Eating your Taco Salad out of a Homemade Tortilla Bowl will forever be the BEST way to eat taco salad. Drizzle with a homemade Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette and you are in for such a treat with this fun recipe.
‘Tis the season for salads, and I am a big fan of making salads as interesting and fun to enjoy as possible. Have you ever been to a restaurant where they serve the Taco Salad in a giant tortilla bowl? It’s crunchy, fun to eat and delicious.
Okay…you may be thinking “how do you make these fancy schmancy bowls?” It’s really easy, I promise!
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What Do You Need to Make Taco Salad Bowls?
- Flour tortillas (large or small)
- Cooking spray (we like to use an olive oil spray)
- Oven safe bowls (if using large tortillas) or muffin tins (if using small tortillas)
- Baking sheets
If using large tortillas, use one per person as their serving bowl (edible edition!) Another fun take is to use small tortillas and place in a muffin tin or small oven safe bowl for mini portions as either a side dish or appetizer.
How To Make a Taco Bowl
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly coat the flour tortillas with oil spray on both sides.
- Form: Shape the tortillas to form a bowl inside oven-safe bowls (one per bowl). For smaller taco bowls form them inside muffin tin cups!
- BAKE!
Easy Taco Salad
This taco salad recipe is quite easy and would taste great with ground beef, chicken, turkey, veggie ground or shrimp. I decided to grill up an easy spicy chicken breast with the same method used in our iconic Cajun Chicken Sandwich, then sliced thin. Use this taco salad as a guide but by all means add your own favourite toppings. Some of ours include:
- corn
- beans
- Pickled Red Onions
- fresh cilantro
- avocado
- cheddar cheese
- jalapeño
- tomatoes
- Chipotle Sauce
Take this recipe a step further and have a full Mexican inspired feast with other recipes like homemade Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and Mixed Citrus Margaritas! If looking to swap the chicken in this recipe, whip up a batch of Sneaky Mommy Taco ground instead.
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #fraicheliving or leave a comment/rating below. I would love to know how you liked it!
xo Tori
Taco Salad With Homemade Tortilla Bowls
Eating your Taco Salad out of a Homemade Tortilla Bowl will forever be the BEST way to eat taco salad. Drizzle with a homemade Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette and you are in for such a treat with this fun recipe.
Ingredients
For the Tortilla Bowls
- 4 large flour tortillas*
- cooking spray
For the Taco Salad
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons Cajun or Taco Spice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce or similar
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed 398mL
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked corn (cooled)
- 1 sliced avocado for garnish
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese for garnish
- Pickled Red Onions for garnish
For the Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water plus extra to thin
- 1/4 cup lime juice fresh preferred
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 sliced jalapeño or more to taste
Instructions
Make the Tortilla Bowls
-
Preheat oven to 375 F.
-
Lightly spray the tortillas with cooking spray on each side. Gently press tortilla inside oven safe bowls, depending on the size of tortilla you are using. Place bowls on large baking sheets.
-
Bake for around 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the tortilla bowls cool in the bowls for a couple minutes before transferring to a plate or cooling rack.
Cook the Chicken
-
Butterfly each chicken breast by making a horizontal cut lengthways along the side of the chicken breast; don’t cut all the way through. Season each chicken breast on both sides with the Cajun spice or Taco spice, and salt and set aside.
-
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until browned and the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 F. Remove from the pan and thinly slice.
Make the Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette
-
Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, adding more water if desired to thin.
Assemble the Bowls
-
Layer the iceberg lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, cheese and any other desired toppings inside the Tortilla Bowl. Divide the sliced chicken among the bowls, drizzle with Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette and serve!
Recipe Notes
*Substitute for smaller tortillas if desired, and double the amount. If using smaller tortillas, you can use a muffin tins instead of oven safe bowls to bake!
How long could you do the bowls in advance?
Hi Angela you could make them at least 3 days in advance if desired! Just crisp them up in a 300F oven on a baking sheet if needed before serving.