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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.Â
have made this many times with left over roasted chicken…..still works and always so good
Hi Robi,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Made these after work tonight. I used ground chicken and full spice-They come together so quickly & have ALL the flavors! YUMMY! I will definitely be making these again and again….
Hi Kristen,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Great but after microwaving tortillas and oiling them, they crack and don’t stay closed. Unless you press harder and they crack more. Using corn tortillas as per recipe..not flour. Maybe flour is more pliable?
Hi Carolyn,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! I would try a different brand of tortillas. Flour are more pliable but they won’t crisp up like corn tortillas:) xTieghan
Made these tonight and everyone loved them! That cilantro lime crema brought all of the flavors together perfectly. Your recipes have been my go-to for the past few years and I haven’t made one that I didn’t love. Thanks for yet another great, yet simple recipe Tieghan!
Hey Christine,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I forgot to rate the recipe with my previous comment. Every bit of a 5 star recipe and I cannot wait for our kids to visit so I can make them again for them.
Thanks again Diane!!
I made these last night for my husband and I and they were fantastic! My husband gobbled three of them right down. And, I don’t even have words good enough to describe the sauce. We have left overs and we are eating them again tonight. Your recipes are fantastic!
Hey Diane,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Omg sooooooo delish!! By far my new favorite dish !!
Hey Nicole,
Awesome!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a hit!! xxT
Super yummy tacos. Also, this sauce is amazeballs!!! I made it recently for shredded beef tacos and burrito bowls and it was delicious!
I think you need a separate section in your blog/recipes JUST for SAUCES!!! Because you are the sauce queen!!
Hi Sarah,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! ?xTieghan
Tried it the first time 3 weeks ago and left out microwaving the tortillas as the recipe called for and it was a little tougher to pull them together. The tortillas were cracking a little the first time but the flavor was amazing. Made it again tonight with my family and another couple, followed everything on the directions and nailed it. Delicious! Everyone loved it, thank you! Will definitely keep making this one.
Hey Ed,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
I made these tonight and they were delicious!!! I didn’t have ground chicken so I used shredded chicken breast. I loved the homemade crispy shell. Turned our so good! Thank you for your recipes!
Hey Erica,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Love this recipe and so did my whole family! We love tacos and i had never done a baked taco before. I used the corn tortillas to make the homemade crunchy shell.
They were so yummy!
You have great recipes!
Hey Kristen,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
BEST tacos we have ever made and I HIGHLY recommend this recipe. The flavor was absolutely delicious from the chicken to the sauce! We made our own crispy tortillas according to the recipe and they came out perfectly! Will be a go to in our house moving forward!
Hey Jaimee,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
My husband made these for us tonight using soft corn tortillas – AMAZING. Always love your recipes and this is one of my new favorites.
Hey Megan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This has become a family favorite. I constantly go back to this. The only thing I change up is using Impossible meat instead of ground chicken and it is amazing! When I can’t find pickled jalapeños for the sauce, I use canned chopped hatch or green chilis and it’s also delicious! Definitely a great comfort meal.
Hey Erin,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am glad to hear that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
Absolutely incredible. My husband loses his mind over these! Love your book and all your recipes!
Hey Annie,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan