Chicken ‘Tortillas’

blob the filling in the centre of the leaf, wrap it around and stuff in your mouth

Going grain-free can tough sometimes.

It’s hard to give up the foods you used to love (even though I really feel the benefit, health wise).

For me, one of those foods is tortillas.

tomato, jalapeno and parsley…just hanging out on the chopping board as you do

I’m a big fan of tortillas…and enchiladas, and tacos, and burritos..and basically any kind of food you can shove in between two slices of carbs and gulp down.

So, for the sake of my belly, here is a grain-free version. Instead of the floury tortillas (which belly adamantly refuses), I’ve gone for collard green leaves.

the taco sauce, ready for stuffing

They are large, surprisingly sturdy and have all the benefits we know and love from leafy greens – iron, vit C, fibre, magnesium etc etc

I’m not going to lie, it gets messy but that’s half the fun. This is finger food at its finest.

All the typical tortilla trimmings (grated cheese, hot sauce, sour cream) can be jammed into that baby along with the rich tomato and chicken filling.

readying the table with condiments

But I’d recommend you eat it alone, with your significant other or very good friends.

It’s hard to make polite dinner conversation when there’s tortilla juice running down your chin.

Chicken ‘Tortillas ‘(makes 4)

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
• 4 large collard green leaves, de-stemmed
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/4 large, yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsps tomato paste
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno and chicken pieces. Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomato, tomato paste and spices. Stir and let simmer for 10 mins.
3. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to the boil. Prepare a large bowl of icy cold water (I dumped a few ice cubes into there to keep it cold).
4. Put the collard leaves into the pan. Let boil for a minute then quickly remove and instantly place into the cold water. This blanches the leaves and stops them from over-cooking – thereby keeping them firm for tortilla goodness.
5. Scoop a large spoonful into each leave, top with your choice of condiments then roll it up and cram it into your face. Enjoy.

Like this? You might also like:

• Spicy Quinoa Nori Rolls
• Nutty Chicken Drumsticks
• Chicken, Bacon & Spinach Quiche