Banh Mi Chicken Tacos with Pickled Cucumber and Sriracha Mayo

Combine tender meat, crunchy pickled veggies, fresh cilantro, spicy chiles, and creamy spreads, the Vietnamese banh mi is one of our all-time favorite sandwiches. Here, we take all those same flavors and textures and channel them into some seriously delicious tacos. Tangy-sweet chicken is piled into warm tortillas with sautéed carrots, pickled cucumber, cilantro, and Sriracha mayo.

Taco ’bout an epic dinner! This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something exciting but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.

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Ingredients

10 ounce Organic Chopped Chicken BreastView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Shredded CarrotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Rice Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Mini CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sweet Soy GlazeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SrirachaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Halve lime. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Finely chop cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, combine half the vinegar (you’ll use the rest later), juice from half the lime, ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Stir in cucumber. Set aside to quick-pickle.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring, until just tender, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate.
4. Heat another drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Stir in sweet soy glaze and remaining vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then immediately turn off heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. In a second small bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste. Season with salt. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
6. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds. Divide tortillas between plates and fill with saucy chicken, carrots, pickled cucumber (draining first), and cilantro. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo. Cut remaining lime into wedges and serve on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground beef instead of chicken?

Yes, ground beef works well in this recipe. Cook it the same way as the chicken, breaking it up until browned and cooked through.

What can I substitute for sweet soy glaze?

Mix 3 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey to make a quick substitute.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken and carrots in a skillet, and assemble tacos fresh.