Walking Tacos

What Are Walking Tacos?

Walking Tacos, also called tacos in a bag, are made by adding taco meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and other taco toppings directly to a single-serving bag of chips. You can stir everything together and eat it right out of the bag with a fork.

The name comes from the fact that you can carry the bag around while you eat instead of sitting down with a plate. This makes them especially handy for camping, birthday parties, potlucks, Scout camps, sporting events, and outdoor gatherings.

Walking Tacos are usually made with Fritos or Doritos, but nearly any sturdy corn or tortilla chip will work. Each person can choose a chip flavor and customize the toppings, making this an easy meal for families with different preferences.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These walking tacos are great for letting everyone pick their own personal topping combinations. Here are some favorite topping options:

• Individual bags of chips: Nacho Cheese Doritos are our favorite, but Fritos, Cool Ranch Doritos, tortilla chips, corn chips, or Cheetos also work.
• Taco meat: Use prepared seasoned ground beef, Mexican shredded chicken, ground turkey, or another warm taco filling.
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend all melt nicely over the warm meat.
• Lettuce: Finely shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce adds freshness and crunch.
• Tomatoes: Dice the tomatoes into small pieces so they are easy to mix and eat from the bag.
• Onion: Try diced red onion, yellow onion, or sliced green onions for extra flavor.
• Avocado: Add diced avocado or guacamole for a creamy topping.
• Salsa and sour cream: Spoon these on last to help keep the chips crunchy until serving.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

One of the best things about Walking Tacos is how easy they are to change. Set out a variety of ingredients and let everyone make their own combination.

• Ground turkey or chicken: Use either one in place of ground beef for a lighter-tasting filling.
• Shredded chicken or pork: Rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, or leftover carnitas are all great options.
• Chili: Add warm chili to a bag of Fritos and top it with cheese for a Frito pie variation.
• Beans: Black beans, pinto beans, chili beans, or refried beans make the filling more substantial and help stretch the meat when feeding a crowd.
• Vegetarian filling: Replace the meat with seasoned beans, lentils, or roasted vegetables.
• More vegetables: Add corn, bell peppers, black olives, jalapeños, pico de gallo, or chopped cilantro.
• Sauces: Try taco sauce, hot sauce, guacamole, fresh salsa, corn salsa, ranch dressing or my personal favorite our Cilantro Verde Sauce.
• Finishing touches: Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a little lime zest just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Choose the Right Chips: Opt for single-serving bags of corn chips, Fritos, or Doritos. The small individual bags are perfect for creating individual walking tacos and provide a nice crunch.
• Open the bags along the side: Cutting each bag along the long edge creates a wider opening and makes the taco easier to mix.
• Do not over-crush the chips: Break them into bite-sized pieces, but leave enough larger pieces for a good crunch.
• Prepare Toppings in Advance: Pre-chop your favorite taco toppings, such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, jalapeños, and sour cream. This way, assembling the walking tacos will be quick and convenient.
• Choose a Flavorful Filling: Brown ground beef or turkey with taco seasoning for a classic filling. You can also use shredded chicken, pulled pork, or even vegetarian options like black beans or roasted vegetables for delicious variations. Drain excess grease before adding the taco seasoning so the chips do not become oily.
• Keep it Warm: If serving a crowd, keep the meat filling warm in a slow cooker or a warming tray. This allows guests to assemble their walking tacos with hot and tasty ingredients.
• Plan for Leftovers: If you have any leftover taco meat or toppings, they can be used for regular tacos or as toppings for other dishes.
• Label special ingredients: When feeding a crowd, label vegetarian, gluten-free, and spicy options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make ahead: Cook the taco meat up to three days in advance. Chop most of the vegetables and shred the cheese a day ahead, but wait to cut the avocado until shortly before serving.
• Refrigerate: Store the meat, cheese, vegetables, and sauces in separate airtight containers. Cooked taco meat will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• Freeze: Freeze cooked taco meat in an airtight freezer container for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheat: Warm taco meat in a skillet or microwave until it reaches 165 degrees F. Add a splash of water if needed to keep it moist.
• Store assembled tacos: Walking Tacos are best eaten immediately. Once assembled, the chips will soften, so store leftover components separately whenever possible.

Pairing Ideas

Serve Walking Tacos with Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, Grilled Mexican Street Corn, Cowboy Caviar, Fresh Homemade Salsa, or a simple fruit salad. For a party, add a bowl of guacamole and chips, then finish the meal with Churros or Strawberry Empanadas.

More Taco Recipes

Taco Tuesdays have never had so many options! There are endless recipes to try the next time a taco craving strikes. From breakfast to lunch and dinner, try some of our very favorites.

Dinner

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Dinner

Navajo Tacos

Breakfast

Breakfast Tacos Recipe

Dinner

Steak Street Tacos