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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.
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 9x13 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.
Can I make them ahead of time and reheat?
Hi Kathy,
What if you just assembled them and then baked when you are ready to serve? I hope you love this recipe! xx
What temperature do you make the corn tortillas crunchy? Not sure if I didn’t do it at a high enough temperature, or maybe I didn’t use enough oil? They’re still soft after 5 minutes at 350 on one side, not getting crunchy at all.
Hi Marlee,
I do them at 425F, so I would just increase your heat and that should help crisp them up! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Seems like the he corn tortillas want to crack at the bottom when I fold them over??
I followed this recipe exactly as is, but it came out very spicy. It was flavorful, but what could I do differently to lower the spice level of the taco meat? Maybe use only 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder? Thank you.
Hey Maureen,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! So sorry about the spice, next time just reduce the chipotle chili powder to your liking. I hope this helps! xT
This was so delicious! I had some left over rotisserie chicken and shredded that. It turned out well. Thank you for giving elevated recipes that are rather easy to do!
Hey Joan,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
These were incredible!!
Hey Jess,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate you giving it a try! xT
Is it really a hard shell taco?? Is it not a soft flour/corn tortilla that you are folding in half? Just wanted to clarify! I am confused how you would fold it if it was a hard shell. Thanks!
Hi Tiffany,
If you are using store bought shells, get the hard taco shells. If you are using my homemade recipe, you will get soft tortillas. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Love this recipe and it’s been a standard part of my rotation for over a year! I have one question though. When I make the cilantro lime ranch, it’s delicious but seems a little too thin. I left out the jalepeno brine once to see if that helped but it’s still a very thin consistency. Any suggestions on how to get it thicker? Love your cookbooks too!
Hey Jordana,
Awesome! So glad to hear that this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it so often! I would try just using 1 lime next time to see if that helps. xT
Sooo delicious! Making the tacos themselves is very simple. The homemade ranch is so worth it though! Everyone loved this meal and I will be making again ASAP.
Hey Hayley,
Thanks so much! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad it was a hit! Xx
I tried this last night and it was delicious. I need to get some clarification regarding the tortillas. Do you bake them first prior to filling them with the meat mixture? Also, what is the secret to keeping the tortilla closed while baking?
Hi Jackie,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad it turned out well! Did you do the homemade hard taco shells? You do not need to bake them prior to filling them. Try using a toothpick to keep them closed. I hope this helps! Xx
Delicious! Holy Moly we marveled at how good this was. I just did the meat and the cilantro lime ranch with greek yogurt. The spices were perfect.
I used beef this time because that’s what I had. We had leftover meat and sauce with eggs the next day. Next up we’ll try it with ground deer meat.
Hi Shannon,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks a lot for trying it out! Xx
Hey, can I make the Cilantro Line Ranch a few days ahead of using?
Thanks
Hey Mike,
Totally, that would be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe! xT
I made these last night. The flavor is awesome, but I did have some problems with them. I upped the recipe to serve 10 because I figured they would be good as leftovers. Followed the sauce and seasonings exactly, but mine did not get thick like yours. Do you have any idea what I could’ve done wrong?
Hey Miesa,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Are you saying for the meat or the ranch? My guess is the meat sauce needed to simmer longer to thicken up since it was doubled. I hope this helps! xx
Planning on trying these this week and I can’t wait! Have you ever tried making them in the air fryer?
Thanks!
I hope you love this recipe Casey!! I have never tried them in the air fryer, but I bet it would work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
AMAZING! I absolutely loved these. There is so much flavor, and that sauce – I’ve never had anything like it but I will never live without it now. 10/10 taco recipe!
Hey Tanya,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
We really enjoyed this, and it was quick to make. I microwaved the tortillas in a damp paper towel first and then did the olive oil for the homemade hard shells. What corn tortillas do you use? If they have more fat in them does this make them work better or did, I not use enough olive oil? We still enjoyed them, but some were chewy. I did buy the Goya ones which are healthier. I usually lighty fry them in a small amount of canola oil.
Hey Terry,
So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! I like to use use Whole Foods 365 corn tortillas. I would try more olive oil next time, they all are a little different and can vary. I hope this helps! xT
Tasted great but all my tacos split at the bottom! So disappointing!!
So sorry about that Shauna! Sometimes it helps to microwave the tortillas in damp paper towel for a few seconds right before filling your tacos to prevent splitting! xT