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Weeknight style Cheesy Baked Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch…and all the toppings. Because loaded tacos are just better. Ground chicken seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix, stuffed into hard shell tacos, topped with cheese, and oven-baked. These tacos are crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve each taco with a creamy, cooling cilantro lime ranch sauce, and a mix of your favorite taco toppings. They come together in minutes and are so delicious…the perfect weeknight dinner. Bonus, the chipotle chicken is great as a leftover. Pile it high onto your favorite tortilla chips for some seriously delicious nachos or serve it up atop greens for a Mexican inspired salad.
As a kid, tacos were a weeknight staple in our house. I’ve touched on this before, but my dad cooked tacos for dinner at least once or twice a week for multiple years straight. It probably wasn’t until I started to take over the cooking around the age of fourteen that we started to switch things up. So yes, the typical weeknight ground beef taco was a staple, and my dad had them down to a T.
He’d make his tacos with ground beef and store-bought taco seasoning. Then he’d simply stuff the meat into tortillas with a little cheddar cheese and nothing else. Well…maybe some lettuce for my mom and I. But no beans, no avocado, not even cilantro or a squeeze of lime. Very, very basic, and it’s just what my brothers wanted. At the time, I didn’t know any better, so I greatly enjoyed these tacos too. I took mine in a hard shell and oven-baked for extra crispiness on the outside, and soft and cheesy inside.
And there you have it.
That’s my childhood taco story. Did we ever get sick of eating tacos? Honestly, I don’t think we did. I’m pretty sure that we were the ones requesting taco night so often. We loved it and still do! I’m always making tacos, whether it’s these quick skillet chicken tacos, my favorite Caribbean shrimp tacos, or these saucy instant pot BBQ chicken tacos. Tacos are still on the menu every couple of weeks.
But my absolute go-to taco?
It’s these. They’re classic, so simple, cheesy, crunchy, and SO GOOD. I love them, my brothers love them, and pretty much every other human who enjoys Mexican food (even just a little) enjoys these crunchy tacos.
To make these weeknight chicken tacos…
It is SIMPLE.
Pick up some ground chicken, turkey, or even ground beef. Just be sure to use what your family loves most! Simply brown the meat, add seasonings, and stuff into hard tacos. Then top with cheese, and bake in the oven until melted and crisp.
Doesn’t get any easier, but yet this is a dinner that everyone loves.
I do have a few little secrets however that make these tacos better than the rest.
The seasoning blend.
Over the years, I feel like I’ve kind of perfected the taco seasoning mix. It’s just a touch spicy, a little smoky, and hinted with garlic. I use a mix of chipotle chili powder (key ingredient) and smoked paprika to keep the taco meat extra flavorful. Most tacos mixes use regular chili powder, but I’ve always found that to lack flavor. Using chipotle chili powder adds the perfect amount of spiciness.
I like to use a good amount, so be sure to adjust this to your family’s taste level. Start with two teaspoons and work your way up to three if you like things spicy!
My Shells? I make them at home.
Well, kind of, and the shells aren’t technically a part of the recipe. BUT I’m including it in the notes. Instead of using store-bought taco shells I like to take corn tortillas, stuff them with the taco meat plus cheese, then oven bake them until the tortillas are crispy. I rub each tortilla with olive oil and then flip them halfway through cooking. This is key to getting the tacos extra crispy on both sides.
If you have a couple extra minutes, I would highly recommend making your own “shells”. They’re very, very good…and much healthier than store-bought too!
That cilantro lime ranch? You need it too.
Most tacos are topped with sour cream, but trust me this cilantro lime ranch is so much better, but it’s also not your average ranch.
I used fresh cilantro and plenty of lime in place of the usual herb mix and stirred in some pickled jalapeños for a spicy, tangy kick. This is the perfect sauce to dollop onto each cheesy, crunchy taco.
If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This spicy mango marg is my personal favorite.
If you make these weeknight Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Weeknight Cheesy Baked Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 544 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, beef, or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, use to your taste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, use to your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 12 hard shell tacos (see notes for homemade option)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Cilantro Lime Ranch
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped + 2 tablespoons brine
- juice from 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt. Add 3/4 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. 3. Line the taco shells up on a sheet pan or in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake 5 minutes. Evenly divide the meat among each taco shell and top with cheese. Bake 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. 4. Meanwhile, make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy. 5. Serve the tacos topped with ranch, avocado, red onion, and any other desired toppings.
Notes
For Easy Homemade Hard Shells: Warm 8-12 corn tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp.
This post was originally published on February 13, 2020
Made these last night and they were absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed these tacos, Zee! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this tonight, it turned out great! Loved baking the tacos for something different and the herby ranch was a delicious addition!
Be careful not to put too much olive oil on the shells before filling them, I had a some casualties on the first few :).
Hi Lindsay! I am so glad these turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying them! xTieghan
These were amazing! Would absolutely make them again. I also would recommend the homemade taco shells. So easy & delicious!
They really make the difference haha! I am so glad you enjoyed these Abi! Thank you! xTieghan
My sons and I loved this dish. Tasty, just enough heat. I used corn tortillas as explained in your tip. My tortillas broke. Picking them up was tricky. Will make them again.
Hi Bernadette! I am so glad you all enjoyed this one! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help you with! xTieghan
HBH – Thank you for inspiring me to enjoy cooking again … I have tried so many of your recipes and they are all fabulous. This taco recipe is yet another wonderful creation and meal. Best, Sandra.
Hi Sandra! Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
Made these Saturday night. Best tacos ever! Love the sauce as well. So easy. Wrapped the extra tacos in wax paper and froze them. Hope they defrost and crisp up for easy weeknight dinners. Seriously, the best taco meat spice combination I have ever tried. Hate using the package mixes with all the chemicals so this is my new go-to spice blend. Thanks !
Thank you so much Melinda! I am really glad you enjoyed this so much! xTieghan
I tried this tonight. I struggled to get the shells to work. I brushed them with olive oil. The edges were crispy but the inner parts were not. I still think they were good. The filling was good. The lime ranch crema was good. I even put cilantro in it and I don’t like cilantro. My boys liked it. I think it has great potential. I tried a shell w/out brushing oil on it too. That was a tad crispier but not 100% perfect either. I also added green pepper to the meat mixture because I needed to use one up. I would still make this again and try the shells again! I did like the flavors! I don’t want the review to depend on the shells but that is what is keeping me from offering a five star rating. (You definitely need the oven at 425.)
Hi Shelli! I am glad you enjoyed these but sorry the shells were a problem! Did you brush both sides with olive oil? xTieghan
Hi! Would the cilantro lime sauce keep for more than a day?
Hi Priya! Yes, the sauce will keep for 1 week in the fridge. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
HBH is my go-to for weekly meal planning, so I’ve been trying to make a point of writing a review for the recipes I try out. Just made these for lunch and are chowing down right now! They’re delicious! I didn’t have any chipotle chili powder, so I opted to use a few chopped up chipotles in adobo sauce (And then added in a bit of the sauce too) since that’s something I pretty much always have on hand. I also went for ground turkey instead of chicken, which is an equally delicious alternative. I think I’ll be making this again next week and will be trying it with beef!
As someone who wasn’t born in the US but lives here now, ranch is something I’ve never really liked or grown accustomed to. But this cilantro lime “ranch” variation is something I can totally get behind! It’s refreshing, a little spicy and tangy (love the addition of the brine from the jalapenos) and garlicky!
Hi Shannon! Thank you so much for this! I am so glad you have been loving my recipes and I hope you continue to!! Also, glad you like this ranch! Way better than the bottles stuff! xTieghan
I made these mini with street taco shells. Great for an appetizer!
Ooo yes! Love that! Thank you! xTieghan
Just made these and they are fantastic. Super easy and quick too! I made the homemade corn shells and they are definitely worth it. The spice mix will be my go to for all taco meat. The chipotle pepper and smoked paprika are key.
Thank you so much Alycia! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made these this week, with ground turkey instead of chicken. They were a hit, in fact as a sit here writing this my son is eating leftovers for breakfast. The family has decreed that this recipe is a keeper. Thank you Tieghan for coming through with yet another irresistible recipe.
Thank you so much for trying this recipe!! I am so glad you loved it! xTieghan
These were simply delicious, thank you Tieghan!
I used beef mince instead of chicken, and flatbreads instead of corn tortillas for the ‘homemade hard shells’, then served with carrot/beetroot/apple slaw and the cilantro lime ranch. Keeper 😀
Yum!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Bonnie! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
These look incredible! Trying to make these today and I’ve been hunting for the video you made of these. Cannot remember if the video was on your Instagram stories? Is it possible for you to point me in the right direction. Also ordering both your books on pay day!!! IN LOVE! Thanks so much x
Hi Maddie! Yes, I made these on my story on Instagram! I hope you love both of the books! Let me know what you try! Thank you! xTieghan
How do you keep the taco shells folded closed w/o them popping back open? Mine never stay closed. I would need a toothpick to keep them closed but I don’ t see you using any toothpicks… What is your secret? P.S. Your tacos look SO delicious! I wish I could eat them right now. They look so professional. These photographs and food styling look really colorful, amazing and professional as well. Be encouraged. 🙂
Hi!! If they are popping up I would place another baking sheet on top of them! Let me know if this works for you! Thank you so much! xTieghan