taco shells

These chicken tacos are a healthier spin on traditional beef tacos -- and they're just as good, if not better.

Chicken Tacos

olive oil

yellow onions, finely chopped

bell peppers (any color), finely chopped

garlic,

chicken (not extra-lean all breast meat)

paprika

ancho chili powder

cumin

oregano

cayenne pepper (optional)

salt

(8 oz) can tomato sauce (1 cup)

cilantro (see note)

hard taco shells

lettuce

Mexican cheese blend, optional for topping

Heat the olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Add the chicken, paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne (if using), and salt. Increase the heat to high; use a wooden spoon to stir and break the chicken into small clumps. Cook until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Meanwhile, remove the taco shells from the package and lay sideways on baking sheet. Pull the stack apart, overlapping the edges slightly. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until crisp. Spoon the chicken into the shells and serve with toppings.

Note: To save time, you can chop the bell peppers and onions in a food processor; just be sure not to purée them. You can also use 1 teaspoon ground coriander in place of the fresh cilantro; add it along with the other spices. 

Hard-shell tacos, or tacos dorados, have a long history in northern Mexico and immigrant communities in California and Texas. In 1951, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/business/19bell.html">Glen Bell</a> added them to the menu of his drive-in stand in San Bernardino, Calif. He would go on to found (you guessed it) Taco Bell, the fast food chain, which would help popularize hard-shell tacos in the United States. While the typical hard-shell taco is made by piling spiced and saucy ground meat and a party of toppings into a shatteringly crisp shell, this vegan version calls for tempeh. Tempeh is made by fermenting cooked soybeans into a spongelike cake with a porous structure that browns, crumbles and soaks up big flavors incredibly well. Here, it’s seasoned with well-toasted tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika, as well as nutritional yeast for added umami. That said, the recipe can also be made with vegan store-bought meat crumbles if you prefer.

Tempeh Tacos

neutral oil (such

tempeh,

yellow onion,

Kosher salt and black pepper

tomato paste

chili powder

nutritional yeast

smoked paprika

red hot sauce, plus more to taste (optional)

hard taco shells, warmed

Desired toppings, see Tip

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the tempeh and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until deep brown, 2 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the pan looks dry.

Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika. Season with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until brick red and beginning to stick to the skillet, 5 to 7 minutes. Try not to rush this step; if it begins to burn, deglaze with a bit of water and reduce the heat.

Add 1 cup water and the hot sauce, if using. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until thickened and the mixture is sizzling, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce.

Divide the filling between the taco shells, then top with chosen toppings.

Try a twist on your average taco with this Mac and Cheese Taco. Take beefy mac and cheese stuffed in taco shells to make this Mac and Cheese Taco recipe one of your next go-to meals to share with your family and friends.

Mac and Cheese Taco

lb. lean ground beef

pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

water

TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Salsa

TACO BELL® Crunchy Taco Shells

KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese

tomatoes

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add Macaroni, water, salsa and Cheese Sauce Mix; mix well. Bring to boil. Cook on medium-low heat 15 min., stirring occasionally.

Top evenly with shredded cheese and tomatoes.

Enjoy these shells as a snack or a wrap, so think beyond the taco. Don't bake them too long, or they'll dry out and be difficult to peel off. To help from sticking, you can lightly spray the parchment paper with oil. But you'll end up with a less crispy shell.&nbsp;
Squeezing out as much excess water in the grated zucchini will make the taco shells a little more “firm”. One method is to microwave the zucchini till moisture releases, then squeezing out the water. Or lightly sautéing the zucchini for a few minutes, then squeezing out the water. Just be careful to not cook the zucchini too much or use too much oil, or else you’ll get mush.

Healthy Zucchini Soft "Taco" Shells

zucchini (, coarsely grated)

parmesan cheese

bread crumbs

black pepper

kosher salt

garlic powder

Preheat Oven

Squeeze out moisture from zucchini

After grating the zucchini, remove as much moisture as you can from the zucchini. We like to use a paper towel and squeeze the water out of the grated zucchini.

Mix filling together

Add zucchini to large bowl and mix in remainder of the taco shell ingredients (egg, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and cumin).

Flatten to shape

Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or oven proof baking mat. Scoop about ¼ cup of mixture and press down on baking pan into a thin circle, about 5” wide. Repeat for remainder of mixture.

Bake

Bake shells for about 25 minutes, or until the shells look “crisp’ and brown around the edges. We like to bake the shells a little longer for a more charred texture and flavor. Just be careful to not bake too long or else the shells dry out and are hard to peel off.

Peel off parchment

After zucchini soft taco shells are cool, gently peel them off the parchment paper.

Serve

Serve with your favorite taco stuffing, scrambled eggs for a breakfast taco or eat as a snack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gklM12pR1VI

Full Recipe Here 👉  https://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/zucchini-tortillas/

INGREDIENTS
4 cups zucchini (950ml) , coarsely grated
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (120ml)
1/4 cup bread crumbs (60ml)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

🖨 Print Full Recipe Here 👉   https://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/zucchini-tortillas/

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Zucchini Tortillas - Healthy Zucchini Soft "Taco" Shells

Crunchy baked taco shells that are easy to make, healthy, low-fat and delicious! These things crisp up like a dream with NO OIL and NO DEEP FRYING!

Crunchy Baked Taco Shells

corn tortillas

Drape corn tortillas over oven rack. I use two spaces so my shells will stand up. It&#8217;s easier to build the taco. But, that&#8217;s just me.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the shells start to turn golden brownish. But, be careful and don&#8217;t let them burn.

Remove from the oven and stuff them with whatever fillings you like. But, really my Cauliflower Mushroom Walnut Taco Meat is perfect!

What a brilliant idea! So enjoy your recipes and humor.  You are the bestur

Haha I found this article so funny because I thought I was a genius the first time I did it too. Only difference was I draped them over the grill grates one night. I was heating up bbq shredded pork on my grill pan and grilling sliced pineapple and tacos just came to mind. I'm sure these would work with a grilled cauliflower taco! Either way this method makes taco night less messy. I'm not the biggest fan of crunchy/hard taco shells they just taste like a tortilla chip and flour tortillas are so limp and everything fall outs. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for this!!! Making these tonight for taco Tuesday! We always have flour tortillas in the house, and not often corn. Do you think flour will work for this as well? 
Thanks again! 
-Brie

Hey Shane. This just made my whole night. I really dislike corn tortillas and I could actually eat them this way. And how super simple. Thanks buddy!

Second time I have made these. They are so good. Grew up using the boxed kind, and there is no comparison -- these are the best. Thank you for the "recipe" and the instructions. We have tried several of your recipes so far, and they are great. The onion ring recipe was all you said it would be. Again, thank you for the work you put into this blog so that all of us can be healthier. Blessings --

Oh my gosh. This was awesome!!!  I didn’t believe the tortillas would bend over the oven rack rails, but decided to give it a whirl and lo and behold!!!  Simply drape them and the fold themselves over!  Great crisp and easy peasy!!

TIP: Zap your corn tortillas in the microwave (with a little cup of water alongside to keep them moist and pliable) before draping them over your oven grates.  This will allow them to drape loosely and crisp up to a perfect taco shell shape.

Great way to make healthier crispy taco shells!

Brilliant idea, Shane ! They taste so not greasy !

Excellent idea!! I had a lot of leftovers I needed to use up so I decided to make tacos out of it all. I took my homemade corn tortillas and your refried bean &amp; soy curl pepper steak recipes along with some sriracha and some Kite Hill plain yogurt mixed with just a tad bit of maple syrup. OMG!! It was sooo good.  Love your recipes. You're the best! Thanks for all that you do.

This is genius, it works so well they stand and no fat, I I toast them in my toaster oven . I dpmt [rejeat, just leave some extra time. Thank you.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/ufeY9drf.mp4

A collection of reader-favorite recipes from Shane & Simple.

Reader_Favorite_Recipes

Low carb taco shells made with cheese and almonds.

Keto Hard Taco Shells

almonds,

cheddar cheese, finely shredded or store-bought

almond flour

taco seasoning

Simple and versatile taco cups – perfect for multiple occasions. Within this recipe, I&#039;ve stuffed these homemade taco shells with a vegetable and lentil filling, with a list of tons of other options too. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, and healthy, and can be served as a taco appetizer, side, or main!

Homemade Taco Cups

tortillas ((regular

vegetable oil

onion (chopped)

garlic

lentils (cooked (*see recipe notes))

bell pepper (chopped (color of your choice))

cherry tomatoes (chopped)

onion powder

tsp cumin

turmeric

tsp smoked paprika

brown sugar

tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper (to taste)

soy sauce ((gluten-free if necessary))

tbsp balsamic vinegar

almond milk (or cream)

Vegan cheese sauce (or cheese of choice (to taste))

Place tortillas in heat-resistant bowls and bake them in the oven at 390° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for about 15 minutes until they are lightly browned.

The taco cups will firm up after they cooled down.

In the meantime, chop the vegetables. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Add garlic and bell pepper and fry over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

Add all the other ingredients (except vegan cheese sauce) and fry for 3-4 more minutes.

Put the filling into the taco cups, add vegan cheese sauce (or your favorite vegan cheese) and fresh herbs (optional) on top. You can reheat the taco cups in the oven. Enjoy!

I'm allergic to lentils but I sneak some in on occasion.  hahah.  As long as I don't overeat, I'm good and this was a great way to get my fix.  Your seasoning was spot on.  I turn my tortillas over an upside-down muffin pan.

Hello Ela,

Thanks for a great recipe. As the cook of the family, God has led me to your post about the versatility of lentils. I want to cook foods that are NOT heavily processed like the “vegan/PB” meats; yet still tasty. 
I am so glad I found this recipe because we love tasty food but usually lentils can be bland if not cooked and seasoned properly. I was out of smoked paprika but it still turned out so yummy. I did egg rolls instead of cups with an amazing coconut dip and it is absolutely divine. Thank you! May God bless your work &lt;3

Forgot to rate in my previous comment! :D

delicious! i added avocado, coriander and lime on top

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/c0AJ5EH7.mp4

Simple and versatile taco cups – perfect for multiple occasions. Within this recipe, I've stuffed these homemade taco shells with a vegetable and lentil filling, with a list of tons of other options too. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, and healthy, and can be served as a taco appetizer, side, or main!

Top 7 taco shells recipes from across the web

The most viewed taco shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Chicken Tacos

Tempeh Tacos

Mac and Cheese Taco

Healthy Zucchini Soft "Taco" Shells

Crunchy Baked Taco Shells

Keto Hard Taco Shells

Homemade Taco Cups

Top 7 taco shells recipes from across the web

The most viewed taco shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chicken Tacos

Tempeh Tacos

Mac and Cheese Taco

Healthy Zucchini Soft "Taco" Shells

Crunchy Baked Taco Shells

Keto Hard Taco Shells

Homemade Taco Cups

The most viewed taco shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine