Dining Tip: Chicken Tacos in Chipotle Sauce

Note: This recipe originally appeared in the "8 & $20" feature on WineSpectator.com.

Chicken Tacos in Tomato-Chipotle Sauce

This recipe is inspired by Rick Bayless’ Mexican Kitchen.

• 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• Can of chipotle chiles in adobo; 1 chipotle, finely chopped, to start
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat coarsely shredded
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 avocado, sliced

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, toast the unpeeled garlic cloves over medium-high heat until the skin begins to brown, around 5 minutes. Peel the garlic. Puree the tomatoes, garlic and chipotle chile in a food processor until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over high heat until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the shredded chicken and the juice from one lime. Let this mixture cook until the sauce has thickened, around 20 minutes.

3. Toast the corn tortillas over an open flame on a gas burner until the tortillas develop a nice char, flipping once. (Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in damp cloth towels and microwave on high until warmed through, around 3 minutes.)

4. Adjust the seasoning of the chicken with salt to taste, and add more minced chiles, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed. Assemble the tacos with the chicken, avocado, cilantro and a wedge of lime. Serves 4.

Note: You can easily substitute mushrooms, sliced steak or lamb in this recipe.