Healthy Navajo Tacos

These healthy Navajo tacos are a delicious and easy-to-make spin on the classic Navajo taco recipe. They have an almond flour griddle cake on the bottom, then are topped with sautéed onion, chili seasoned chicken, kidney beans, pan roasted corn, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and optional salsa, sour cream or ranch dressing.

A brief synopsis of where the name “Navajo tacos” comes from:

Traditionally “Navajo Tacos” consist of fry bread. Fry bread is a simple yeast risen dough made with flour, sugar and fried in lard or other fats, like a large fried scone. To make a Navajo taco you would add seasoned ground beef, onions, kidney beans, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cheese and sour cream or dressing. There are variations of this but that is the gist of most recipes.

Why is the origin of fry bread controversial?

The name and origin of “fry bread” is controversial because it was created as a response to oppression. Navajo and other Native American tribes were forced to leave their native lands and walk into and settle in unfamiliar lands that didn’t support their traditional farming, hunting and food culture. They were then supplemented by the government with flour, sugar, cheese and other unfamiliar ingredients. So as a means of survival they adapted and used the ingredients given and “fry bread” was born.

What did traditional Navajo nations eat?

Traditional Navajo diets consisted of corn, beans, squash, wild potatoes, yucca, seeds, pine nuts, peppers, venison, goat, rabbit, prickly pear and other plants and animals indigenous to the areas they lived in.

How is fry bread seen in Native American nations now?

You will see fry bread in the Navajo nations homes today and at fairs and pow wows and while fry bread is considered a part of the Navajo food culture now by some, it is rejected and seen as a symbol of oppression by others. Some even call it “die bread” because it’s linked to many of the health problems these nations battle. So in short it is a complicated and controversial food that is tied to a lot of emotions.

Fighting to preserve a culture:

I don’t like the name of “Navajo tacos” because I think it distracts from a complex and beautiful culture that was steamrolled over in the past. Such injustices in history make me sad and I wish I could go back in time and change history. I wish the Navajo and other native American cultures were pristinely preserved. Luckily, there are many in those nations now who are trying to combat the issues and trying to restore traditional native cultures. I commend their efforts! My dad worked on a Native American reservation when I was a child and through that I grew to respect their culture and also saw first hand some of the issues they face. I hope to see those issues lessened and bettered over the years.

Why I still call these Navajo tacos.

So while I’m not sure the name “Navajo taco” truly reflects the beautiful culture of the Navajo nation other than their ability to adapt and make the best of the situation; for the sake of familiarity with this recipe I have labeled it “Navajo tacos” but I believe everyone needs to know the full history and controversy that is associated with the recipe’s title.

What would a traditional Navajo Taco look like?

If you want to get historically correct and honor the Navajo nations traditional culture then you could make a variation of the “Navajo Tacos” with a corn cake on the bottom, venison, grilled corn, fire roasted peppers, cooked squash and grilled cactus on top. I fully plan on trying this variation soon because I am sure it would be completely delicious!

What you need to make my Healthy Navajo Tacos:

Serves 4

For the almond flour griddle cake:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup almond flour – finely ground
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For grilled corn:

• 2 cups corn – or 2-3 corn on the cob, or canned or frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• pinch of salt

For Chicken:

• 1 pound chicken breast – diced
• 4 ounces roasted green chilies
• 1/2 white or yellow onion – diced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Toppings:

• 1 – 15 ounce red kidney beans
• shredded lettuce
• fresh tomatoes – diced
• cheddar cheese – shredded
• sliced black olives
• sour cream
• ranch dressing – optional
• Salsa – optional

Instructions for healthy Navajo tacos:

To make the almond flour griddle cakes:

1. Add the eggs, salt, almond flour and baking powder to a bowl and mix together well.
2. On a heated nonstick pan or griddle, add 1/2 cup of batter and spread it around to make a large circle.
3. cook until the under side is golden brown or easy to flip over.
4. Flip and cook until fully cooked.

To make the pan roasted corn:

1. If using corn on the cob, remove corn from the cobb with a knife.
2. Add corn with oil and salt to a pan and sauté on medium heat for roughly 5 minutes, until the corn begins to char slightly.
3. Remove from heat and set aside.

For chicken:

1. Dice up chicken breasts, add to a pan with diced onion and green chilies.
2. Season mixture with salt, onion powder, chili powder and garlic powder and cook until chicken is cooked through.

For assembly:

1. Drain, rinse and heat kidney beans. dice lettuce and tomato.
2. Add the almond flour griddle cake on bottom, add chicken, chili and onion mixture, add beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cheese, salsa, sour cream and ranch dressing or whatever toppings you love.
3. Enjoy!

Here are a few other recipes you may love:

Delicious Zucchini and Swiss Cheese Matafan with Herbed Butter
Zucchini Pad Thai
Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins
Banana Cinnamon Muffins
Swiss Chard Wrapped Beef Enchiladas

Print

Healthy Navajo Tacos

An almond flour griddle cake and chicken help to make this spin on the classic Navajo tacos healthy and delicious!

Course chicken, Dinner, healthy, Main Course

Cuisine Chicken, Dinner, main course

Keyword beans, Chicken, Dinner, Healthy, lower carb, main course, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• Almond Flour Griddle Cake:
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup almond flour – finely ground
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Grilled Corn:
• 2 cups corn – or 2-3 corn on the cob or canned or frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• pinch of salt
• For Chicken:
• 1 pound chicken breast – diced
• 4 ounces roasted green chilies
• 1/2 white or yellow onion – diced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Toppings:
• 1 – 15 ounce red kidney beans
• shredded lettuce
• fresh tomatoes – diced
• cheddar cheese – shredded
• sliced black olives
• sour cream
• ranch dressing – optional
• Salsa – optional

Instructions

• Instructions for griddle cake:
• Add the eggs, salt, almond flour and baking powder to a bowl and mix together well.
• On a heated nonstick pan or griddle, add 1/2 cup of batter and spread it around to make a large circle.
• cook until the under side is golden brown or easy to flip over.
• Flip and cook until fully cooked.
• Instructions for Pan Roasted Corn:
• If using corn on the cob, remove corn from the cobb with a knife.
• Add corn with oil and salt to a pan and sauté on medium heat for roughly 5 minutes, until the corn begins to char slightly.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Instructions for chicken:
• Dice up chicken breasts, add to a pan with diced onion and green chilies.
• Season mixture with salt, onion powder, chili powder and garlic powder and cook until chicken is cooked through.
• Assembly:
• Drain, rinse and heat kidney beans. dice lettuce and tomato.
• Add the almond flour griddle cake on bottom, add chicken, chili and onion mixture, add beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cheese, salsa, sour cream and ranch dressing or whatever toppings you love.
• Enjoy!