30 Mexican Food Recipes Full of Flavor

April 15, 2009
Greg DuPree
Browse these south-of-the-border recipes for everything from tacos to enchilada casserole.Having Mexican food is a delicious way to enjoy a weeknight dinner. These quick Mexican recipes make it easy to savor the tastes and flavors of Mexican food without spending a long time in the kitchen. Some of our favorite Mexican dinner recipes are also the easiest: The Mexicali Meatless Tostadas can be on the table in 15 minutes, and the Beef Fajitas with Pico de Gallo only take five minutes more. For quick Mexican recipes that give you a true taste of the South, you can’t go past Delta Tamales, or Tex-Mex Fajitas. If you want to wake up to the zest of Mexico, plan your morning around a plate of Migas Tacos filled with scrambled eggs. Spicy, quick, and tasty, these Mexican dinner recipes make every night a fiesta.
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Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Serve these Southwest Chicken Tortillas with sliced avocados and extra salsa on the side. We used corn tortillas, but feel free to use flour if you prefer. Feel free to add any toppings you like. You really can't go wrong with this family-favorite.

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Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas

Upgrade your burritos by crisping them in a skillet.

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Easy Enchiladas

Recipe: Easy Enchiladas
Recipe: Pronto Refried Beans

Spice up a Mexican food meal with savory Easy Enchiladas. In this recipe, we filled them with flavorful sausage, but if you’d like to make them with chicken, use about 2 1/2 cups chopped or shredded meat. Add Pronto Refried Beans to round out the menu.

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Poblano Fish Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Poblano Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are all the rage now. Make your own in no time with this easy recipe for fish tacos.

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Easy Barbecue Tostadas

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Easy Barbecue Tostadas

Pick up shredded chicken or pork from your favorite barbecue joint and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes. Serve with Chipotle Sour Cream and Jicama Slaw.

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Grilled Chicken Tacos

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tacos

Spice up taco night with these quick tacos. Jazz up ordinary salsa with mango, cilantro, and hot sauce, and serve a side of refried black beans for an easy weeknight meal.

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Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas

Recipe: Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas

A deli-roasted chicken helps make short work of this classic Mexican entrée. Luscious? Absolutely. In fact, we guarantee your family will clamor for seconds.

Watch Us Make Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas

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Chalupa Dinner Bowl

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Recipes: Chalupa Dinner Bowl

This pork-and-bean mixture is versatile. Serve it spooned over cornbread or rolled up burrito style in flour tortillas. Make hearty nachos, quesadillas, or tacos too. It can even be used as a meaty addition to huevos rancheros (fried corn tortillas topped with fried eggs and salsa).

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Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

Enjoy the zesty Tex-Mex flavor of fun-to-eat (and kid friendly) Grilled Chicken Quesadillas with Salsa Picante. Coating the tortillas with Cilantro-Pecan Pesto turns these chicken quesadillas from classic to extraordinary.

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Spicy Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa and Guacamole

Recipe: Spicy Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa and Guacamole

We’ve filled these tacos with fish in place of the traditional beef, pork, or chicken. While we love the fried fish flavor, we also tried baking and grilling the flounder fillets. Both are great options.

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Barbecued Pork Quesadillas

Recipe: Barbecued Pork Quesadillas

Pork adds a delicious hearty flavor to traditional quesadillas. We recommend purchasing premade barbecue pork from your grocery store to save on prep time.

Supper Ideas from the Pros
Test Kitchen Professional Norman King shows you how to cook Barbecued Chicken Quesadillas for supper tonight.

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Delta Tamales

Recipe: Delta Tamales

Delta Tamales are great as appetizers or the main course. Serve them with jalapeño peppers, onions, and the spice-flecked sauce in which they were cooked. You can save time the day of by assembling tamales a day ahead and storing in the refrigerator.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Tacos

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Tacos

Brown the meat in a Dutch oven, then let the slow cooker work its magic as the rich spices meld. You can also serve the versatile, tender beef over baked potatoes instead of in soft tortilla shells.

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Lean Green Lettuce Tacos

Recipe: Lean Green Lettuce Tacos

Help yourself to Lean Green Lettuce Tacos, whose colorful ingredients offer big benefits. Romaine lettuce leaves arranged in a stemmed vase double as nutritious taco wraps and a decorative centerpiece.

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Party-Style Pork Empanada

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Party-Style Pork Empanada

Our Party-Style Pork Empanada uses refrigerated canned bread dough to make preparation easier. You can make up to two hours ahead of time, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the party.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas

Faster than fast food and way more delicious, these cheesy enchiladas come together in a snap. A quick spritz of vegetable cooking spray adds extra crispness to flour tortillas as they bake.
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Mexican Lasagna

Southern Living

Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

We guarantee this zesty casserole will be your new weeknight staple. The recipe was originally designed to utilize leftover ground beef and sausage. It makes a lot, but refrigerates well and tastes wonderful reheated.

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Beef and Chicken Fajitas

Recipe: Beef and Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas are a quick and easy way to feed (and please!) a crowd. This fajita seasoning earned 5 stars from our online users and we agree -- it’s delicious.

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    Citrus Shrimp Tacos

    Photo: Beth Dreiling-Hontzas

    Recipe: Citrus Shrimp Tacos

    These citrus shrimp tacos pair marinated, grilled shrimp with Southwest Cream Sauce and fresh corn salsa for a colorful entree that's full of flavor.

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    Mexicali Meatless Tostadas

    Photo: Jennifer Davick

    Recipe: Mexicali Meatless Tostadas

    Ready in 15 Minutes
    Get the flavor of beef for these tostadas, but without the fat, with meatless burger crumbles. Top it off with rice, refried beans, cheese, and homemade pico de gallo made from avocado, red onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.

    Easy Side: Coarsely chop 2 ripe avocados. Toss with 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

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    Tex-Mex Fajitas

    Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas, Ralph Anderson

    Recipe: Tex-Mex Fajitas

    Crisp sautéed tofu adds texture and omega-3 fats, which prevent cholesterol from clogging arteries, to these fajitas. Bell peppers and onions cooked in salsa and vinegar complete the tasty, good-for-you meal.

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    Tempura Shrimp Tacos

    Photo: Jennifer Davick

    Recipe: Tempura Shrimp Tacos

    Make coleslaw up to 24 hours in advance to jump-start this recipe.

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    Tacos Al Pastor

    Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

    Recipe: Tacos Al Pastor

    Tacos Al pastor is a Mexican dish featuring a pork and pineapple mixture. By marinating the pork with pineapple, the protein in the pork breaks down resulting in very tender meat. These tacos are genererally served on soft tortillas and include cilantro, onions, lime juice, pineapple, and salsa.

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    Southwest Shrimp Tacos

    Photo: Jennifer Davick

    Recipe: Southwest Shrimp Tacos

    Ancho chile powder and hot sauce give a kick to the grilled shrimp, but the cabbage-and-carrot mixture adds a cool, fresh crunch to the tacos.

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    Migas Tacos

    Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

    Recipe: Migas Tacos

    Get out of your cereal rut at breakfast with these Tex-Mex breakfast tacos filled with cheeesy scrambled eggs.

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    Grilled Chipotle Chicken

    Photo: Jennifer Davick

    Recipe: Grilled Chipotle Chicken

    Try Mexican oregano for extra zing. Serve with Okra and Tomatoes for a complete meal.

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    Chicken Enchiladas

    Photo: Howard Lee Puckett

    Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas

    This recipe tops chicken enchiladas with a quick green chile cream sauce and colby-Jack cheese for a twist on traditional enchilada sauce.

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    Beef Fajitas With Pico de Gallo

    Recipe: Beef Fajitas With Pico de Gallo

    Ready in 20 Minutes
    Bottled Italian dressing provides a simple, flavorful marinade for these grilled flank steak-filled fajitas. Use store-bought pico de gallo or make your own ahead of time.

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    Poblanos Stuffed With Pork and Fruit

    Photo: J. Savage Gibson

    Recipe: Poblanos Stuffed With Pork and Fruit

    The mild flavor of poblano peppers makes them a perfect candidate for stuffing. This recipe mixes pork with peaches, apricots, and plums for a fresh, unexpected flavor combination.

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    Chicken Chimichangas

    Recipe: Chicken Chimichangas

    Make these chimichangas for a dinner your whole family will love. Top with your favorite picante sauce, salsa or guacamole.

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    Easy Microwave Quesadillas

    Recipe: Easy Microwave Quesadillas

    Make these bean and cheese quesadillas in the microwave for an easy treat that even your kids can help with. The ingredients are store bought to save on prep time in the kitchen.

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