Baked Crunchy Tacos

BAKED CRUNCHY TACOS😍

You know that perfectly crispy yet chewy texture of a Jack in the Box taco? This hits all those notes but healthier (no mystery meat yay!) and 10000 times better. And since a Jack in the Box taco isn’t complete without a ranch dunk, I had to give you a BOMB dipping sauce to go with it too! To those of you joining in on our Gluten Free challenge this week, I told you I’d make it fun 😉 Switch up your Taco Tuesdays with these crispy tacos, I promise you won’t regret it!

Serves 3-5 (I would normally say 2 tacos per person but my roommates boyfriend inhaled 3 in 5 minutes so 🤷🏽‍♀️)

Ingredients:

For the Crispy Tacos:

• 1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)

• 3 tbsps taco seasoning (recipe below)

• 2 tbsps tomato paste

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 8 corn tortillas

• 1½ cups shredded Mexican cheese

• 3 tbsps olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Homemade Taco Seasoning*:

• 1tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsps cumin

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ¼ tsp cayenne

*Store bought taco seasoning can often sneak in gluten and other unhealthy ingredients, so make your own! It’s way tastier

For the Avocado Crema:

• 1 avocado

• ½ cup greek yogurt

• 2-3 tbsps water to thin it out

• ¼ cup cilantro, leaves and stems

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• Juice from 1 lime

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For the Crispy Baked Tacos:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

• Heat up a large skillet and add in 1 tbsp olive oil.

• Add the beef and brown on medium high heat, using a wooden spoon to crumble the beef into small pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

• Once browned, drain the grease off.

• Add in the taco seasoning and saute for 30 seconds, stirring until all the beef is seasoned.

• Add in the tomato paste and chicken broth and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, stirring frequently until the tomato paste has dissolved. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Place a damp paper towel over your tortillas and microwave 30 seconds to a minute to soften.

• Brush one side of your corn tortillas with a little bit of olive oil. Flip and place onto a baking sheet with the olive oil brushed side down.

• Top with a sprinkle of cheese and bake for 1 minute until the cheese has slightly melted.

• Remove from oven and add the beef evenly among one side of the tortillas.

• Sprinkle the beef with a bit more cheese and gently fold the tortilla over into a taco shape. Press down gently to seal.

• Bake at 425 8-10 minutes or until crispy.

• Meanwhile, make your dipping sauce by blending the avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.

• Serve the tacos immediately with the sauce and enjoy!