These chili lime sweet potato taco bowls are served over rice and black beans, drizzled with chipotle ranch and lots of delish toppings! My favorite kind of monday meal! Or let’s just say, a taco bowl meal any day of the week is what I want to eat. Taco bowl, burrito bowl, whatever you want […]
These chili lime sweet potato taco bowls are served over rice and black beans, drizzled with chipotle ranch and lots of delish toppings!
My favorite kind of monday meal!
Or let’s just say, a taco bowl meal any day of the week is what I want to eat.
Taco bowl, burrito bowl, whatever you want to call it! See, I have made burrito bowls before – these caramel chipotle sweet potato burrito bowls are pretty darn good. I usually serve them with quinoa!
This is another hack on the taco bowl. Chili lime spiced sweet potatoes – I like to use tajin – and all finished off with a chipotle ranch.
Oh my WORD.
The chipotle ranch is drinkable. It’s true, it’s true. You will absolutely love it.
My favorite thing about bowls like this is that you can make them HOWEVER YOU WANT. Yes, mine always seem to get out of control with loads of toppings. I can’t help it!
I want salsa or pico but also pickled onions and avocado or guac and definitely cheese. The toppings are the best part.
OH and crushed tortilla chips OF COURSE.
Bowls like this are ridiculously filling too. You can make them as large or as small as you want. My base for these are the chili lime sweet potatoes and black beans. I also like to add in some rice if I have it, as burrito-ish as that may make the bowl.
I roast the sweet potatoes and it’s something you could easily do ahead of time. You can also even grill them if you wish, now that the weather is getting warmer. While the potatoes cook, I get everything else together. It’s pretty simple – DON’T be intimidated by the ingredient list!
First, I’m giving you the entire chipotle ranch recipe below, which you can make days ahead of time. I’m also listing out a bunch of different toppings you can use. Not every single thing in the list is a necessity – it all depends on what you want to put in your bowls.
Regardless, take the cooking time of the sweet potatoes to get everything together! (more…)
Sharing 25 favorite tacos and margaritas here! Lots of delicious tex-mex options with tons of delicious margaritas for the side! Tacos and margaritas coming in hot today! Today I’m sharing over 25 of my favorite tacos and margaritas! A bunch of delicious tex-mex options, all paired with some of my favorite margaritas that I’ve made […]
Sharing 25 favorite tacos and margaritas here! Lots of delicious tex-mex options with tons of delicious margaritas for the side!
Tacos and margaritas coming in hot today!
Today I’m sharing over 25 of my favorite tacos and margaritas! A bunch of delicious tex-mex options, all paired with some of my favorite margaritas that I’ve made here on the blog. Since anything tex-mex is basically a staple of our weekly menu, I have tons of dishes that I absolutely love. Some days we do tacos, sometimes it’s enchiladas, often it’s a version of a burrito bowl and I can always go for a sheet pan nacho situation.
I mean, who wouldn’t?!
And! I’m a bit partial to the bubbly jam margaritas below but also ADORE my classic margarita recipe that I’ve been making for over a decade. It’s just so darn good. Scroll down and let me know what your pick would be! I’m thinking bang bang cauliflower tacos for tonight…
These grilled chili lime chicken tacos are loaded with smoky, charred flavor! They’re also topped with a grilled pineapple avocado salsa that is incredible. Throw on some cotija cheese, pickled onions and you’re good to go. Chili lime chicken tacos are the star of the show today! Orrrrr maybe, the grilled pineapple avocado salsa is […]
These grilled chili lime chicken tacos are loaded with smoky, charred flavor! They’re also topped with a grilled pineapple avocado salsa that is incredible. Throw on some cotija cheese, pickled onions and you’re good to go.
Chili lime chicken tacos are the star of the show today!
Orrrrr maybe, the grilled pineapple avocado salsa is the star of the show. Make a bowl of that and pass the chips please!
It’s incredible.
Actually, the real star of this show is Tajin! I love using Tajin seasoning for just about anything – all my meats, roasted vegetables and even the rim of a margarita (when I can drink them, haha). Today, the chicken marinates in Tajin and tastes like heaven.
If you haven’t tried Tajin before, it’s not overly spicy. I don’t love a ton of heat and I find it to be more like chili powder mixed with fresh lime. The lime flavor is so fantastic here!
If you can’t find Tajin or would prefer something else, I’ve also found chili lime seasoning at Target and Trader Joe’s before too. If neither of those options work either, you can make your own! I suggest combining chili powder, a bit of salt and pepper, garlic powder and fresh lime zest. It will taste fantastic.
After the chicken takes a little Tajin soak, I grill it for even more smoky, charred flavor. It’s divine!
At the same time, I grill some pineapple spears too. If you’ve been around this blog long enough you probably remember back in 2009 when I had an obsession with fruit salsa. I mean, I still do have an obsession with fruit salsa! I’ve probably made just about every version of fruit salsa there is. Almost.
In this case, I wanted to do a smoky grilled pineapple, which in turn would caramelize ever so slightly and that would bring out the sweetness. Combine that with some creamy avocado and spicy jalapeño. And a few classics like red onion and cilantro and lime.
Oh my WORD.
You will love this salsa so much. Seriously considering just eating it with a spoon and calling it a salad. I mean, that would work, right? (more…)
Crunchy baked chicken tacos are on tap for dinner tonight! These little hand-held crispy bites of creamy salsa chicken are so delicious. Topped with a quick pico de gallo, some cotija cheese and pickled onions, they are definitely one of my favorite weeknight meals. You won’t believe how easily they come together! This is another […]
Crunchy baked chicken tacos are on tap for dinner tonight!
These little hand-held crispy bites of creamy salsa chicken are so delicious. Topped with a quick pico de gallo, some cotija cheese and pickled onions, they are definitely one of my favorite weeknight meals. You won’t believe how easily they come together!
This is another one of those recipes that I was almost too embarrassed to share because it’s just so simple. The taco filling is so easy. You can prep the pickled onions and pico ahead of time. You can bake a big sheet pan of these so they are done for your family at once.
Wins all around!
These baked chicken tacos are kind of a hybrid between my weeknight chicken tacos and crispy baked quesadillas. Those are two well-loved recipes here on the blog, so you may have even caught on. Plus, I just shared the Everyday Dinners Bonus Cookbook and there is a reeeeeally delish baked taquito recipe in there… hence the birth of crispy baked chicken tacos.
The weeknight chicken tacos are so easy to throw together – you actually mix the spices in after you cook the chicken.
And the crispy baked quesadillas are so versatile, allowing you to use whatever fillings you have on hand, and baking until the outsides are crispy and crunchy.
For these tacos, I love to use a rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken. They are perfect for that! A super quick weeknight meal that can come together seamlessly if you have a few things planned. Brush the baking sheet and tortillas with olive oil. That results in extra crunch.
Who can say no?
Going the shredded chicken route, I like to add in spices for some extra oomph, along with salsa and sour cream (or plain greek yogurt!). You can use any kind of salsa you love – I suggest using your favorite that you dip chips in. And try not to get too much salsa “juice” – keep it mostly to the good, chunky stuff.
The chicken mixture doesn’t look super appetizing. But! Mix it with some shredded cheddar (if you’re going the pre-shredded route, I only recommend tillamook! Otherwise grate your own – there is no comparison.) and the filing gets so melty and warm. When baked in the tortillas, it’s wonderful. I want to eat it with chips alone.
Of course, my favorite part of this whole thing is the bit of cheese that bubbles out of the tortillas and onto the sheet pan, creating that delicious, almost-burnt cheese crisp on the edge. Oh my word. It is so.freaking.good. It almost tastes like that part is purposely built into the recipe, that’s how good it is.
Just like making taquitos at home, you want to warm your tortillas for 30 to 60 seconds so they fold nicely and don’t tear. I usually warm mine for the full minute – I find that there is no tearing that way. And don’t overfill them. This helps keep them in their baked taco shell too!
Pretty sure I’ve died and gone to heaven with all that crunch.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Brush or spray a baking sheet with olive oil so it’s coated for the tortillas.
In a bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream, salsa, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper until combined.
Slightly warm your tortillas so they don’t break. I do this either in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds – you just want them more pliable so they roll. You can keep them in between damp paper towels, so they stay pliable without breaking. I warm about 4 at a time, and then build 4 tacos, then warm 4 more, and so on. Just try to move quickly and carefully so they don’t break!
Fill each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the creamy salsa chicken. Top with the shredded cheddar. Fold over the tortilla and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and place them on the sheet. Spray or brush the outsides of the tortillas with olive oil.
Bake the tacos for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown.
Serve the tacos immediately with the quick pico, pickled onions, sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro and lime wedges for spritzing.
quick pico
Stir together ingredients with a big pinch of salt and pepper until combined. You can make this a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge!
This breakfast tacos recipe has irresistible Tex Mex flavor! Whip them up as a fast and easy breakfast idea everyone will love. When it comes to a special breakfast…this one might be our new favorite. Try this epic Breakfast Tacos recipe! These tacos are solidly in Tex Mex, stuffed to the brim with breakfast potatoes, cheesy eggs, cilantro and pickled onions. Alex was inspired by the flavors of breakfast tacos he had in Austin with our native Texan friend, and finally we’ve got a recipe that can recreate some of the magic. It’s the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea to jump start your morning. The back story of breakfast tacos…a Tex Mex tradition Breakfast tacos are a signature of Tex Mex cuisine: a fusion between American and Mexican styles. The idea of the breakfast taquito has been around since the 1950’s. But it was Austin, Texas where the phrase “breakfast tacos” was born, served at the staple Austin restaurant Tamale House. The concept caught on and spread all over Austin, and around the country. The traditional breakfast tacos were simple: a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese. For these breakfast tacos, we’ve created our own spin […]
This breakfast tacos recipe has irresistible Tex Mex flavor! Whip them up as a fast and easy breakfast idea everyone will love.
When it comes to a special breakfast…this one might be our new favorite. Try this epic Breakfast Tacos recipe! These tacos are solidly in Tex Mex, stuffed to the brim with breakfast potatoes, cheesy eggs, cilantro and pickled onions. Alex was inspired by the flavors of breakfast tacos he had in Austin with our native Texan friend, and finally we’ve got a recipe that can recreate some of the magic. It’s the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea to jump start your morning.
The back story of breakfast tacos…a Tex Mex tradition
Breakfast tacos are a signature of Tex Mex cuisine: a fusion between American and Mexican styles. The idea of the breakfast taquito has been around since the 1950’s. But it was Austin, Texas where the phrase “breakfast tacos” was born, served at the staple Austin restaurant Tamale House. The concept caught on and spread all over Austin, and around the country.
The traditional breakfast tacos were simple: a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese. For these breakfast tacos, we’ve created our own spin but kept this straightforward Tex Mex take.
Ingredients for breakfast tacos
Ready to whip up your own version of this breakfast-time delicacy? This recipe is quick and easy to make. Here are the ingredients for these breakfast tacos:
Frozen diced hash brown potatoes: The fried potatoes are reminiscent of another popular taco served at Tamale House, and add fantastic flavor and texture. You can substitute regular frozen hash browns if you can’t find the diced variety. (Of course, you can also make homemade hashbrowns out of real potatoes.)
Scrambled eggs: The other staple in a breakfast taco? Scrambled eggs! Mix them with cheddar cheese to get them nice and gooey.
Hot sauce and salsa: They’re always a necessity!
Cilantro: A little fresh cilantro is crucial for flavor.
Pickled onions: Pickled onions add a zing and a crunch. If you can, make a batch in advance.
You can also add fresh or pickled jalapenos, if you like even more heat! They’re not necessary, but they add great flavor.
More topping ideas
Of course, the sky’s the limit when it comes to breakfast taco toppings! Simple is best with this type of taco, so don’t over do it! But you can use anything else that strikes your fancy, like:
Want to make an even faster version of these breakfast tacos? Or don’t have potatoes on hand and don’t want to run to the store? Try our 5 Minute Egg Tacos! The egg filling in these tacos is incredible: adding a few simple spices makes it taste more like chorizo than eggs. We highly recommend them: head over to the recipe for more.
Vegan variation
Can you make vegan breakfast tacos? Absolutely! The best way to make this recipe vegan is to substitute our Tofu Scramble for the scrambled eggs. It magically looks and tastes a lot like eggs! Or, you can use our Vegan Taco Meat in place of the eggs. Either one makes for an incredibly tasty vegan breakfast taco.
Tip: warm your tortillas
The other most important thing to note about breakfast tacos: you must warm your tortillas! There’s nothing worse than a cold, tough tortilla. There are a few different methods for doing so. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
Place them over the flame of a gas burner (preferred!). Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side, turning with tongs. This lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas (so they’ll look like the photos). Then throw them into a tortilla warmer!
Warm them in the oven. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas.
More breakfast recipes
Need more inspiration to start the day? Here are some of our favorite breakfast recipes to power your morning:
Cook the potatoes: Cook the diced hash brown potatoes from frozen, according to the package instructions. Or heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet and add the potatoes, cooking 12 to 15 minutes and stirring occasionally until browned. In the last minute or so, add 1 tablespoon butter. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Scramble the eggs: In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them together until well-beaten. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Tilt the pan to ensure the entire pan is coated in the melted butter. Pour in the eggs. Keep the heat on medium. When the eggs just start to set, use a flat spatula to slowly scrape sections of eggs, creating folds. Scrape occasionally until the eggs form soft folds, about 1 to 2 minutes total. Add the cheese and remove them from the heat just before they are fully hardened.
Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
Assemble the tacos: Place the potatoes and scrambled eggs into the warmed tortillas. Top with pickled onions, fresh cilantro, salsa, hot sauce, pickled onions, and jalapeno slices. Serve immediately.
This tofu tacos recipe is what easy dinners are made of! The filling is spiced to perfection, making it a vegan meal everyone will love. Here’s a fast and easy dinner that went over like a charm over here: Tofu Tacos! While it’s not typically served in a tortilla, tofu is ideal for tacos. Its neutral flavor takes on whatever flavors you season it with: and these tofu crumbles are quite the kitchen trick. Add cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika, and the filling is bursting with flavor! You can whip up these easy tacos in just 20 minutes, making them ideal for weeknight meals. Wait: you can make a block of rubbery white tofu into the best vegan tacos filling? Here’s how. First off: is tofu healthy? There’s a lot of misinformation related to the health benefits of this soy product, so we get this question a lot. Here’s the thing: Tofu in moderation is part of a healthy diet (several times per week). Per to the Harvard School of Nutrition, soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week. It’s likely to provide health benefits, especially when you eat it as an […]
This tofu tacos recipe is what easy dinners are made of! The filling is spiced to perfection, making it a vegan meal everyone will love.
Here’s a fast and easy dinner that went over like a charm over here: Tofu Tacos! While it’s not typically served in a tortilla, tofu is ideal for tacos. Its neutral flavor takes on whatever flavors you season it with: and these tofu crumbles are quite the kitchen trick. Add cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika, and the filling is bursting with flavor! You can whip up these easy tacos in just 20 minutes, making them ideal for weeknight meals. Wait: you can make a block of rubbery white tofu into the best vegan tacos filling? Here’s how.
First off: is tofu healthy?
There’s a lot of misinformation related to the health benefits of this soy product, so we get this question a lot. Here’s the thing: Tofu in moderation is part of a healthy diet (several times per week). Per to the Harvard School of Nutrition, soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week. It’s likely to provide health benefits, especially when you eat it as an alternative to red meat and processed meat. For more, go to Straight Talk About Soy and Is Tofu Good for You?
Here at A Couple Cooks, for years we avoided tofu though we ate mostly vegetarian and vegan recipes. The past few years we’ve come around to it as a delicious and easy to prepare vegan protein! We just didn’t know the best ways to prepare it. Speaking of, here’s one of our new favorites…
How to turn a block into tofu tacos filling
Yes, it’s easier than you think to make a flavorless block of pressed soy into a delicious tofu tacos filling! The secret: tofu crumbles. You’ll break the tofu into smaller irregular shaped pieces, then mix it with delicious seasonings. Here’s what to do:
Crumble the tofu with your fingers. Yep, throw it right into a bowl and crumble it up! It’s usually pretty cold at this point (since it’s refrigerated), so you’ll have to grin and bear it.
Add olive oil and the secret spices. In this case, that’s cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika.
Cook in a skillet for 8 to 10 minutes. You’ll want it to be just browned and becoming lightly crisp on the outsides.
The easiest taco toppings
To keep these as a quick and easy dinner recipe, we went for the simplest toppings imaginable. Of course, you can customize them as you’d like! Here’s what we do when we’re in a rush:
Sliced red cabbage with lime: Thinly slice it, then spritz with lime juice and add a few pinches salt. You don’t even need to measure!
Pico de gallo: Get store-bought for the quickest prep.
Torn cilantro: No need to chop: just tear it with your fingers.
Yogurt mixed with hot sauce: This is our other favorite taco sauce trick! Take some vegan yogurt and swirl it with Mexican hot sauce (we like Cholula). It makes an instant creamy, spicy sauce. You can also use storebought salsa or taco sauce (or make homemade).
More tofu tacos topping ideas
The toppings listed above are the quickest and easiest: and usually they’re all we need! But if you want to get fancier, we’ve got lots of great options. Here are some fun tacos fillings ideas:
Here’s our biggest tip for tofu tacos, or tacos of any kind: warm your tortillas! There’s nothing worse than a taco with a tough, cold tortilla. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
Place them over the flame of a gas burner (preferred!). The best way? Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side. It lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas. Then throw them into a tortilla warmer!
Or, warm them in the oven. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas.
More great tofu recipes
There are so many great recipe to make with tofu! As I mentioned above, we used to avoid tofu but now we like including it as part of a healthy vegetarian and vegan diet! Now that we know the best ways to prepare it, we always look forward to including it in weekly meals. How about you: are you a tofu convert too? Have you always loved this tasty soy protein?
Here are a few more great tofu recipes we’d recommend in addition to these tofu tacos:
Vegan yogurt (or regular), mixed with salt and Mexican hot sauce to taste (we like Cholula brand)
Instructions
Make the tofu crumbles: Drain the tofu container, then pat the tofu dry with a clean dish towel. Place the tofu in a large bowl and use your fingers to break the tofu into roughly bite-sized crumbles. (It might be a little cold on your hands: don’t worry, it should only take a few seconds!). Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and spices.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the tofu and cook on medium high for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up large pieces into bite sized chunks and stirring occasionally, until browned and lightly crispy and the liquid evaporates. (The exact timing depends on the tofu brand.)
Assemble the toppings: Thinly slice the red cabbage, and place it in a bowl. Spritz with the juice of 2 lime wedges and add a few pinches kosher salt. Mix the vegan yogurt with Mexican hot sauce to taste, and add a few pinches of salt.
Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
Serve: Place the tofu crumbles in the tortillas, then top with toppings and enjoy.
This black bean tacos recipe takes just 15 minutes! It’s a fast and easy dinner idea that’s easy to customize and pleases everyone. On the lookout for those elusive recipes that are healthy, easy and delicious? Meet our new favorite: these easy Black Bean Tacos! We created this recipe to be totally customizable based on your diet and available time. It stars our 5 minute black beans, a quick taco filling idea that’s bursting with flavor in just a few minutes. Top it with all the best taco toppings: corn, avocado, pickled onions: and a sprinkling of feta cheese. If you have time, we love it with cilantro lime sauce: but taco sauce and sour cream does the trick too! There’s really something for everyone with this one. More seriuously easy tacos? Try our Refried Bean Tacos or Egg Tacos! How to make the easiest black bean tacos These black bean tacos are beyond easy: and they work with whatever toppings you’d like! The secret behind them is the easy black bean filling. Here’s what to know about how to make the fastest black bean tacos there are: Mince garlic, then cook 30 seconds in butter and olive oil. The […]
This black bean tacos recipe takes just 15 minutes! It’s a fast and easy dinner idea that’s easy to customize and pleases everyone.
On the lookout for those elusive recipes that are healthy, easy and delicious? Meet our new favorite: these easy Black Bean Tacos! We created this recipe to be totally customizable based on your diet and available time. It stars our 5 minute black beans, a quick taco filling idea that’s bursting with flavor in just a few minutes. Top it with all the best taco toppings: corn, avocado, pickled onions: and a sprinkling of feta cheese. If you have time, we love it with cilantro lime sauce: but taco sauce and sour cream does the trick too! There’s really something for everyone with this one.
These black bean tacos are beyond easy: and they work with whatever toppings you’d like! The secret behind them is the easy black bean filling. Here’s what to know about how to make the fastest black bean tacos there are:
Mince garlic, then cook 30 seconds in butter and olive oil. The combination of two cooking fats makes for the very best flavor. But you can substitute all olive oil if you’d like!
Add drained but not rinsed black beans and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Here’s the key: a little bit of the can liquid will remain on the beans, making a thick sauce for the tacos.
Note: all black bean brands are different. Some canned black beans are more tender than others. We like this best with a black bean brand that’s very tender vs a more al dente type of bean. You’ll have to experiment to find your favorite!
Customize your taco toppings!
Once you’ve got the black bean filling, it’s time for toppings! We’ve listed our favorite toppings in the recipe below. You can customize based on your preferences and diet. But it is important to have a few elements. Here’s what to note about topping your black bean toppings:
Crunchy veggies are required! Because black beans are soft in texture, you’ll need a crunchy contrast. Here we used chopped romaine and corn. Use these if at all possible!
You’ll need a good sauce. A good sauce is the key to a tasty taco! Purchased taco sauce or salsa and sour cream is the fastest option. If you have 5 minutes, make our Cilantro Lime Sauce.
Cheese is nice, but optional. We like adding a sprinkle of feta crumbles or queso fresco: you can also use shredded cheese.
Add other veggies as desired! We love it with avocado and the bright tang of pickled red onions, made in advance. A few sliced jalapeno peppers are nice too. If you have lots of time, make them with roasted sweet potatoes for an even tastier taco!
Sauce options for black bean tacos!
There are lots of other sauce options for these tacos! Here are a few more great options listed in terms of timing and diet preferences:
Taco sauce or salsa: It’s easy to use purchased, but you can also make homemade taco sauce or salsa.
Here’s our biggest tip for black bean tacos: warm your tortillas! There’s nothing worse than a taco with a tough, cold tortilla. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
Place them over the flame of a gas burner (preferred!). The best way? Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side. It lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas. Then throw them into a tortilla warmer!
Or, warm them in the oven. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas.
Make gluten free or vegan black bean tacos
It’s easy to adapt these black bean tacos for various diets! Here’s what to do:
For gluten free, use corn tortillas. There are also lots of gluten free tortilla options these days, like cassava, sweet potato, and more. Check your local grocery!
For vegan, use vegan toppings. Use all olive oil for the black beans and omit the cheese toppings. Add a vegan sauce like Cilantro Sauce.
Black beans nutrition
What makes these black bean tacos such a great healthy dinner idea? They star black beans! Black beans are:
Excellent source of protein. 1 cup has 15 grams of protein, about 30% of your daily protein needs.
Excellent source of fiber. 1 cup also has 15 grams of fiber, about 50% of your daily intake.
Lower glycemic index compared to many other high-carbohydrate foods, meaning they cause a smaller rise in blood sugar after a meal.
This black bean tacos recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Make the black beans: Drain the beans, but don’t rinse them. Mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not yet browned. Add the beans (drained but not rinsed), cumin, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through and the liquid cooks down and thickens. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
Assemble the toppings: Review the toppings above and prep them as desired.
Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
Serve: Place the black beans in the tortillas, then top with toppings and enjoy.
Sheet pan chicken fajitas are the most perfect weeknight meal. Everything on one pan, perfectly charred and flavorful and shoved in warm tortillas with lots of lime! And cheese! And GUAC! If this isn’t the definition of my ideal meal I don’t know what is. We loooove fajitas in this house. They are a great […]
Sheet pan chicken fajitas are the most perfect weeknight meal.
Everything on one pan, perfectly charred and flavorful and shoved in warm tortillas with lots of lime! And cheese! And GUAC!
If this isn’t the definition of my ideal meal I don’t know what is.
We loooove fajitas in this house. They are a great meal to prep ahead of time (I often marinate both the meat and peppers a day or so ahead!), easy to throw together and usually provide us with a good amount of leftovers. We’re obsessed!
And that’s just the “regular” old fajitas – these sheet pan ones are even simpler!
As we enter the season of squash, where basically everything I want to eat tastes like a mixture of pumpkin and brown butter and sage, it’s so nice to occasionally have a dinner that doesn’t have those flavors. During this season I always find that having tacos or some sort of pasta tastes incredible, but the other things I’m making are so buttery and spiced.
This totally makes up for that!
Now, I do have a nacho sheet pan chicken – which is incredible. I use peppers in that too, and you can shred it and put it in tortillas, or just eat it as is.
This is basically the chicken version of my lime sheet pan shrimp fajitas that we all flip over. Lime loaded, if you will. A favorite weeknight meal. One that truly everybody loves.
To make them come together in the best way possible, I cook the peppers and onions first, allowing them to get super caramely and roasty. Then, I push them to the side and add the chicken pieces. And we roast it all together so it’s done to perfection.
This method is IDEAL for sheet pan meals. I’ve always struggled with them because items on the sheet pan rarely require the same cook time.
This solves that!
My (and Eddie’s!) favorite fajita toppings? A simple sprinkle of fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese. Cotija is just the best – it’s probably one of my favorite cheeses of all time. It adds SO much to a dish.
Most of the time, I’ll add a few avocado slices or guacamole too. Eddie isn’t it to it, but the kids adore guac, so we almost always have it on hand.
My quick guacamole recipe here is one I throw together constantly. Bare bones, but tastes incredible. Skip the fancy add-ins for this guac and throw it on top of your fajitas.
Finally, a drizzle of sour cream or even mayo for that creamy favorite. A big spritz of lime.
These sheet pan chicken fajitas are the easiest weeknight meal! Loaded with lots of lime flavor and super easy to throw together.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15minutes
Cook Time 35minutes
Total Time 50minutes
Servings 4people
Author How Sweet Eats
Ingredients
1/3cupolive oil
1/4cupfreshly squeezed lime juice
2tablespoonsfresh lime zest
1tablespoonhoney
1teaspooncumin
1teaspoonchili powder
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
2garlic cloves,minced
2bell peppers,red, orange, yellow
1sweet onion
1poundchicken breasts,cut into 1-inch pieces
¼cupchopped fresh cilantro,plus more for serving
lime wedges,for serving
warm tortillas,for serving
cotija cheese,for serving
sour cream,for serving
quick guacamole
2avocados
1 to 2limes,juiced
2tablespoonsdiced onion
¼cupchopped cilantro
salt and pepper
Instructions
Note: if desired, you can marinate the peppers and chicken 24 hours ahead of time in separate bags or dishes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prep a baking sheet (line with foil or spray with nonstick spray!) to use for the recipe.
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, zest, honey, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic.
Place the peppers and onions on the baking sheet. Add half of the marinade and toss them well, until they’re all covered. Stick the sheet in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once or twice during cook time.
In the meantime, place the chicken in a bowl and pour the remaining marinade over top. Let sit until the peppers are roasted.
Once the peppers are finished, toss them a few times and scoop them over to one side of the pan. Place the chicken on the sheet in a single layer. Roast the chicken for 15 more minutes or until and internet temp reads 165 degrees F.
Once the chicken is done, assemble your fajitas! Start with peppers and onions, add on the chicken. Spritz with lime, sprinkle with cotija cheese and top with sour cream, guacamole and fresh cilantro if you wish.
quick guacamole
Mash everything together in a bowl until combined!
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce. Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know! What fish to use for fish tacos You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos: Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried […]
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce.
Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know!
What fish to use for fish tacos
You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos:
Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture
Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried cod)
Mahi mahi: if you can’t find the first two, mahi mahi also works: it has a richer, meatier flavor
Other great choices? Snapper, grouper or halibut. Above all, try to find wild caught fish if you can. It’s more sustainable and higher quality than farmed fish.
Ingredients in fish taco seasoning
What makes the flavor in these easy fish tacos? The dry rub for the fish taco seasoning! You can make up a big batch of this seasoning in advance and keep it around for taco time (it keeps for about 1 year). Or just mix up what you need day of, which is what we normally do.
Here’s the cool thing: you’ll use it as a dry rub on the fish. There’s no breading and no oil! Just pat the spices on and bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit! The spices form a beautiful crust that’s full of zesty flavor. Here’s what’s in fish taco seasoning:
Chili powder
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Smoked paprika is a Spanish version of paprika that infuses a hint of smokiness into each bite. If you can’t find it, use sweet paprika. If you buy a jar, use it up with these Best Smoked Paprika Recipes.
How to make the quickest taco slaw: tips!
One thing that’s essential for fish tacos: a slaw that’s actually fast to make. Many taco slaw recipes take longer than expected: they require lots of ingredients for the dressing or chopping lots of veggies. Not this one! We’ve pared it down to the essentials so that it takes only about 5 minutes to put together. Here are some tips:
Red cabbage, carrot, and green onion are all you need. This makes the quickest and easiest slaw: only a few veggies to slice.
Add lime and salt and you’re done! You don’t need to make a fancy dressing: tangy lime juice does the trick! Celery salt adds a nice nuance to the overall flavor. If you don’t have it, just use kosher salt!
Serve with a slotted spoon. This slaw picks up moisture as it sits. Serving it right away avoids this. If you let it sit for any amount of time, serve with a slotted spoon to avoid a watery taco.
5 fish taco sauce ideas
Once you’ve made your baked fish and quick slaw, all you need is the sauce! There are lots of ideas of great sauces to use. Here are our favorite sauces for these quick fish tacos:
Fish Taco Sauce This sauce makes fish tacos taste incredible! Lime, garlic and hot sauce are the ideal compliment for flaky fish.
Cilantro Lime Crema You’ll want to bathe in this zesty cilantro lime crema! It’s made with sour cream, lime, cilantro and a few spices.
Spicy Mayo Make the Mexican-style spin on this spicy mayo: it’s just 2 ingredients so you can whip it up in a flash. *Dairy free option
Chipotle Sauce This easy sauce is zesty, smoky and creamy: perfect for tacos and burritos! *Dairy free option
Shrimp Taco Sauce This one works on fish tacos too! It’s like a creamy ranch made with cilantro: quick and easy!
Sides to serve with fish tacos!
Once you’ve made these epic fish tacos, you’ll need something to serve with them! For weeknight meals, we opt for fast and easy side dishes like canned refried beans. But for a dinner party, we’ll make more side dishes to complete the meal. Here are a few ideas of sides to go with tacos:
Refried Beans: Many canned refried beans have great flavor right out of the can (or stir in some salt, cumin and chili powder). Or, make these tasty Homemade Refried Beans.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Thaw the fish, if necessary.
Make the fish: In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat the fish dry, then sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pat it in. Add the seasoning and pat it to cover the fish. Place the fish on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until tender. Then broil for 2 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
Make the slaw: Meanwhile, thinly slice the cabbage. Shred or grate the carrot (we used a handheld julienne peeler). Thinly slice the green onion. Place the cabbage, carrots and green onion in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, salt and celery salt. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon. The slaw picks up moisture as it sits; if you plan to let it sit, make sure to serve with the slotted spoon to strain out the moisture.
Warm the tortillas: If desired, char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. Or warm them according to How to Warm Tortillas.
Assemble the tacos by topping the tortillas with fish, slaw, and sauce. Top with chopped cilantro and a spritz of lime.
Notes
*If you’re serving 4 hungry eaters, you may want to increase the fish to 1.5 pounds and up the spice quantities accordingly. The slaw and sauce should work for 12 tacos. Or, make sure to serve with a filling side dish like refried beans (purchased or homemade).
Category:Main Dish
Method:Baked
Cuisine:Mexican
Keywords: Fish tacos, fish taco sauce, fish taco slaw
More tacos recipes
Tacos are one of the meals we eat the most around here! Here are a few more tacos recipes we have on regular rotation:
Crispy Avocado Tacos Destined to be your new favorite! With crunchy breading, they’ve got the vibe of a fish taco but are totally plant based.
Quick Shrimp Tacos A fast dinner recipe for weeknights or entertaining. They taste stunning drizzled in a creamy cilantro sauce!
Best Jackfruit Tacos In just 20 minutes jackfruit turns into a plant based version of pulled pork carnitas. These tacos will amaze you!