This is one of my favorite equations:
LIME-JALAPENO MAYO, LETTUCE, TOMATO
But not just any taco (and also not a hard-shelled taco, it's actually a soft-shelled taco, but I couldn't find a free picture of a soft taco online), the Fried Chicken Taco at Taqueria del Sol in Atlanta (a finalist in Bon Appetit's best taqueria in the nation!). Not traditional, I know, but the fried chicken taco proves that a top-billing soloist like fried chicken can also shine in an ensemble cast. The final product is crunchy, smooth, salty, with a little zipzing! to boot!
Now, I am not the first to sing the fried chicken taco's praises, and certainly not the first person to honor the taco - far from it. We all know that in and of itself, the taco is a wonderful, compact, and versatile vessel for a myriad of flavor combos. But at this time, I would like to highlight its appeal to Menu For One by way of haiku:
Perfect for leftover foods
Cheers Menu For One
Uh, ok, that will not be featured on your local Mexican restaurant's menu anytime soon, but you get the point. The taco, or even the burrito or the quesadilla for that matter, is the perfect vehicle for leftovers that are not enough to make a meal on their own: the few ounces of pork/beef/fish/chicken from last night's dinner that you couldn't quite finish, the last remains of the rice you got in those little chinese takeout containers, and the [insert vegetables of your choice here] you stocked up on because you convinced yourself you'd eat them regularly after the New Year.
Gastrokid, a creative blog authoried by two dads/food writers, features good-looking, good-tasting food that their children will eat. You can find their application of leftovers to the taco here. But get creative! Use what you have - and remember: the end result need not combine traditionally Mexican/TexMex ingredients or flavors. I have been known to use rotisserie chicken, leftover sauteed vegetables, and whatever cheese I have on hand. Let me know what you come up with!
