Name: That ’70s Taco
Yield: Serves 4 (makes 8 tacos)
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: ½ cup heavy whipping cream; 2 cups frozen tater tots; 1½ teaspoons onion powder; ¼ cup pickled jalapeno slices; 2 tablespoons mild chili powder (such as Gebhardt’s); 1 tablespoon safflower oil; 4 slices American cheese (4 ounces); 8 crunchy corn tortilla taco shells; 1 pound ground turkey (preferably a mix of dark and breast meat), or lean ground beef; Salt to taste; 3 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce; ½ cup chopped tomatoes; ½ teaspoon oregano (preferably Mexican oregano); ½ cup grated Colby Jack cheese; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; ½ teaspoon MSG (optional); 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic powder; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno juice, or lemon juice; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ½ cup water

Preparation info

Serves
4
(makes 8 tacos)

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Tacos A-Z

By Ivy Manning

Published 2023

About

A nostalgic throwback—these tacos are stuffed with ground turkey sautéed with homemade taco seasoning, iceberg lettuce, crispy Tater Tots, and drizzles of nacho cheese sauce spiked with pickled jalapeno juice. Easy, economical, and divinely comforting, here’s an American taco that will take you back to the days of bell-bottoms and The Brady Bunch (Google it).

Making your own taco seasoning is very rewarding and it keeps for months, though it won’t last that long—you’ll be usi