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Taco Salad Recipe

Name: Ariana's Tex Mex Bar and Grills Taco Salad Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 6 count all-purpose flour tortillas; 1 cups vegetable oil; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 lbs lean ground beef (80/20); 1 lbs or boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 count onion, finely chopped; 2 tsp garlic, minced; 2 tbs taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade); 0.5 cups water; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped; 1 cups tomatoes, diced; 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 0.25 cups red onion, thinly sliced; 0.5 cups black beans, rinsed and drained (optional); 0.5 cups sweet corn (canned or thawed frozen); 2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped (optional); 4 count lime wedges; 0.75 cups sour cream; 0.5 cups salsa or pico de gallo; 2 tsp taco sauce or hot sauce (optional)

Inspired by Ariana's Tex Mex Bar and Grill

Time45m

Serves6

Crispy flour shell served with your choice of ground beef or chicken with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream.

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Ingredients

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Crispy Flour Shells

6 count all-purpose flour tortillas

1 cups Tuscany sunflower oil

1 tsp kosher salt

Protein (choose ground beef or chicken)

1 lbs lean ground beef (80/20)

1 lbs or boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 tbs olive oil

1 count Onion, finely chopped

2 tsp Garlic, minced

2 tbs taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade)

1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad & Toppings

6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cups Tomatoes, diced

1 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cups Red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)

1/2 cups sweet corn (canned or thawed frozen)

2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

4 count Lime wedges

Condiments

3/4 cups Sour cream

1/2 cups salsa or pico de gallo

2 tsp taco sauce or hot sauce (optional)

Method

Crispy Flour Shells

Shape and heat oil

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer if available. While oil heats, lay out tortillas and fold each over the back of a wire mesh strainer or use long tongs to shape into a bowl shell.

Fry tortillas

Carefully place one tortilla into the hot oil and hold the folded shape with tongs/strainer so it keeps a bowl shape; fry 45–60 seconds per side until golden and crispy. Rotate as needed so heat reaches interior. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle immediately with kosher salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Let cool — shells will crisp further as they cool.

Alternative oven method

If you prefer not to fry, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray, drape them over inverted oven-safe bowls or use a muffin tin to create shells, and bake 8–12 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool before filling.

Protein (ground beef or chicken)

Prepare aromatics

Choose your protein: for ground beef, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; for diced chicken, heat skillet with 1 tbs olive oil. Add chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Cook the protein

For ground beef: add beef to the skillet, break up with a spatula, and cook 6–8 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess fat if desired. For chicken: add diced chicken and cook 6–8 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains.

Season

Stir in taco seasoning, water, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3–5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the meat. Taste and adjust salt/seasoning as needed. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Salad & Toppings

Prepare salad base

In a large bowl combine chopped romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, sliced red onion, black beans, corn, and chopped cilantro if using. Toss gently to mix.

Assemble shells

Place one crispy flour shell on each serving plate. Spoon a generous portion (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of the lettuce mixture into each shell, forming a bed for the protein. Top with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the warm seasoned beef or chicken per salad.

Add condiments

Dot each salad with about 2 tbs sour cream and 2 tbs salsa (or pico de gallo). Sprinkle extra shredded cheese if desired and add a few drops of taco sauce or hot sauce to taste. Serve with a lime wedge alongside.

Serving & Storage

Serve immediately so shells remain crisp. Leftover cooked protein can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store salad components separately (lettuce and tomatoes stored together will wilt faster) and keep shells in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 day to preserve crispness. Recrisp shells in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes if needed.