By The school year is winding down. Three weeks until summer, which means three weeks until four kids are home all day every day, and the grocery bill doubles, and the noise triples, and the house becomes a living organism of need and hunger and boredom and someone is always asking what are we doing today, and the answer is surviving, kids, we are surviving.
I drove to Omaha Monday through Wednesday, a long haul with a heavy load — frozen pork this time, from the Smithfield plant. The interstate was under construction near Lincoln, which means forty miles of one lane at reduced speed, which in a semi is like being asked to run a marathon in ankle weights. The slow cooker had white chicken chili — chicken broth, shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles, cumin, sour cream stirred in at the end. It is lighter than regular chili, more suited to the season, and I ate it at a truck stop in Lincoln and felt almost spring-like.
Amber finished her freshman track season. She did not make it to State in the 800 — her time plateaued at 2:25, three seconds off qualifying — but she will be back next year, and the three seconds are not a failure but a goal, which is how distance runners think and how Amber thinks about everything: not there yet, but closer, and closer counts.
I made a taco salad for dinner Friday — seasoned ground beef over lettuce with cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and crushed Doritos, because crushed Doritos on taco salad is non-negotiable and I will accept no substitutions. The kids ate it in the backyard because the evening was warm enough and the backyard is where we eat when the world allows it, because eating outside is eating with extra sky, and extra sky is always an improvement.
The taco salad was good — it always is — but the Chicken Chalupa is what I keep coming back to when I want that same spirit of a Friday-night, warm-enough-for-the-backyard meal with a little more substance under it. After three days on the interstate and a week of watching Amber give everything she had to that 800, I wanted something that felt like a reward without being fussy about it — something layered and satisfying, the kind of thing that tastes like you did something right. The chalupa checks every box: crisp, creamy, a little spicy, and absolutely worth eating with extra sky overhead.
Chicken Chalupa
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Ro-Tel)
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 6 chalupa shells or thick flatbreads, warmed
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices (optional)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. Place chicken breasts in a medium saucepan with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook 18–20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
- Build the filling. Return shredded chicken to the pan over medium-low heat. Stir in taco seasoning, pinto beans, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Warm the shells. Arrange chalupa shells on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 4–5 minutes until lightly crisped, or heat directly over a gas burner for 30 seconds per side for char marks.
- Assemble. Spoon a generous portion of the chicken-bean filling onto each warmed shell. Layer with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and avocado slices.
- Finish and serve. Top each chalupa with a dollop of sour cream, a handful of shredded cheese, and jalapeños if using. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 7g | Sodium: 820mg