Spicy Vegan Chicken Tacos (Street Tacos)

These bold and smoky spicy vegan chicken street tacos bring the heat and flavor! Made with protein-packed Textured Vegetable Protein simmered in rich chipotle adobo sauce, they’re perfect for taco night and come together in under 30 minutes. Serve with fresh pico de gallo and vegan cheese for a next-level bite.

Ingredients

2 cups Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

2 cups Vegetable Broth

1/4 cup Neutral Oil (such as avocado or grapeseed)

1 Large Onion, diced

2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

3–4 Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, chopped

2–3 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (from the chipotle can)

1 tsp Smoked Paprika or Paprika

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Corn or Flour Tortillas, for serving

Optional Toppings: Fresh Pico de Gallo (recipe on this website), Vegan Cheese, Avocado, Lime Wedges

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine the TVP and vegetable broth. Bring to a light simmer and stir occasionally until the TVP fully rehydrates, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 5–10 minutes to soak up all the flavor.

In a large skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic, chopped chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce. Cook for 1 minute to release the aroma.

Drain any excess liquid from the TVP, then add it to the skillet. Add onion powder, garlic powder and paprika to the pan. Stir well until all the TVP is fully coated in the chipotle mixture.

Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and most of the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add a bit more of the adobe sauce for a deeper smokier flavor, heat through for another 1-2 minutes.

Warm the tortillas, then fill each one with a generous scoop of the spicy TVP mixture. Top with fresh pico de gallo, vegan cheese, or any of your favorite taco toppings.

Pro Tip

For extra texture, let the TVP sit in the pan a minute or two without stirring to get some crispy edges before serving!