This recipe, adapted from a New York Times Cooking favorite by Sarah DiGregorio, has been in my dinner rotation for quite a while—and I’m not the only fan. With thousands of five-star reviews, it’s earned its praise. It’s almost too flavorful for how simple it is. The canned chipotles in adobo sauce bring a deep, smoky heat, and depending on your spice tolerance, you can use as much or as little as you like. The honey balances the savory heat, while bright pickled onions and creamy avocado tie it all together.

Would you like to see more Instant Pot recipes? Reply to this email or reach out on social media—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

~ Camilla

Harlan’s Food For Thought

The following are the macros for this week's meal. Macros are calculated per serving, 4 servings per meal.

Protein: 46g
Carbohydrate: 73g
Fat: 19g
Calories: 611

This meal has well-rounded macros, with plenty of fat, carbs, and protein. If you want to do lower carb, you could skip the tortillas or substitute the added sugar with Stevia drops, to taste.

Let's talk about one of the components in today's meal: Apple Cider Vinegar.

In recent years, there has been a lot of chatter about apple cider vinegar (ACV) and its touted health benefits. Some research-backed health benefits of ACV include:

Improved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar response after eating

Improved cholesterol profiles

Improved gut microbiome structure and function

ACV contains acetic acid, the key compound responsible for these benefits. Acetic acid slows down the absorption of glucose (sugar) after we eat, which helps to control the insulin response. As a result, insulin sensitivity improves. This is especially helpful for people who have impaired insulin function, like those with diabetes or those who are at risk for diabetes.

~ Harlan Wolff, Registered Nurse and Clinical Educator

Pressure Cooker Chipotle-Honey Chicken Tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Pickled Red Onion:

1 red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup apple cider or white vinegar

½ cup water

2 tbsp white sugar

Pinch of salt

Whole peppercorns for extra flavor (optional)

For the Chicken & Tacos:

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 to 4 canned chipotles in adobo, finely chopped (plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce)

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt (plus extra as needed)

½ tsp ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 lime, juiced

Warmed corn tortillas (for serving)

Sliced avocado (for serving)

Cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Pickled Onions:

Thinly slice the red onion.

In a microwave-safe container with a lid, add ½ cup cider or white vinegar and ½ cup water. Microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot. Depending on your vessel and size of onion, you may need an extra splash of each ingredient. This is no exact science.

Add 2 tbsp white sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring to dissolve.

Add the sliced onion to the vinegar mixture. You can also add whole peppercorns for extra flavor.

They’ll be ready by dinner time and you can store extra in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Two Days Later

Prepare the Chicken:

In the electric pressure cooker, combine chicken thighs, chipotles and adobo sauce, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cumin. Stir well to combine.

Cover and set the steam valve to the sealed position.
Cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Open the lid.

Shred the Chicken:

Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
If you’d like to reduce the sauce, set the pressure cooker to sauté and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add Beans and Lime:

Stir in the black beans and squeeze lime juice over the mixture.
Set the cooker to sauté and cook for 2-3 minutes until the beans are heated through.

Assemble the Tacos:

Serve the chicken and beans in warmed tortillas, topped with pickled onions, avocado and cilantro.

Pressure Cooker Chipotle-Honey Chicken Tacos