Description
These Baked Chipotle Beef and Melted Cheese Tacos combine seasoned ground beef with a smoky chipotle sauce and melty Mexican cheeses inside crispy baked corn tortillas. Topped with fresh lime, cilantro, avocado, and optional grilled corn, these tacos are bursting with bold flavors and perfect for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chipotle Sauce
- 1 can red enchilada sauce
- 1/4 cup canned chipotle chilies in adobo
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 tablespoons salted butter
Tacos
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or chicken
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 16-20 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- Limes, cilantro, avocado, and grilled corn for serving
Instructions
- Make the Chipotle Sauce: Combine red enchilada sauce, canned chipotle chilies in adobo, dried oregano, and apple cider vinegar in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and salted butter. Fill the empty enchilada can with water and add it to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat until combined and steaming. Season with salt to taste.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425° F to prepare for baking the tacos.
- Cook the Meat: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef (or chicken), sliced onion, and taco seasoning over medium heat. Break up the meat as it cooks until browned, about 10 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens around the meat.
- Assemble the Tacos: Dip each corn tortilla into the chipotle sauce, coating both sides well. Place the dipped tortillas on a baking sheet. Add a small handful of shredded Mexican cheese to one half of each tortilla, spoon some cooked meat over the cheese, then sprinkle more shredded cheese on top. Fold the tortillas in half, pressing to close them.
- Bake Tacos: Bake the assembled tacos in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip each taco and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly crispy.
- Serve: Serve the baked tacos with a squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and extra chipotle sauce for dipping. Optionally, add grilled corn on the side for a complete meal.
Notes
- Taco Seasoning: Combine 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 2 teaspoons salt for a homemade taco seasoning mix.
- You can substitute ground chicken for beef to lighten the dish.
- For crispier tacos, bake a few extra minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of chipotle chilies in the sauce.
- Use a blender or food processor for a smoother chipotle sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
