This baja cabbage salad is a twist on a regular taco salad. Instead of lettuce that often wilts in a taco salad, I used crunchy cabbage as the base. I swapped ground beef for grilled chicken. The fresh orange, veggies and cilantro add vibrant flavor. At home, baked tortilla strips add a salty crunch. It’s fresh, it’s healthy, it feels good.
The dressing uses a taco seasoning packet and brown sugar so it tastes a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet. The recipe will make more than you need, but store the extra in the refrigerator. You can also use it as a marinade for chicken to use in tacos or fajitas.
This dish is great for a quick dinner, and it also packs well for lunch. Prepare extra of each of the ingredients so you have them on hand to throw together during the week. Keep the dressing separate until is time to eat.
One of the many reasons cabbage is so great is that you can use it as a more nutritious, yummy substitute for other ingredients, like lettuce. For example, if you are following a taco recipe that calls for lettuce, you can easily use green cabbage as a substitute and add a bit more flavor and nutrients to every bite.
Cabbalettuce should not automatically be on the taco. It sucks rotten lemons. Yeah, I have now put cabbage and lettuce together as one word because I am tired of saying “and/or”. Anyway, proceeding…
Flavorless beasts. Lettuce and/or cabbage add nothing but sadness to tacos. So why the hell are they automatic for every damn, otherwise delicious, taco?
Sure, you can say that cabbalettuce adds a little crispness or something. That’s cool for you. But hey, I bet you wouldn’t miss it.
I get that there would be a certain amount of people that like cabbage or lettuce on their tacos. Feels like that is a small group. That group should have the option of ADDING cabbage or lettuce.
Oh, and if you want to have cilantro, so be it. I don’t agree and don’t want it, it sucks like cabbalettuce. But I get that it does add a flavor component. Should be offered, not forced. Why ya gotta force your cabbalettuce agenda on me, bro?
Baja Cabbage Taco Salad Recipe
- 1 taco seasoning packet (reserve 1/2 tsp separately)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 and 1/2 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 jalapeno, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 scallion, green portion, diced
- 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 small orange, peeled (Substitute 2 clementines or mandarin oranges (canned works fine)).
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 fresh lime
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)
- 2 corn tortilla shells
- 3 chicken tenders or 1 chicken breast
- In a bowl, add all but 1/2 tsp of the taco seasoning mix. (The extra 1/2 tsp will be for seasoning the chicken.) To the seasoning, add 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 cup olive or canola oil, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Whisk and set aside.
- Prepare and set aside the following ingredients:
- Remove the outer layer from the cabbage. Cut off the stem end and cut the head in half. Cut a triangle in the middle of the cabbage half to remove the inner core. Cut the head again so the cabbage is now in fourths with the inner core removed.
- Using your knife, very thinly shave the edge of the cabbage into thin strips. Cut the strips in half so they are bite-size. Do this until you have about 1 and 1/2 cup.
- Remove the seeds and mince half of a jalapeno.
- Cut off and discard the white part of the scallion and dice the green part.
- Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and roughly chop into about 2 Tbsp.
- Peel an orange into segments and remove the white membrane.
- Remove the top and seeds from an orange bell pepper. Slice the pepper into thin strips.
- Cut an avocado in half and remove the pit. Run a knife lengthwise and crosswise to make cubes without piercing the skin. Use a spoon to scoop out the avocado.
- Cut a lime into quarters.
- Open and drain a can of corn or defrost frozen corn for 1/2 cup.
- Season the chicken with the extra 1/2 tsp of taco seasoning. Cook it on a grill pan, grill, or in a skillet until thoroughly cooked. Set it aside to cool and dice into bite size pieces.
- Stack two tortilla shells on a cutting board. Use a knife to cut them into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch strips. Place the strips in a single layer on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Spray them lightly with cooking spray and a sprinkle of salt. Broil them in an oven or toaster oven until crispy on each side (about 2-3 minutes per side). (If you don’t want to use the oven you can toast them one each side in a skillet with a little bit of oil.)
- In a bowl, combine the cabbage, orange slices, bell pepper, scallion, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro and chicken.
- Drizzle with the salad dressing, lime juice, and the tortilla strips.
Adjust the portions of the ingredients to your liking. I’m not a big fan of spicy, but if you are, use the entire jalapeno. Shrimp is a tasty substitute for the chicken or you could make it vegetarian and add black beans.
Mexican Coleslaw with Cilantro Lime Dressing | Easy No Mayo Coleslaw for Tacos
FAQ
Can you substitute cabbage for lettuce?
Do street tacos have cabbage or lettuce?
Can cabbage be used as lettuce in burger?
How to make tacos with cabbage?
Cut the cabbage into thin shreds and thinly slice the jalapeno peppers if you want to add some heat to the tacos. Cut the avocados into 1/2-inch cubes and slice the limes, as well. Warm the tortillas either in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave according to the package directions. Next, make the pico de gallo.
Is taco salad healthy to eat?
Taco is a Mexican dish consisting of rolled tortilla filled with various mixtures like seasoned minced chicken or beans. Taco salad is very healthy its high in protein and fiber as it is topped with cheese, nuts, sprouts or legumes and dressed with oil. It form a very light complete meal.
Can you use lettuce in tacos?
Lettuce is widely used in Mexican food to add a cooling mouthfeel to spicy tacos, nachos, and burritos. It is possible to substitute cabbage when cooking up something fiery. Can I Use Cabbage Inside Tacos? Cabbage can offer the same crunchy, refreshing bite as lettuce and is often used in New Orleans-style tacos, or nachos as a slaw.
What kind of cabbage do you use for fish tacos?
Cannonball cabbage (the type most commonly found at your grocery store) or purple cabbage both work great for fish tacos, but be sure to take time to shred the cabbage as thin and fine as you possibly can! Use corn tortillas. Authentic Mexican tacos always use white corn tortillas.