As excited as I was to dive into preparing an international dish to celebrate the college’s recent International Festival, I have to admit that deciding what kind of cuisine to showcase wasn’t easy. With so many incredible flavors from all across the globe, it’s so hard to pinpoint just one to show off!

Fortunately for me, our featured culinarian, Dan Ruiz, had an answer for my predicament. He suggested we try fusion cuisine, which takes the elements of two or more different types of cuisine and combines them to create a new and innovative dish.

What could be a better way to celebrate our school coming together to honor the many different cultures that make up our diverse student body? It was the perfect solution!

These Thai Chicken Tacos are sure to be a big hit at the dinner table. Not only have we packed in some colorful veggies, but we’ve also found a way to make it gluten free so that people with gluten intolerances can enjoy them.

When the brilliant flavors and styles of Thai and Mexican are combined, the outcome is a truly unique and extraordinary dish. You won’t want to miss out on this recipe!

Special thanks again to Ruiz for the help in developing this recipe. If you’re interested in learning more about his work as a culinarian, read the interview I conducted with him below. Happy cooking!

THAI CHICKEN TACOS

Makes 8-10 tacos

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons tamari sauce or soy sauce (Tamari sauce for gluten free)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

½ teaspoon red curry paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed

1 clove garlic, minced

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup peanut oil

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup red cabbage, stems removed and thinly sliced

¾ cup sour cream

2 limes, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil

8-10 corn tortilla taco shells

1-2 avocados, cubed

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a large mixing bowl, combine the two tablespoons peanut oil, tamari sauce, rice vinegar, red curry paste, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper, and whisk thoroughly. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add the chicken strips to the bowl, and knead together to incorporate the marinade. Place the chicken and the marinade in a large zip-lock bag, and remove any air. Place in the fridge and allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the dressing for the vegetables. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup peanut oil, Sriracha sauce, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add the shredded carrots and red cabbage to the bowl, and toss to coat. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, lime juice and zest. Taste and adjust to your preference. Add the mixture to a small plastic bag and place in the fridge until serving.

Remove the chicken from the bag and wipe off excess marinade with a paper towel. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat coconut or vegetable oil. Add the chicken strips to the pan, and sauté until all of the pieces are thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Place cooked chicken on a clean plate.

Set up all of the prep. Distribute the dressed vegetables to the bottom of the taco shells, followed by the cooked chicken and cubed avocado. Cut off a small corner of the lime-sour cream bag and pipe on top of the tacos. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!