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Crispy Beef and Chickpea Baked Tacos

Crispy baked tacos filled with a flavorful beef and chickpea filling, melty cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. Served with a creamy avocado cilantro crema and fresh pico de gallo.

Course Main Course
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 25 tacos
Author Taavi Moore

Ingredients

Pico De Gallo

  • 5 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ medium white onion, chopped
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Beef and Chickpea Filling

  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • ½ white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb ground beef (I used lean)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chile powder
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1-15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1-4.5 oz can green chiles
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 25-26 mini wheat tortillas

Avocado Cilantro Crema

  • 2 medium avocados
  • ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Pico De Gallo

  1. Start by making the pico, so it has time to “marinate” in the fridge. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste (additional salt and pepper, as desired). Cover and refrigerate. 

Tacos

  1. Add roma tomatoes and onion to a baking sheet. Broil on high for 8-10 minutes until blistered. Add to a high powdered blender along with garlic cloves. Blend until combined, set aside. 

  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly oil two large baking sheet, set aside.

  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, breaking apart with a spoon, and cook until browned. Add blended tomato mixture and spices. Cook for 5-6 minutes until reduced and flavorful. Add chickpeas and canned green chiles and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, salt, and pepper.

  4. Working one at a time, spread beef-chickpea mixture on half of a tortilla. Top with ~1 tablespoon cotija cheese and fold over to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

  5. Place tacos in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Place into oven and bake until toasted and crispy, about 12-15 minutes.

Avocado Cilantro Crema

  1. While tacos are baking, prepare avocado crema. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until creamy. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

  2. Serve tacos with pico de gallo and avocado crema. Enjoy!