Walking Taco Recipe (Fun & Easy!)

My family LOVES this walking taco recipe! Walking tacos, or tacos in a bag, are a quick and easy dinner with hardly any clean-up. They’re made for on-the-go meals and busy nights, and ready to eat in 25 minutes.

Looking to meal prep? Make the taco meat ahead of time. Serve these tacos with salsa, guacamole, or any of your favorite toppings!

A walking taco topped wth lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream inside a chip bag with a fork.

A walking taco is a taco served in a chip bag! It’s such a fun and mess-free way to eat tacos. I started making these Doritos walking tacos when we needed a quick, on-the-go meal to eat in between sports practices during the week. This recipe has been a favorite ever since. You can make the taco meat in advance and reheat it when it’s time to eat. Just load up your chip bags and add your toppings!

Why This Walking Taco Recipe Works

A family favorite. Walking tacos are quick, easy, and kids (and adults) love them. They’re ready in 25 minutes or less.
Minimal clean-up. There’s only one pan to clean afterward, and eating these tacos from the bag avoids messy hands.
Easy to customize. Make your tacos any way you’d like them! This walking taco recipe is great for picky eaters.
Versatile. Aside from being a fun dinner on busy nights, this taco in a bag is just as great for parties, potlucks, and camping.

Here’s What You’ll Need

You only need a few ingredients to make these easy walking tacos for dinner or as a snack. These are some notes, and you’ll find the printable ingredients with the amounts you’ll need in the recipe card after the post.

Ground Beef – I like to use lean ground beef. You could also use ground chicken or turkey.
Taco Seasoning – Store-bought or homemade taco seasoning (if needed, use fajita seasoning as a substitute).
Chip Bags – I recommend 1oz. snack-sized bags of Doritos, Fritos, or plain corn tortilla chips. These are the perfect portion, and they’re easy to carry.
Toppings – Shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, etc. Choose your favorites! I’ve included mine below.

Can I Use Leftover Taco Meat?

Yes! Walking tacos are a great way to use up leftover cooked taco meat, shredded beef, pulled chicken, or pulled pork. In this case, you can simply reheat the pre-cooked protein and add it straight to the chip bag.

A walking taco topped wth lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream inside a chip bag, with a bowl of taco meat in the background.

How to Make Walking Tacos

Here’s how to make a walking taco, step-by-step. Of course, you can easily scale the recipe according to how many tacos you’re serving. Once you’ve prepped your taco in a bag, see below for topping ideas.

Cook the meat. Add the ground meat to a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, breaking up the meat while it browns. Drain the excess grease afterward.
Add seasoning. Stir in the taco seasoning, then water as needed. Simmer the taco meat for 3-4 minutes to thicken.
Serve. Gently squeeze the chip bags to crush up the chips, then load up the bags with taco meat and any of your favorite toppings, see below.

Try These Variations

Vegetarian. Swap meat for black beans or try the plant-based meat from my tofu tacos.
Different protein. Make walking chicken tacos or pork tacos. You can even try a variation with beef chili.
Different chips. Try this recipe using bags of Cheetos, BBQ Fritos, or different-flavored Doritos.
Nachos-inspired. Top your walking tacos with chile con queso or white queso and pico de gallo.

Taco Toppings

Top your walking tacos with … just about anything you’d pair with other Mexican food goes great here. These are a few more of my favorite easy topping ideas:

A hand holding a walking taco topped wth lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream inside a chip bag with a fork.

Make a Walking Taco Bar!

If I’m making walking tacos for a crowd, I love setting up a walking taco bar! This way, everyone can self-serve and make their tacos 100% their own. I’ll add labeled bowls of toppings to the table and add the taco meat to the slow cooker to keep warm. It’s a great option for entertaining and tailgating!

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

I don’t recommend storing the leftover walking tacos once they’re assembled, as the chips will get soggy. However, the meat is great for meal prep:

Prepare the meat ahead. Cook the taco meat and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s great to pack in a cooler box for camping trips and sports events.
Reheat. Warm the meat in a skillet or the microwave when you’re ready to serve.

More Fun Party Food Ideas

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break up, and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
1 pound lean ground beef
Add taco seasoning and any water called for on the packet or in the recipe. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until coated and any liquid is absorbed.
1 packet taco seasoning
Gently crush the chips inside the bag, and top with meat and your favorite taco toppings.
6-8 snack size bags of Doritos or Fritos

You can add beans, use a different protein, different chips, etc.
Top with salsa or guacamole, or any of your preferred Mexican condiments.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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