Next Post
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Weeknight style cheesy baked Spicy Buffalo White Chicken Chili Tacos. Topped with all the toppings! Because loaded tacos are just better. Ground chicken seasoned with a homemade “ranch” seasoning mix, spicy buffalo sauce, and salsa verde. The meat is stuffed into hard shell tacos, topped with cheese, and oven-baked – because we love a crispy, crunchy taco! Serve each taco with a creamy cilantro lime ranch sauce, and a mix of your favorite taco toppings. They come together in minutes and are so delicious.
Well, these might just be my new favorite taco, and my family’s too. So ummy, as little Mr. Oslo would say!
I think by now you all know just how much my family loves tacos. We grew up eating my dad’s baked tacos weekly. And now, I’ve pretty much carried on that tradition with my younger siblings. Only I love to switch up my flavors!
To be honest, I made these last week just because I wanted tacos and was hoping to make a quick meal. Nothing fancy at all. I had ground chicken in the fridge, so I thought I would do a simple buffalo chicken taco.
I started throwing things in. Before I knew it, I had what I’m now calling spicy buffalo white chicken chili tacos.
A mix of buffalo sauce and salsa verde. Very similar in flavor to my recent Spicy Buffalo White Chicken Chili! If you’ve enjoyed that chili, you may love these tacos even more!
Here are details
Start with the taco meat. This comes together in minutes. Use ground chicken and cook it with an onion and a mix of dried herbs: parsley, chives, and dill. Then add garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. This is the “ranch” seasoning blend.
When the meat is cooked, add the buffalo sauce and salsa verde. Then just cook until the sauces coat the chicken.
Now for the shells. Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas. I stuff them with the taco meat plus cheese and oven-bake them until 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 of extra minutes, I recommend making your own shells. They’re always preferred over store-bought for any kind of taco I serve!
While the tacos are baking, I prep the toppings. A cilantro ranch, candied jalapeños, lettuce, and lots of green onions. Oh, and extra buffalo sauce too!
For the ranch, I used fresh cilantro and plenty of lime in place of the usual herb mix. I also stirred in some pickled jalapeños for a spicy, tangy kick. This is the perfect sauce to dollop onto each cheesy, crunchy taco.
Crispy shells and taco meat that’s extra saucy with just the right amount of spice and flavor!
So fast and easy, but still so yummy! A great weeknight taco, that’s totally fresh and new! Nothing boring over here!
Looking for more simple Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Spicy Buffalo White Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema.
Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Lastly, if you make these Spicy Buffalo White Chicken Chili Tacos, 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!
Spicy Buffalo White Chicken Chili Tacos
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 433 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 12 hard shell tacos (see notes for homemade option)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Ranch
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped + 2 tablespoons brine
- 1/3 cup lime juice
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, chicken, and onion over medium heat. Cook the meat, breaking it up as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper, parsley, chives, dill, garlic powder, paprika, and a pinch of salt. Add 1/3 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, 5 minutes. Stir in the buffalo sauce and salsa verde. Cook until most of the sauce coats the chicken, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. 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 bowl and stir until creamy. 5. Serve the tacos topped with the ranch, avocado, candied jalapeños, 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.
We do things a little different and this was our family Christmas Eve supper!! The sour cream topping was delicious, and so super easy to make.
Hey Diana,
Happy Monday!❄️ I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xx
Pretty tasty. Everything took longer than the recipe suggested it would take. I’d try it again with a few adjustments.
Hey Leroi,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry this took longer than expected! Happy Friday! xT
So yummy and easy, which I need with two little kids. I made the “ranch” and chopped the onion and pepper ahead of time during their nap then whipping up the dinner was super quick. I topped mine with shredded green cabbage!
Hey Hannah,
Happy Friday!!☃️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Do you think this recipe will work just as well with chopped chicken instead of ground chicken?
Hey there,
Sure, that would be just fine for you to use! Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xT
I made these last night and they were so delish! Even though my dang tortillas broke in half. Just ate them with knife and fork. The leftovers were even better today! Thanks for a great recipe b
Hey Theresa,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xT
These were a big hit with family. Used ground turkey as I couldn’t find ground chicken. Homemade shells are absolutely delicious and will never buy taco shells again. After turning the tacos I sprinkled a little more cheese on top. Very crispy. So delicious. Will definitely make again. Thank you.
Hey Jean,
Happy Monday!❄️🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
This is delicious! I had to adjust this a bit because I didn’t realize I was out of ground chicken and Buffalo sauce. I made these with ground beef, and no Buffalo sauce. I know this ended up changing it a lot, but all the seasonings made these fantastic. I used corn tortillas, and loved how these ended up. The sour cream sauce was the cherry on top. I don’t even like sour cream, but with all the other ingredients, I couldn’t get enough. Loved it!!
Hey Kristen,
Happy Monday!❄️🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Incredibly delicious! Made it last night and there were no left-overs!
Hey Fernanda,
Happy Monday!❄️🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Amazing recipe as always! You should consider doing a gluten free list or cookbook. So many of your recipes are by default gluten free. I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and was super excited when I realized I could still have your books as my go to. There is a severe lack of gluten free labeled books that aren’t baking, just regular food.
Hey Lindsey,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback, definitely something to consider in the future:) Have a great weekend!🎄⛄️
Would rotisserie chicken work in place of ground chicken? This looks amazing, can’t wait to try!
Hey Mary,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
So delicious. I used store bought shells, but will go back to the home made. The crispy cheese and texture are so worth the extra oven time.
Hey Raquel,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
Maybe I did something wrong but all my corn tortillas cracked down the middle while I stuffed them with all the filling falling out. Super big mess but flavor was delish
Hi Cathy,
Sorry to hear you had some issues with the corn tortillas, they can be finicky. Did you try warming the tortillas and coating them in oil? That usually helps with the splitting. I hope this helps! xx
I was honestly not sure if I was going to like these with the mix of salsa verde and Buffalo but what a surprisingly good taste. I love the homemade crispy taco shells, I will never buy store taco shells again.
I will make this again for sure.
Hey Monica,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🧑🎄
Fun dinner!
Hey Bethany,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Hi Tieghan! I made these tacos yesterday with turkey burger and they were Fabulously Delicious.
Best tacos ever.
TOTAL YUM!
Thank you!!!
Hey Loree,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT