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two walking tacos with forks

Best (and healthier) Walking Taco

A savory, crunchy party food favorite inspired by the Texas State Fair. Assemble these for guests, or set it up as a buffet and let them do up their own. If you can't find single-serve bags of tortilla chips in your local market, you can find them online.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Tex Mex
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound ground turkey
  • 1 cup cooked pinto beans
  • 1/2 packet taco seasoning mix (see note)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 6 one-ounce bags tortilla chips, Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips, Siete brand tortilla chips, or wax paper bags with 1 big handful of tortilla chips
  • 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce (crunchiest leaves)
  • 1 medium chopped tomato
  • Any of the following garishes: taco sauce, Mexican salsa, diced avocado, thinly sliced scallions, pickled jalapeƱos, sour cream, plain yogurt

Instructions

  1. In a medium saute pan, brown the turkey meat over medium heat until cooked through. Add the pinto beans to the pan and sprinkle the 1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix over the top. Add the water and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer until the liquid absorbs into the mix and the flavors develop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. Use you hands to lightly crush the bags of chips to break them into bite size pieces. Use scissors to the top off of the mini bags of tortilla chips or Sun Chips .

  3. To assemble, add a few big spoonfuls of the turkey/bean mixture to each bag. Divide the cheese among the 6 bags, followed by the lettuce and tomatoes. Add any of the garnishes (I'm partial to taco sauce, pickled jalapeƱos, and light sour cream). Use of a fork to give everything a good stir. Eat straight from the bag.

Recipe Notes

Read the ingredients on the label or buy at a natural foods market since some brands are made with MSG and other additives you may not want to eat.