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Ground Chicken Taco Salad Bowl

Ground Chicken Taco Salad Bowl is a quick 30-minute meal making it a weeknight favorite. This Taco Bowl recipe can be doubled and made ahead of time for your own taco party.

Top down view of two taco bowls loaded with ground chicken, black beans and lettuce garnished with tomatoes, cilantro and shredded cheese on a green napkin. Small bowls of cheese and diced tomatoes sit off to the side.

Food doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. When given the choice, these Easy Chicken Tacos are exactly what my kiddos asked for 80% of the time. I’m more for the Chicken Taco Salad Bowl!

I liked that they take no time to make and clean up is a breeze.

To make this easy chicken taco salad even easier, I keep a batch of my Homemade Taco Seasoning on hand. It’s so easy to use as a dry rub over a chicken breast or shrimp for a whole new meal.

Ground Chicken Taco meat can be made in any quantity you want. For a family of 4, I use 1 pound of meat.

Make plenty because the taco meat filling makes amazing leftovers. You can freeze it for another day or use it to fill enchiladas quesadillas or burritos.

Did you know my recipe card will calculate ingredient quantities for you? Just hover over the servings and put in the number you want.

What’s the benefit of using ground chicken?

Ground Chicken is a lean protein. It also has less moisture. For that reason, you can combine it with less lean meats such as lamb or beef for more moisture and flavor.

What I do is add a drizzle of oil to the pan when I brown the meat. If you don’t, it can stick to the pan.

Keep it low carb by spooning the meat over lettuce for a delicious chicken taco salad without the shell or a tortilla.

If you’re not counting carbs, try making your own Jalapeno Tortillas! They’re delicious!

How to make your own taco bowls:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Spray both sides of a tortilla shell. Optionally you can sprinkle the tortilla with chili powder for a little extra flavor.
  3. Set the prepared tortilla inside a medium-sized heat-resistant bowl or pan that’s smaller than the diameter of the tortilla.
  4. Put the bowl into the oven and bake until lightly browned.
  5. Allow the shells to cool on a wire baking rack.
Top angel view of a taco bowl filled with spicy ground chicken and black bean filling topped with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes on a green napkin.

Can I substitute the Ground Chicken?

You sure can. I’ve used ground turkey, lamb, or beef.

When using ground chicken or turkey I find that I need to flavor it more than beef. Instead of just hiking the amount of salt, I’ll add jalapenos or other peppers, green chilis, black beans, roasted corn, and onions.

How to cook ground chicken for this taco bowl recipe:

  • Drizzle the pan with cooking oil before browning the meat. Chicken is lean and low in moisture and can stick to the pan.
  • The ground chicken will not brown as beef does. Cook it thoroughly but don’t overcook it. Ground chicken can dry out.
  • Feel free to mix up your spices according to your tastes too. Dried spices need to be woken up but not drowned.
  • Add your spices to the meat after it’s been browned and put a lid over the pan and let those spices infuse with the meat. The steam will keep it moist.
  • If you find that your ground chicken taco meat becomes dry, you can add a little water. Put the lid on the taco meat and let it absorb the liquid.
Top angel view of a taco bowl filled with spicy ground chicken and black bean filling topped with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes on a green napkin. A bunch of cherry tomatoes, a bowl of shredded cheese and a partial taco salad sits in the background.

Chicken Taco Salad toppings

Some of the fun serving Easy Chicken Tacos and taco salads is letting everyone assemble their own. I like setting out bowls so everyone can help themselves. Here are a few ideas, you may like.

  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Avocado
  • Tomatoes
  • Green onion
  • Salsa or pico
  • Sour cream
  • Fresh lime wedges

Entertaining tips: Taco Bowl recipe is perfect for a birthday party, family reunions, graduations, or tailgating too!

  • Make the meat mixture ahead of time and put them in the crockpot to stay warm.
  • Make Chicken Street Tacos by setting out small tortilla shells. Your meat mixture will go a lot further.
  • Have an array of tortilla sizes and taco bowls out so people can choose what the want.

What to serve with Chicken Taco Bowls

Top-down view of two taco bowls loaded with ground chicken, black beans, and lettuce garnished with tomatoes, cilantro, and shredded cheese on a green napkin. A small bowl of diced tomatoes and a bunch of fresh tomatoes sit off to the side. The title \"Chicken Taco Salad Bowl runs across the top.

Products I use to make Ground Chicken Taco Salad Bowls

Hostess At Heart participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information.

  • Skillet with lid – I prefer stainless steel cookware. It allows me to see how my food is cooking and browning. It cleans up beautifully and is durable.

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Top angel view of a taco bowl filled with spicy ground chicken and black bean filling topped with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes on a green napkin.

Ground Chicken Taco Salad Bowl

Author: Julie Menghini
Easy Chicken Taco Salad Bowl recipe is tender and moist and just as spicy as your like. This quick 30-minute meal is easy to make ahead and can feed a few or a crowd.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword: Crockpot chicken tacos, Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Tacos
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 
 

Taco Meat Filling

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 15 oz black beans canned, rinsed & drained
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano (or Mexican oregano if you have it)
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 jalapeno pepper cored and diced
  • Salt and pepper
  • Taco shells or taco bowls optional

Garnishes: Fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, tomatoes, sour cream or pico and salsa

Baked Taco Bowls

  • 4 Tortilla Shells 10" or 12"

Instructions
 

Taco Meat Filling

  • Drizzle cooking oil over the bottom of a skillet and allow it to heat up. Add the ground chicken and onion and let the meat cook thoroughly.
  • Drain off any extra fat.  Stir in cumin, oregano, chili powder.  
  • Add black beans and jalapeno.  Stir to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve in tortillas, taco bowls or use as a filling for other dishes.  Garnish with cilantro, shredded cheese, and avocado.

Baked Taco Bowls

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Spray both sides of a tortilla shell, and if desired sprinkle with chili powder.
  • Put the tortilla shell into a heat-resistant bowl that's smaller than the diameter of the bowl.
  • Bake until lightly browned. Cool on a wire baking rack.

Notes

Nutritional values don’t include optional toppings.
I keep our Homemade Taco Seasoning on hand and use it in several of my Mexican-inspired recipes. 
Tips for the perfect Ground Chicken Taco:
  • Drizzle the pan with cooking oil before browning the meat. Chicken is lean and low in moisture and can stick to the pan.
  • The ground chicken will not brown as beef does. Cook it thoroughly but don’t overcook it. Ground chicken can dry out.
  • Feel free to mix up your spices according to your tastes too. Dried spices need to be woken up but not drowned.
  • Add your spices to the meat after it’s been browned and put a lid over the pan and let those spices infuse with the meat. The steam will keep it moist.
  • If you find that your ground chicken taco salad meat becomes dry, you can add a little water. Put the lid on the taco meat and let it absorb the liquid.

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 32gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 285mgPotassium: 1074mgFiber: 11gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 186IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 5mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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Top down view of two taco bowls loaded with ground chicken, black beans and lettuce garnished with tomatoes, cilantro and shredded cheese on a green napkin. Small bowls of cheese and diced tomatoes sit off to the side.

What is your favorite kind of taco? Do you like the inferno hot or mild? Do you go for the Chicken Taco Salad Bowl or are you a Ground Chicken Taco lover? Please share, I love hearing from you!

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




Laura Ashley Johnson

Wednesday 19th of June 2024

Another winner with this one! Yum! Taco bowls are a fave and I love the added beans!

Sheila Thigpen

Tuesday 18th of April 2023

This recipe is definitely going on repeat for our weeknight dinner menus. So easy and everyone loved the taco bowls!

Julie Menghini

Wednesday 19th of April 2023

Thank you, Sheila. Every night could be taco night in my house.

mindy

Tuesday 18th of April 2023

This is an incredible recipe! Refreshing and tasty. 10/10!

Sandra

Tuesday 18th of April 2023

I had ground turkey on hand, and this came out just as flavorful as I've had at a restaurant. Love the crunchy taco shells!

Julie Menghini

Wednesday 19th of April 2023

Ground turkey works great in this recipe! It's one of my favorites too.

Kathleen

Sunday 16th of April 2023

Just what I needed for meal prep this week. Super tasty for dinner last night and now I have lunches for my hubby and I all week! Loved them!

Julie Menghini

Monday 17th of April 2023

Thanks, Kathleen!

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