Gardein Vegetarian Chicken Tacos

Who doesn’t love a Taco? First of all, you have to choose a hard shell or soft one. Or do you? I’ve come up with a combination between the two that is so easy, fast, and delicious you will wonder “why didn’t I think of that?” It starts with a homemade corn tortilla and uses a meatless chicken substitute, that my kid can’t tell the difference with.

As a vegetarian, people often wonder if I get enough protein. Well, it’s not hard when there are so many tasty meat alternatives like the Gardein Chick’n strips. I am told it tastes just like chicken. I honestly wouldn’t know as it has been over 35 years since I had a bite of the real thing.

I’m a vegetarian for a lot of different reasons, my personal health, animal welfare, climate, and many many other reasons. For me eating a meat substitute is just a better choice all around, and when it tastes good, that is a bonus. Not to worry, these tacos deliver lots of fresh taste in a nice handheld, homemade gluten-free wrapper.

This is also 100% vegan. If you want to use regular cheese that’s up to you. The chick’n strips don’t have any animal products, and everything else in this Taco Recipe is vegan, too.

What is a Vegetarian Taco Made of?

When I think of Tacos, I am in the corn tortilla camp. Some prefer flour, but for me, a fresh Homemade Corn tortilla is the only choice. Next comes the protein source.

I’ve tried using Extra Firm Tofu crumbled up, cooked with oil in a skillet, and seasoned with taco seasoning, but for this recipe, I wanted something different. Mock Chicken. I seasoned it in a similar way with smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Throw in some onions and garlic, and you have a tasty protein to fill the vegetarian taco.

Next comes the toppings – vegan mozzarella cheese and a lettuce mix that has a few surprises. Cilantro, and chopped-up pickles. You may think it is strange, but it gives that little something extra that you can’t quite put your finger on. And if you like to pickle your own cucumbers at home, that’s even one step better, IMHO.

Finally, I chopped up some avocado to top it all off and squeezed some fresh lime on top for that extra zing and brightness.

What can you use instead of Meat in Tacos?

There are several different things you can use instead of meat in Tacos:

• Tofu
• Gardein Chick’n Strips
• Rice & Beans (makes a complete protein source)
• veggie-burger ground up.
• Beyond Meat or other meat substitutes
• Tempeh
• Seitan

The main ingredient of these is a soy protein isolate. There is also some vital wheat gluten so they aren’t 100% gluten-free. If you ask me it looks like strips of chicken breast

What is a Vegetarian Option for Chicken?

The Gardein Chick’n strips are the best vegetarian option I have found for meatless tacos. However, another alternative that is very similar is seitan, a wheat-based protein that also looks like chicken strips. It can be cooked and flavored in a very similar way.

Don’t ever forget that you don’t need a “meat” in your taco. It can also be full of just plan ol’ veggies. One of my very favorite taco fillings is a fried avocado.

After the Chick is cooked, the next step is to assemble the Tacos. I like to add 2-3 strips to a corn tortilla and then add a small handful of cheese.

This next step is key if you ask me. Bake them in an oven until the cheese is melted. This step also crisps up the corn tortillas a little. It’s not as much as a fried taco shell but is a nice healthy alternative.

But if you are looking for a fun, Mexican-inspired weekday dinner, these Vegetarian Chicken Tacos are just the ticket.

These tacos go great with: