The inspiration for a great taco can be found in many places – from farmers markets to food trucks to upscale restaurants. All across the country, chefs and home cooks alike are reinventing the taco with global flavors and fresh ingredients.
Just in time for summertime celebrations, the Betty Crocker Kitchens partnered with Old El Paso to create five tacos with a twist.
“We were inspired by the creative tacos we’ve been seeing, and wanted to bring these global influences home with some simple ideas for fresh taco-and-margarita pairings,” says Jennifer Kalinowski, Food Content Strategy, Betty Crocker Kitchens.
All suggestions feature the five elements that make an awesome taco experience: a shell + hot filling + cold topping + sauce + finishing touch such as a fresh garnish. Take this formula and customize and experiment – tacos are the ultimate fun, casual food.
This summer and beyond, enjoy a global taste experience at home with these taco and margarita ideas:
Tex-Mex inspired
Create your own puffy taco shell, widely served at restaurants. The make-at-home secret: flour tortillas transformed into puffy shells.
Chipotle Chicken Puffy Tacos: Puffy taco shells stuffed with pulled rotisserie chicken in chipotle sauce, topped with fresh guacamole, salsa and favorite toppings like lettuce, tomato and queso fresco.
Citrus Margarita with Smoky Chile Salt: A triple citrus (orange, lemon, lime) margarita with a smoky chile salt rim. Chile salt is hand mixed with fine sea salt, ancho and chipotle chile powders.
Mexican inspired
This fun mash-up of flavors plays on the wildly popular fish taco, paired with a hibiscus-infused margarita.
Beer Battered Fish Tacos: Crispy taco shells filled with Mexican beer battered fish, topped with shredded red cabbage, chimichurri aioli and fresh jalapenos.
Hibiscus Lime Margarita: Homemade hibiscus syrup adds bright flavor and vibrant color to a fresh lime margarita.
Thai inspired
Grilled, fresh and light, this taco features the unexpected flavor of green apple, matched with a margarita that’s lighter on calories but packed with flavor.
Coconut Curry Chicken Tacos: Grilled tortillas filled with coconut curry chicken, green apple and Thai basil, topped with mango chile sauce and crunchy peanuts.
Mango Thai Basil Margarita: A mango margarita infused with the flavors of lime and Thai basil.
Vietnamese inspired
Try this combination of fresh flavors that takes its cues from the popular Banh Mi sandwich.
Banh Mi Pork Tacos: Spicy, honey-glazed pork wrapped in warm tortillas, topped with carrot daikon slaw, Sriracha mayo and fresh toppings like jalapenos, cilantro and cucumber slices.
Cucumber Cilantro Margarita: Muddled cucumber and cilantro add fresh flavor to a lime margarita.
Middle Eastern inspired
This gluten-free, vegetarian taco highlights spicy harissa and sweet potatoes, along with a “skinny” margarita.
Harissa Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos (Gluten Free): Warm corn tortillas filled with harissa roasted sweet potatoes, topped with herbed feta, Greek yogurt and crunchy quinoa.
Honey Lemon Margarita (Gluten Free): A fresh, light and lemony margarita sweetened with a touch of honey.
Try this recipe for Chipotle Chicken Puffy tacos. For more recipes and summer food and entertaining ideas, visit www.bettycrocker.com/cinco.
Chipotle Chicken Puffy Tacos
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 40 Minutes
Serves 8
Toppings
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and cubed
1 can (4.5 ounce) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 plum (roma) tomato, seeded and diced
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
Chipotle Sauce
3/4 cup Old El Paso Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce (with 1 tablespoon adobo sauce)
1/4 cup water
Filling
2 1/2 cups pulled (not shredded) deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-pound chicken)
Puffy Tortillas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 Old El Paso tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (6 inch)
1. In medium bowl, make guacamole by mixing avocados, green chiles, lime juice, red onion and cilantro, mashing slightly; set aside.
2. Place Chipotle Sauce ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Pour half of sauce in 10-inch skillet over medium heat with chicken, reserving 1/2 cup for topping. Cover skillet; heat chicken and sauce until warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla. Cook until it starts to puff up, then turn over. Once second side is puffed up, remove from skillet; drain on paper towels.
4. Fold each tortilla in half, and top with slightly less than 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Top with guacamole, a drizzle of reserved sauce, lettuce, tomato and cheese.
For a zestier chipotle flavor, dust the puffy tortillas with chipotle powder after draining on paper towels.
