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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
Holy cow…these are hands down the best tacos I have ever made. I used regular shell tacos and small soft shell and they came out excellent. One of my friends doesn’t eat much Mexican food and didn’t want any of the lime ranch sauce -she ate 4 tacos!!! Loved it!! Thanks for sharing….the flavor of the chicken was perfect!
Hey Dannielle,
Happy Monday! I love to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for making it:)
Happy Holidays!
These were so easy and turned out great! I subbed chicken breasts and made it in the crock pot, then shredded the chicken and followed the rest of the recipe. Family loved them!
Hey Carrie,
Wonderful! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed!🎄
Looks great and easy.
Thanks Susan! I hope you love this recipe!
I made with ground turkey and it came out great. I didn’t make the sauce but maybe next time.
Hi Kim,
So kind of you to try this recipe and leave feedback—glad it was a hit!
Hi!
Do you think these would still work without the cheese? I’m sadly lactose intolerant and wondering if it would still work with the tacos going in the oven for the homemade hard shells? Thank you!
Hi Tavia,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do!
I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
I understand that Cabot cheese is lactose free. Wegman’s staff member who worked at the pharmacy told me this after asking if I was lactose intolerant like her. She said the salesman from Cabot to her.
I make these ALL the time but use beef mince and it’s fire! They are a proper staple in our house and everyone loves them!
Possibly one of your best recipes, I’m obsessed with your recipes!
Hi Natalie,
Wonderful! Love to hear this recipe always turns out nicely for you, thanks for making it so often!
I made these tonight for dinner and they were delicious! That cilantro lime crema absolutely elevated these. My son ate 6 of them and asked that I make them again. Thanks so much for sharing, Tieghan.
Hey Sheryl,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Happy Fall!
Sauce was really good! However 10 minutes was way too long so our tacos were burnt. That’s partially my fault though and I should’ve kept a closer eye. But overall very good!
Hi Ashley,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks for trying this recipe and letting me know it went well!
Recipe was fire. The whole family loved it, and the sauce really completes it. Sauce tasted great with or without jalapenos, so we might go without to save money on ingredients next time. It’s easy enough to make that we’ll likely add this to our rotation of regular recipes. Unfortunately, I can’t get ground chicken where I live, so we did ground turkey.
So happy to hear your family loved it! The sauce really does make it, right? Sounds like a perfect recipe to keep coming back to! Thanks again Kristen! 🙂 xT
I make this all the time! So delicious and easy.
Hey Katie,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed! x
I can’t tell you how many times I have made these tacos for my family now! I have this recipe bookmarked!! They are soo easy to put together and packed with flavor.
Hi Julia,
Amazing! Thank you so much for making this recipe so often and sharing your feedback! So glad it always turns out well for you! xx
I can’t get the tortillas to stay closed before I bake them.
any suggestions
Hi Ana,
Try using a toothpick to keep the tortillas closed. I hope this helps! Have a nice weekend! xx
In the photos with the tacos shown flat with ingredients on top, they are already charred. Did they char in the microwave?
Hey Laura,
I just put them directly over a stovetop flame:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
They taste great!! Only thing I would’ve added in the directions is to warm up the tortillas with olive oil prior to placing them on the baking sheet, this way when you fold them they dont rip and they stay shut.
Hey Kristy,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! XxT
Can you explain? Do you lay these on their side on a very large sheet pan to bake these? If I were to lay these in an 8×13 baking dish to bake them, the tacos will not be crispy? I’m trying to think of a way to easily take them to a gathering.
Hi Becky,
Yes, I lay them on a baking sheet. If you check out the photos and video above you can see exactly how I do that:) I hope you love this recipe! xT