Step 1: Prep Ingredients

• First things first, get your mise en place together. We are going to use store-bought nacho cheese taco shells, soft tortillas, or the flatbread/gordita option if you can find them. Everything else is fairly standard when it comes to a taco party – with the exception of maybe the Chipotle peppers in Adobo. (That also happens to be one of my favorite pantry staple items that I always keep on hand for various sauces, marinades, etc)
• Start by finely dicing your onion and prepping the fresh toppings—lettuce and pico.

Step 2: Make Chipotle Crema

• In a small bowl, mix your Chipotle Crema:
• Combine 1 cup of sour cream, juice from 1 can of Chipotle’s in Adobo, lime juice and zest from 1 lime, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Season to taste.
• Add a pinch of sugar if the heat is too much. Set aside.
• You can save this sauce for a week or 2 in the fridge and use it on whatever you like!

Step 3: Make the Taco Meat

• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the 80/20 ground beef (you can also sub out the beef and use ground chicken or turkey) and brown your ground beef or any other meat of your choice, until a deep color develops.
• Drain off any excess fat, stir in diced onion, and cook until translucent.
• Season with taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade with the recipe below).
• Pour in beef broth (about ¼ cup per pound of meat) or water and simmer until the liquid reduces and the beef is flavorful and saucy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Optional: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for extra heat

Homemade Taco Seasoning Instructions

Taco Seasoning Instructions:

• In a small bowl, mix spices together until well combined.
• Taste the seasoning blend and adjust any flavors to your preference. You can add more salt for saltiness, more chili powder for heat, or more cumin for a deeper flavor.
• Store the taco seasoning in an airtight container or spice jar until ready to use.

Step 4: Warm the Tortillas

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place soft tortillas on a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• The easiest way to do this IMO is right in the oven at 350 for a few minutes.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese on each tortilla and warm until the cheese melts—about 5–7 minutes. This helps them stick to the hard shells later.

Step 5: Build the Cheesy Gordita Crunch

• Spread a spoonful of chipotle crema on the melted cheesy side of the soft tortilla.
• Press a Doritos taco shell onto it to fuse them together.

Step 6: Fill & Finish

• Build your taco to your preference and fill your crunchy shell with seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, pico, extra shredded cheese, and another drizzle of chipotle crema.