Taco Bell Chalupas

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Enjoy the delicious, crispy shell and flavorful meat filling of a Taco Bell-style chalupa at home with this easy recipe. These chalupas are perfect for a fun dinner or casual gathering and are fully customizable with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

For the Meat Filling:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Chalupa Shells:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus more for frying)
  • 1 cup milk

Optional Toppings and Fillings:

  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Salsa
  • Refried beans
  • Sliced olives
  • Guacamole
  • Pico de gallo
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

Make the Meat Filling:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, flour, chili powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the beef mixture to the pan and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the meat is fully cooked and no pink remains.
  4. Once cooked, cover the pan and keep the filling warm while you prepare the chalupa shells.

Make the Chalupa Dough:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Add the vegetable oil to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  3. Gradually stir in the milk, mixing until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
  4. Knead the dough gently on a floured surface for about 1-2 minutes, just until smooth. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this can make it tough.

Shape the Dough:

  1. Roll the dough into a long cylinder.
  2. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
  3. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 6-inch round circle, using a rolling pin for best results.
  4. Use a fork to poke a few holes in each dough circle to prevent it from puffing up too much during frying.

Cook the Chalupas:

  1. Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Once the oil is hot, gently place one dough circle at a time into the oil. The dough will puff up as it fries—use tongs to flip it over once the bottom is golden brown.
  3. After flipping, use the tongs to fold one side of the puffed-up dough over the other to form the chalupa shell.
  4. Allow both sides to turn golden brown and crispy.
  5. Once cooked, remove the chalupa shell from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Assemble the Chalupas:

  1. Fill each chalupa shell with the prepared meat filling.
  2. Add your desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, or guacamole.

These homemade Taco Bell-style chalupas are crispy, flavorful, and fully customizable with your favorite toppings. Perfect for a quick and tasty meal any night of the week!

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