Description
These delicious Taco Salad Bowls with Shredded Chicken combine seasoned, pan-seared chicken with fresh salad ingredients, served inside crispy homemade tortilla bowls baked to perfection. This meal offers a fantastic blend of textures and flavors, making it a perfect dinner that’s both satisfying and fun to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
For the Salad:
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
For the Tortilla Bowls:
- 4 small flour tortillas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying tortillas)
For Serving:
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup salsa
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the tortilla bowls later.
- Season Chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and season both sides evenly with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper to infuse the meat with bold flavors.
- Heat Oil: In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat to get it ready for cooking the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the hot skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through, ensuring juicy and tender meat.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Deglaze Pan: Return to the same skillet, add 1/4 cup water, and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan and capture all flavorful bits.
- Shred Chicken: Use two forks to shred the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces and then stir it into the pan juices to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Prepare Tortillas: Brush both sides of the flour tortillas lightly with vegetable oil to help them crisp evenly during baking.
- Bake Tortilla Bowls: Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until they become crispy and golden brown, forming the base of the salad bowls.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients: While the tortillas bake, chop romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces, halve cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice red onion to assemble the fresh salad components.
- Shape Bowls: Once baked, carefully press each crispy tortilla into a small oven-safe bowl shape and let them cool slightly to hold their form.
- Layer the Salad: Add a layer of shredded lettuce inside each tortilla bowl as a fresh base for the salad.
- Add Chicken: Spoon a generous portion of the shredded chicken mixture over the lettuce in each bowl, adding savory protein to the salad.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the chicken to add richness and flavor.
- Add Toppings: Top each salad bowl with a dollop of sour cream followed by a spoonful of salsa for a creamy and tangy finish.
- Serve: Serve the taco salad bowls immediately and enjoy the delightful combination of crispy tortillas, fresh veggies, and flavorful chicken.
Notes
- For extra spice, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the chicken seasoning mix.
- You can substitute flour tortillas with corn tortillas for a gluten-free option, but handle them gently as they are more fragile.
- If you prefer, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken shredded instead of cooking chicken breasts to save time.
- Tortilla bowls can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container to retain crunchiness.
- Feel free to customize salad toppings with avocado, black beans, or corn for additional texture and flavor.
