Our 29 Cheesiest Cinco De Mayo Recipes

April 24, 2018
Photo: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks
If you're looking for something easy and cheesy this Cinco De Mayo, look no further than these irresistible favorites. 
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Roasted Chili Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Roasted Chili Verde Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Skip red enchilada sauce in favor of homemade chili verde in this Mexican classic. The heat level of poblanos can range from mild to spicy. Removing the seeds lessens the kick.
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Taco-Tot Casserole

Photo: Gina DeSimone; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Taco-Tot Casserole Recipe
Tex-Mex meets tater tots in this easy, inexpensive, and all-around comforting one-dish dinner. Our spicy twist on the classic tater tot casserole consists of a succulent ground beef filling—featuring creamy black beans, crisp-sweet corn, cheese, and mild green chiles for a kick—topped with crispy tater tots, and finished with a drizzle of an addictively spicy and tangy sour cream sauce. Top this fiesta of a casserole with fresh garnishes, such as avocado, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro, and it’s as perfect to serve at your next football feast as it is for a casual weeknight meal. We use 85/15 lean ground beef for this recipe and recommend that you do not go with anything leaner, as the higher fat percentage both contributes to the filling’s rich flavor and keeps it from drying out while baking.

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San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay Clark
San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos Recipe
Original tacos were a little different than the U-shaped tortillas invented by entrepreneur Glen Bell of Taco Bell. The real deal begins with a ball of masa flattened into a thin round that's fried to a golden crispness. The masa puffs up a bit, which is how the moniker "puffy taco" came into play. Stuff with ground taco meat, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese.
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Creamy Chicken Quesadillas

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
Creamy Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
A creamy base helps the cheese go further and keeps the chicken moist. For a crisp exterior, coat the filled tortillas with cooking spray instead of coating the pan.

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Adam Hickman and Briana Riddock
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce Recipe
Are you ready for the best chicken enchiladas of your life? While you could use a rotisserie chicken for this cheesy enchilada recipe, poaching chicken breasts in a delicately flavored liquid both creates succulently tender meat (that won’t dry out as the casserole bakes) and adds another layer of flavor to the dish.

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Quick and Easy Nachos

Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Julia Levy; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson
Quick and Easy Nachos Recipe
This platter of goodness represents the lowest-effort end of the nacho spectrum. That said, “low-effort”—by no stretch of the imagination—means a low YUM-factor here. Although this game day-perfect platter of beefy, cheesy nachos comes together quickly and relies largely on store-bought shortcuts, it delivers the classic meld of flavors and textures that you want from everyone’s favorite appetizer.
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Copycat Doritos Locos Tacos

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Nicole McLaughlin
Copycat Doritos Locos Tacos Recipe
These cheesy nacho- and ranch-flavored tacos are, dare we say it, even better than the fast-food version. Pro-tip: If you can’t find cheese powder in your local grocery store (not surprising), no worries; you can use the packet of dry cheese mix from a box of macaroni and cheese (such as Kraft brand). You should only need 1 package for the amount of cheese powder called for in the recipe below.

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe
These bold and smoky tacos provide the perfect route to reinventing some leftover chicken. Serve them up with a crisp green salad for a light and refreshing weeknight supper.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos Recipe
From the Kitchen of Julie Hutson, Callahan, Florida. "This is surprisingly yummy to have such simple ingredients."
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Two-Cheese Veggie Nachos

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Two-Cheese Veggie Nachos Recipe
We love the double-cheese contrast here: Shredded cheese melts into a bubbly blanket over the tortillas, while crumbly queso fresco covers the veggies with a salty kick. It's an impressive dish for coffee table dining--it's fun to keep it all on the baking pan and serve as a shared platter.

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Beef and Cheddar Enchiladas

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Beef and Cheddar Enchiladas Recipe
A decadent beef roast fills these mouth-watering enchiladas. This unique Tex-Mex dish is sure to have everyone begging for the recipe.

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Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole Recipe
In a pinch and in need of a quick meal that will please everyone? A one-pan, assemble-and-bake Tex-Mex casserole just might be the answer. It takes just 5 ingredients to make a melty, cheesy, smoky green chile chicken dish. Add rice and black beans for a full on fiesta! Use the breast and leg quarters of a rotisserie chicken and store-bough enchilada sauce for convenience. This super-fast dish is even more delicious served with pico de gallo, guacamole, or even leftover tostadas on top for more crunch. If you can't find tostadas, yellow corn tortilla chips will also work.
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Loaded Chorizo Nachos

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower 
Loaded Chorizo Nachos Recipe
When we say loaded, we mean it. These nachos require a fork for scooping up all the tasty fillings. Building on a foil-lined pan means instant cleanup: Bring the pan right to the table after broiling, and discard the foil after dinner.

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Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

Photo: Hector Maneul Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas Recipe
Collards pair well with this chile sauce, but you can substitute other hearty greens too, like kale. To easily prep collard greens, simply submerge the leaves in a sink full of cold water, swish them around, then let them soak for a few minutes so the grit falls to the bottom of the sink. If using kale, be sure to remove the tough, fibrous stems before chopping—they're not so good for eating.

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Skillet Nacho Dip

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Skillet Nacho Dip Recipe
We combined our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos into one epic skillet dish.
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Shrimp "Ceviche" Tostadas

Photo: Iain Bagwell
Shrimp "Ceviche" Tostadas Recipe
Sunset reader Robin Martinez, of Bend, Oregon, gave us this recipe for a cheater's version of ceviche, made by mixing cooked shrimp with a lime dressing. She serves it on tostada shells, but it would also work as a dip, with chips served on the side.

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Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas

Photo: Iain Bagwell
Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas Recipe
Pile crisp bacon, bright shrimp, and gooey cheese to create the most perfect quesadilla. Serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream and it will be photo-ready in no time.

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Elote-Style Corn with Cotija and Spicy Cilantro Cream

Photo: Stephen Devries; Food Styling: Erin Merhar 
Elote-Style Corn with Cotija and Spicy Cilantro Cream Recipe
The mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, chile powder, and cumin makes for a flavorful spread over the corn. Sprinkle with a blend of Cotija cheese, cilantro, chives, and amachur powder for an authentic bite.
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Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos Recipe
Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. While we love melted shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes it easier to separate from the pack. Topping potential is endless, but we like sliced avocado and jalapeño.

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Pulled Pork Barbecue Nachos

Photo: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Pulled Pork Barbecue Nachos Recipe
Brighten up your evening with fresh and colorful layered nachos made with our famous pulled pork.

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Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas Recipe
Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor.
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Esquites (Creamy Corn Salad)

Photo: Christopher Testani; Styling: Paige Hicks
Esquites (Creamy Corn Salad) Recipe
Esquites is a cousin to elote--that street food favorite of creamy cheese-coated corn cobs. You can also find this off-the-cob version with Mexican street food vendors. It's great on its own or served as a side dish with grilled meats.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
These enchiladas are a cinch to assemble and easy to freeze--just cover one of the pans with foil. If you plan to serve a crowd, bake in one (13 x 9-inch) baking dish. The chicken stays moist throughout baking and reheating, thanks to a gentle poach and a creamy verde sauce. Fresh cilantro stems have tons of flavor; make sure to include them in the sauce.

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Trade the traditional enchilada sauce for a creamy, cheesy topping on this Mexican chicken casserole recipe. Your family will never know they're enjoying a lightened meal.
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20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas

Caitlin Bensel
20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Quick tip: While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken. For a spicy kick, top with chopped jalapeños.

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Roasted Poblano Queso

Stephen Karlisch
Roasted Poblano Queso Recipe
Roasting the jalapeño and poblano chiles makes for an authentic flavor you'll love.

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Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas Recipe
Upgrade your burritos by crisping them in a skillet.
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Beef and Bean Taco Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Beef and Bean Taco Salad Recipe
To help keep the tortillas in the shape of a bowl, keep the ramekins on the pan when you flip the tortillas over, and use them as supports to help prop up the tortilla bowls.

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Cheesy Chicken Fajitas 

Photo: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks
Cheesy Chicken Fajitas  Recipe
Chicken taco meets 7-layer dip in this fiesta of a skillet supper. You can swap in black beans or kidney beans for the pintos. For extra zest, serve with cilantro and lime wedges. Savor all the flavors of Taco Tuesday without any of the guilt. You can easily make vegetarian fajitas by removing the chicken and adding sliced zucchini, diced carrots and potatoes. Convert taco night into a buffet taco bar and let everyone build their own fajita.
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