Oh, the irony! My mom was born in Venice, Italy and was the chef/owner of her own gourmet Italian restaurants. What do you suppose was my number one dish of hers? Tacos. Go figure! Today, I thought I’d share a childhood favorite!

Print Recipe

Easy Chicken or Beef Tacos

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:

Rate this recipe!

Servings

Ingredients

For Chicken Tacos

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped fine
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped fine for mild or chopped larger for more heat (optional)
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (fire roasted, spicy or plain)
• 1 small can tomato sauce (optional - if a more creamy sauce is desired)
• 3-4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
• shredded lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallo for garnish

For Beef Tacos

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 pound fresh ground beef
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped fine
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped fine for mild or chopped larger for more heat (optional)
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (fire roasted, spicy or plain)
• 1 small can tomato sauce (optional - if a more creamy sauce is desired)
• 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
• shredded lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallo for garnish

Servings Ingredients For Chicken Tacos 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1/2 green pepper, chopped fine 1/2 red pepper, chopped fine 1 small jalapeno, chopped fine for mild or chopped larger for more heat (optional) 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (fire roasted, spicy or plain) 1 small can tomato sauce (optional - if a more creamy sauce is desired) 3-4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon salt 12 corn tortillas 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying) shredded lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallo for garnish For Beef Tacos 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 pound fresh ground beef 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped fine 1/2 red pepper, chopped fine 1 small jalapeno, chopped fine for mild or chopped larger for more heat (optional) 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (fire roasted, spicy or plain) 1 small can tomato sauce (optional - if a more creamy sauce is desired) 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon salt 12 corn tortillas 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying) shredded lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallo for garnish

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

To Make Chicken Filling

1. In a large skillet, sauté onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper and jalapeno until softened, about 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and optional can of tomato sauce, stirring to combine. Add shredded chicken, chili and cumin powder and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and stir to combine. Set aside.

To Make Beef Filling

1. In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add ground beef, breaking up into small pieces. When beef is cooked, add green pepper, red pepper, jalapeno, chili and cumin powder and mix well. Add diced tomatoes and optional can of tomato sauce, stirring to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt, stir and set aside.

To Make Tacos

1. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil. Have a tray or plate with paper towels ready for tortillas to drain. Test oil by putting a small piece of tortilla in the oil. If bubbles, it's ready to fry. Place corn tortillas, one at a time, into the oil. Fry on each side for about 10 seconds. Remove to paper towel and fold tortilla in half. Repeat process with the remaining tortillas. Fill each tortilla with 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken or beef filling. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of cheese. Seal tacos with toothpick and return tacos to the skillet that you fried the tortillas, cooking in batches if necessary. (You may have to add more oil to the pan (3-4 tablespoons total) so the tacos don't stick to the pan.) On medium high heat, cook tacos until slightly crisp of both sides, turning once during cooking process. When done, place tacos on platter, added shredded lettuce, more cheese if desired, chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo.

Recipe Notes

Watch How To Video HERE!

Share this Recipe