These tacos are so easy, come together super fast, and are guaranteed to be loved by all! Ground chicken gets flavored with some herbs and garlic, spread onto a tortilla, then pan-fried until browned and crisp. Flip it over and top with marinara and cheese and cook until the cheese is melty, crisp on the edges, with an extra crispy tortilla. A simple salad of lemony greens gets piled on top for freshness.
Ingredient highlight
Chicken! Chicken is a great way to get in high quality protein that’s also packed with selenium, choline, niacin (vitamin B3), and vitamin B6, and B12.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
- 4-8 tortillas*
- 1 cup jarred marinara
- 2 cups (6 oz) grated mozzarella
- ¼-½ cup grated parmesan
- 4-5 cups arugula and/or sliced romaine
- ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper
- *Use large or small, flour or corn. If you’re using large flour tortillas, you can get away with using 4 oz of chicken (1 taco per person), but if you’re using smaller flour or corn tortillas, use only 2 oz of meat per tortilla (2 tacos per person). You don’t want the meat layer to be too thick.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the chicken, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and garlic. Use your hands to mix to combine well. Divide into 4 (4 oz) or 8 (2 oz) portions (depending on the size of your tortillas, see note).
- To a tortilla, add one portion of the chicken and press it out into a very thin even layer that coats the entire tortilla. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Once the skillet is hot, place the tortilla, chicken-side-down. If your tortillas are small, you can do 2 at a time or however many you can fit in the skillet. Press/smash it with a spatula and let it cook, pressing them down every minute or so, for 3-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and browned.
- Flip it over and top the chicken with marinara (spread it out), mozzarella, and parmesan. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it cook for another 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy..
- Meanwhile, toss the greens with the juice from half of a lemon and a sprinkle of salt (about ¼ tsp) and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Serve the tacos topped with the dressed greens.
Oven method:
- These can be made in the oven, but you won’t get the same crispy result. Brush the bottom of each tortilla lightly with olive oil, then spread the chicken mixture on the other side. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes (chicken-side-up), then top with marinara and cheese and bake for another 2-4 minutes. The chicken layer might puff up, but that’s normal. Poke it to release the steam.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Mix together the chicken mixture and divide into portions (4-8)
- Grate 2 cups cheese
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, use cheese and beans in place of the meat. So add the same amount of cheese to the tortilla, sprinkle some beans on top, and cook (cheese side up) until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy. Top with marinara and parm and cook covered for 1-2 minutes to heat it up.
- To make vegan – see above and use a vegan cheese alternative.
- Use any ground meat in place of chicken.
- Use any variety of cheese in place of mozzarella.
Storage:
- Store leftover cooked tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- To reheat, place the tortilla in a dry or lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Cover with a lid and let it cook until the cheese is melted and chicken is heated through. Adding a splash of water can help create steam to heat it through faster. You could put some cheese UNDER the tortilla to get that crispy cheese coating!
- Chop up the heated leftover taco and use as a salad topping!
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