These walking tacos are the perfect recipe for a quick dinner, a fun party snack, or to take to the big game!
Easy prep and totally portable, walking tacos are a creative take on traditional tacos using seasoned ground beef mixed into bags of corn chips or tortilla chips, with all the taco fixings!
What is a Walking Taco?
- Take your favorite bag of corn or tortilla chips, mix in some taco meat, and add toppings!
- Served straight from the bag with a fork or spoon, walking tacos are minimal in prep and cleanup but big on tasty taco flavors!
- Walking tacos are as much fun to make as they are to eat and are perfect to take on picnics, BBQs, or road trips!
- Create a walking taco DIY bar with single-serving bags of chips, cooked taco meat, add-ins, and toppings plus some plastic forks and spoons for easy cleanup!
Ingredients in a Walking Taco
Tortilla or Corn Chips – Use single-serve 1 oz. bags of chips. Single-serve bags of Fritos, Doritos, tortilla chips, or even veggie-based chips can all be used. Keep a pair of scissors handy for cutting open the bags for easier prep.
Meat – Plan for ¼ cup of meat per “taco”. Ground beef is the standard, but even ground chicken or ground turkey can be used. Drained black beans, pinto beans or cilantro rice are perfect meat-free alternatives or can be used to bulk up the meat.
Seasonings – Season with ready-made packets of taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning mix (a blend of chili powder, garlic powder, & other seasonings).
How to Make Walking Tacos
This party menu favorite will be asked for again and again!
- Cook meat with seasonings.
- Gently crush the chips before opening the bag to create more space for the meat and toppings.
- Scoop in 1/4 cup of meat to each bag, then add toppings and stir with a fork before enjoying!
Make a Walking Taco Bar
Turn it into a walking taco bar by setting out your favorite taco toppings!
- Freshness and crunch: Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, black olives, corn, sliced green onions.
- Spicy kick: Green chiles, sliced jalapenos, poblano or serrano peppers, homemade salsa verde.
- Cheesy goodness: Shredded Monterey Jack, crumbled cotija, queso fresco, shredded cheddar cheese.
- Saucy toppings: Sour cream, guacamole.
- More goodies to add: Lime wedges for a squeeze of lime juice, extra jalapenos.
What to Serve with Walking Tacos
Start the meal off with a quick taco dip for snacking! Walking tacos make a great side dish or main dish, depending on the occasion! Serve them alongside a big bowl of Corn Salad or with Mexican Corn (Elote).
A big pitcher of Lime Margaritas or fresh lemonade is a great refreshing drink with this recipe.
If you’ve got leftovers, use it to make a big plate of nachos!
More Must Make Tacos
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Walking Tacos
This easy walking taco recipe is perfect for parties for a fun twist on taco night! Build a taco in the chip bag!
Optional Add-Ins (per bag):
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the taco seasoning and water to the skillet and cook until thickened, about 2 to 4 minutes.
While keeping the Doritos inside the bag, gently crush them until the chips are slightly broken.
Add a heaping ¼ cup of taco meat to each bag. Layer your desired toppings directly into the bag of chips.
Toss the ingredients with a fork until well combined.
Meat can be prepared and kept warm in a slow cooker.
Use your favorite flavor of Doritos, Fritos, corn chips, or other tortilla chips to your liking.
The add-ins are optional, so each walking taco can be personalized to your own taste/preference.
Calories: 237 | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Beef, Lunch
Cuisine American, Mexican© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
