dinner

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

Hobo Pack Chicken Tacos, Waiting On Martha Hobo Pack Chicken Tacos, Waiting On Martha

I love tacos.  My husband love tacos.  We make it Taco Tuesday pretty much any day of the week when the craving hits.  So I’m always on the hunt for new, creative, and most importantly easy, takes on our beloved tacos. 

I’ve seen hobo pack fish and fancier dishes buzzing around my Pinterest feed and have always wanted to try these little packs of goodness.  The folded packets, usually seen in aluminum foil with an inner layer of parchment paper, steam their contents and make clean-up easy too.  And besides the easy clean up the entire process is genius, because the result is juicy, flavorful, and usually quite healthy.  

Anyway, like I said I’ve seen hobo packs mostly made up of seafood, but one night when I was crunched for time and needed to be doing ten other things besides cooking dinner I thought why not whip up a a few hobo packs full of everything you need for a great taco. Chicken breast cut into strips, peppers, onion, jalepeno, my favorite chili lime seasoning, and fresh limes.

With these hobo pack chicken tacos, I opted against using aluminum foil and used unbleached parchment paper instead.  I’ve heard that aluminum foil can possibly leach aluminum into the food, and I find that parchment paper can be used in its place more often than not…just to be safe.  And if I’m honest I was out of aluminum foil.

These packs can also be made-ahead, if you ever want to assemble and chill them before cooking, for up to two days.  And if you need a little help folding your packs I use the pleat method seen here.  Tell me, what are you folding up into your hobo pack tacos tonight?!  Truly, MKR

 

Hobo Pack Chicken Tacos
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4 chicken breasts, sliced
  2. 2-3 onions, quartered into thick slices
  3. 4 limes (2-3 sliced and 1 for juice)
  4. 4 green, yellow or red peppers
  5. 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  6. 1-2 fresh jalapeno, slicd
  7. salt & pepper
  8. olive oil
  9. salsa, sour cream for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Spray a sheet pan with oil so that the parchment paper of the pack does not stick.
  3. Cut 8 pieces of 12x16" parchment paper.
  4. Layer 2 pieces of the parchment paper in 4 different stacks.
  5. Divide an even mixture of chicken, onions, peppers and limes among the prepared packs, arranging in the center of each piece of parchment. For proportions as you're packing everything, you'll want about chicken breast per packet, about 1 pepper per packet, onion, jalapeno, with 2 slices of the lime.
  6. Bring the edges of parchment paper together to enclose each pack, covering completely, then crimp to seal packs closed.
  7. Cook the hobo packs for about 20 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, warm tortillas for serving the tacos.
  9. Carefully open the packs (there will be a lot of steam!) and dish onto warm tortillas.
  10. Squeeze fresh lime juice, garnish with fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream and enjoy!
Notes
  1. You'll get about 2-3 tacos out of each hobo packet. This recipe serves about 4 people.
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

 

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha 

comments (0)

Steakhouse Salad with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Grilled Corn & Blue Cheese

A Fresh, Hearty Salad with Steakhouse Appeal
July 31, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday Dinner

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

Steakhouse Salad on Waiting on Martha
Steakhouse salad recipe | Waiting on Martha
Steakhouse salad recipe on Waiting on Martha

I’ve admitted here before that I’m not a huge salad eater.  Salads can feel a bit plain, boring, and they can leave me having major menu regret when I’m not ordering the burger and fries instead.  BUT give me a salad like today’s Steakhouse Salad that’s just as hearty as a full entree, with plenty of fresh and vibrant toppings, and I’ve got the best of both worlds. 

The trick to a great entree salad like this one is in the variety of fresh flavors and textures; the toppings need to really carry the dish.  Nobody, including me, enjoys a plain bed of greens with a few measly toppings!  So whenever I think up a nice marriage of toppings for my salad, I like to consider ones that don’t need much dressing; ones that can stand alone for simpler, healthier bites that celebrate the season’s best flavors. 

That, of course, rings true for cherry tomatoes and fresh corn this time of year.  I just love the way they both taste after they’ve blistered and charred when grilled or roasted.  I usually roast my tomatoes with salt, pepper and olive oil in my toaster oven.  So easy.

The sliced flank steak is also another topping that doesn’t need much to taste divine.  As your protein, steak alway brings a certain rich quality to a salad, which I always prefer over chicken. And of course, it offers plenty of protein to sustain you.  The secret to great strips of flank steak is in the cutting; cut with the grain so that you don’t disrupt the flavor.

To top it all off, I like to add crumbles of blue cheese.  The punchy, tangy taste of blue cheese rounds out the flavors of the entire salad.  And somehow it satisfies my salt craving, even if there are shoestring fries at the table, too!  Tell me, does this Steakhouse Salad look like a winner in your house?!  Truly, MKR

P.S. Looking for more creative salad options?  Check them out in our Recipe Index here. 

P.S.S. Or are you looking for another drool-worthy steak recipe? This skillet seared ribeye with caramelized onions is one to write home about.  SO good. xo

SHOP THE STORY  / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE


  

Steakhouse Salad
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
For the steak
  1. 1 lb. flank steak
  2. salt, pepper and olive oil
For the salad
  1. Roasted tomatoes (cherry tomatoes, left whole, with salt, pepper and olive oil)
  2. Grilled corn (charred in the sautee pan or over the grill)
  3. arugula
  4. blue cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook the steak to preferred doneness; be sure to let it rest 2-5 minutes after cooking. It continues to cook after taken off the heat.
  2. After cooling, slice the steak with the grain. Set aside.
  3. Roast tomatoes whole in toaster oven with salt, pepper and olive oil for a few minutes until they start to blister.
  4. Grill corn for a few minutes until desired level of charred.
  5. Compile salad over a bed of arugula; steak, tomatoes, corn and blue cheese.
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

comments (1)

Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Coleslaw & Pineapple Salsa

A Vibrant, Fresh Entree to be enjoyed al fresco
June 5, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > 30 Minute Meals

COMMENT
TWEET
PIN
SHARE

Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Coleslaw and Pineapple Salsa recipe on Waiting on MarthaBlackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Coleslaw and Pineapple Salsa #recipe on Waiting on Martha 

I love fish tacos.  Whenever I’m at a restaurant I typically beeline for any type of fresh, spicy, blackened fish tacos.   But fish tacos was one of those recipes I hadn’t tried at home.  So recently when I was whipping up Mexican night I decided to give them a go, and I’m so glad I did.

The creamy coleslaw balances and cools off the warm Mahi Mahi and spicy jalapeños.  And the fresh pineapple adds a fruity tang to the blackened seasoning, peppers and salsa.  I mean I’m drooling just thinking about it as I type this!   And they’re on the healthier side which is always a plus.  

In all of my favorite recipes, I always seem to find a marriage of cool to hot, crunchy to creamy, spicy to sweet.  And my blackened fish tacos with Mahi Mahi hit a home run on all of the above.  

When you’re making this at home, keep in mind that you can use any light or white fish.  I always approach cooking seafood by picking out what is wild caught, sustainable and in-stock at Whole Foods or my local grocery store.  With this recipe, I could have done grouper, halibut, etc.  And especially when you’re blackening and seasoning fish, you can use any type of white fish.  You just don’t want to use a fishy-fish like salmon. 

This recipe seems like something spotted on a restaurant patio, but I assure you it’s so easy.  Don’t be overwhelmed!  This vibrant, fresh and summery mixture of flavors is just the thing to cool you down after a long day in the sun.  I mean they just taste like summer!  Truly, MKR

P.S. Let’s talk about tortillas really quickly; I always warm them on the stovetop, turning on the flame to crisp them up. But I’m careful to watch them as they can burn if they catch fire…ha!  I flip them once or twice and get a nice warmed, slightly crispy tortilla.  Cold tortillas just make sad tacos in my opinion. xo 

Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Coleslaw and Pineapple Salsa
Serves 2
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Mahi Mahi or white fish, fresh, wild caught filets
  2. 2 cups coleslaw
  3. 1 Jalepeno thinly sliced
  4. pineapple salsa (I buy mine from wholefoods. If they don't have it simply chop up pineapple, add a few squeezes of lime & a bit of chopped cilantro
  5. cilantro for garnish
  6. flour or corn tortillas
  7. limes for garnish
  8. additional salsa for garnish
  9. blackening seasoning
Instructions
  1. sprinkle both sides of the fish with with blackening seasoning, go ahead an be liberal with the seasoning.
  2. In a lightly oiled/greased sauté pan cook the fish until cooked through. 8-10 minutes.
  3. Remove the fish, and build your tacos!
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

comments (2)
Keep Browsing
Copyright © Welcome by Waiting on Martha  /
Back to Top