Prep all the ingredients. Cut the corn tortillas into thin strips and set aside. Mince the garlic finely. Chop lettuce finely. Chop avocado into medium-sized chunks. Quarter the tomatoes. Dice onion finely. Place each ingredient separately into small bowls and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400⁰F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat and brown your beef. After beef has been browned, add the garlic, taco seasoning mix, salt, and pepper, and stir well to combine.

Cook the taco beef through on medium-high heat, around 6-8 minutes. Remember, the beef was already cooked during the browning stage, and you don’t want to overcook it! Just allow the spices to heat through and meld flavors with the beef.

While taco beef is cooking, arrange the tortilla strips on the prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with 1 T olive oil. Place in preheated oven and bake until crispy, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove tortillas strips immediately as they can burn easily!

Stir in the black beans with the beef until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine all the fresh ingredients (lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, and corn) in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with remaining olive oil, chipotle powder, and fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently until well-combined.

Transfer salad to a serving platter, top with the seasoned taco beef, Mexican cheese, and crispy tortilla strips.

Serve immediately!