08/29/2026
🌮 Chef B’s “Hidden Agenda” Taco Salad
A loaded taco salad built around seasoned grilled beef, crisp tortilla strips, fresh lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and a bold taco-style dressing. The “hidden agenda” is the surprise layer of flavor underneath all those crunchy toppings.
Ingredients — 4 servings
The Beef
1 lb skirt steak, flank steak, or sirloin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Juice of ½ lime
The Salad
6 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
1 cup crispy tortilla strips
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup diced avocado
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
Chef B’s Hidden-Agenda Dressing
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp taco seasoning
½ tsp cumin
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1–2 tbsp water to thin
Method
Season the beef.
Combine the oil, spices, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Coat the steak thoroughly and let it sit for 20–30 minutes.
Sear it hard.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill over high heat. Cook the steak about 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired doneness. Rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
Make the hidden agenda.
Whisk the sour cream, mayo, salsa, lime, taco seasoning, cumin, and garlic together. Thin until it has a drizzleable consistency. Taste and adjust the lime, salt, and heat.
Build the bowl.
Start with a generous bed of lettuce. Add the cheese, onion, tomatoes, and avocado. Drizzle some dressing underneath the toppings—that's the hidden agenda.
Pile on the beef.
Arrange the warm sliced steak over the salad.
Finish with crunch.
Scatter tortilla strips generously over the top and finish with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and another light drizzle of dressing.
👨🍳 Chef B’s move
Don't toss everything together. Build it in layers so you get hot, smoky beef, cool crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy dressing, and crunchy tortilla strips in every bite.
Optional “secret agenda” upgrade: add a spoonful of smoky chi
