Bring bold, comforting flavors to your table with easy Tex-Mex recipes perfect for weeknight dinners or weekend gatherings. From hearty tacos and burritos to savory stews and classic sides, these flavorful dishes are simple to prepare and full of satisfying spice.

Classic Tex-Mex Salsa

Serves: 6 | Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour refrigeration

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, with or without seeds as desired
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
• Pinch ground cumin, or to taste
• Sugar to taste (optional)
• Chili powder or hot sauce, if needed

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients, EXCEPT the chili powder/hot sauce, in a blender and pulse to reach the desired consistency.
2. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, to allow the flavors to develop.
3. Adjust the flavor with more salt, lime, sugar (to reduce heat) or hot sauce (to add heat), if needed.

Shredded Chicken Burrito

Serves: 4 | Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour marinating time | Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For marinade

• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder

For filling

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup cooked rice
• ½ cup enchilada sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• ⅔ cup cheese, shredded (like Edam, cheddar, Monterey Jack or a combination)
• 2-3 tablespoons green onion, sliced

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour (to overnight).
2. After marinating, grill the chicken over medium heat until done (about 10-15 minutes, flipping over midway through grilling).
3. Slice the grilled chicken thinly or pull it apart to shred. Set it aside.
4. In a saucepan, combine the rice with the enchilada sauce. Season with salt. Mix well and cook until heated through.
5. Steam the tortillas by wrapping them in damp towels and heating in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. You may also heat them on a preheated skillet for 15 seconds on each side.
6. To assemble the burritos, first place ¼ of the shredded chicken at the center of each tortilla.
7. Add a layer of rice over the chicken and sprinkle with cheese and then with green onions.
8. To wrap the burritos, fold one side of the tortilla over the other half and pull back to cover the filling. Press down on the edges to pack the filling and to get a tight roll. Fold one end over to seal and roll the whole burrito to the end. Both ends may be sealed, if desired.
9. You may heat the burrito in the microwave for a few seconds just to melt the cheese.

Tex-Mex Pork Tacos

Serves: 6 | Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes soaking time | Cooking Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 24 pieces 6-inch tortillas, corn or wheat
• 4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
• Salsa
• Onions, chopped
• Pickled onions
• Cilantro, chopped

For pork shoulder

• 4 large dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 large dried chilies de árbol, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 5-pound boneless pork shoulder
• Kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle dark beer

Directions

1. Soak the dried chilies in hot, freshly boiled water for 30 minutes. Weigh them down and cover them with a plate or saucer. Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. In a blender, process the chilies, sugar, lime juice, and ¼ cup of the reserved soaking liquid into a paste. Add more soaking liquid, if needed.
4. Dry the pork shoulder with paper towels.
5. Season it generously with salt, and then rub the paste evenly over the pork.
6. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, coriander, cumin, and allspice until the onion is tender (about 8 minutes).
7. Pour in the beer and bring it to a boil.
8. Place the pork in the pot, cover, and transfer it to the oven. Let it braise until tender (about 2 ½ hours), basting occasionally with pan juices.
9. When the pork is done, transfer it carefully to a large tray and allow it to cool.
10. Shred it with forks, and pour the pan juice over the meat.
11. Heat the tortillas in a skillet, for about 1 minute on each side, and wrap them in towels to keep them warm.
12. Serve warm tacos and shredded pork, with toppings set out for everyone to use as they please.

Tex-Mex Beef Stew (Carne Guisada)

Serves: 6 | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chuck roast or shoulder, cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 large bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ cups mild Rotel® tomatoes and chilies, or salsa
• ½ cup water
• ⅔ cup tomato sauce
• Flour or corn tortillas or plain rice for serving
• Toppings: avocado slices or guacamole, shredded lettuce, and sour cream

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the beef evenly (about 10 minutes).
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened (about 7 minutes).
3. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and flour, and cook until thickened (about 2 minutes).
4. Add the Rotel® tomatoes/salsa and water, and bring it to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the tomato sauce and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until the beef is tender enough to flake with a fork.
7. May be served with tortillas, plain rice, or Mexican rice, avocado slices or guacamole, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.

Classic Mexican Rice

Serves: 4-6 | Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cups fresh or canned tomatoes, very ripe, cored
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• ⅓ cup canola or any cooking oil
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 jalapeño, minced (with seeds), for garnish
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes and onion in a blender and combine to make a smooth puree. Set it aside.
2. Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the starch is washed out and the water runs clear. Drain well.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes. The oil is ready when a grain of rice dropped in sizzles.
4. Sauté the rice in the oil until the rice is light gold in color (about 6-8 minutes).
5. Add the garlic and 2 seedless jalapeños, and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
6. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a rice cooker. Rinse any remaining bits in the skillet with the broth into the rice cooker. Stir in the puree, tomato paste, and salt.
7. Place the lid on the rice cooker and let it cook for about 30 minutes. Remove it from the heat but keep the lid on for another 5 minutes or so, to ensure that all the moisture has been absorbed by the rice.
8. Serve garnished with cilantro and jalapeño slices, with lime wedges on the side.

Caramel Flan

Serves: 4 | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the caramel

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

For the custard

• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 whole eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime zest (you may use orange or lemon zest instead)

Directions

1. To make the caramel, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook, without stirring, over medium-high heat. Allow the sugar to melt and turn to caramel. When the syrup turns deep amber, immediately remove it from the heat and set the bottom of the pan in cold water. (NOTE: Hot caramel can scald.) Distribute the caramel into 4 small ramekins. Set aside.
2. To make the custard, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. In a medium-sized pot or saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla and heat over medium high. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as it begins to boil
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. While whisking constantly, pour the hot milk and vanilla mixture into the eggs and sugar in a thin stream. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.
5. Distribute the mixture into the caramel-coated ramekins.
6. Place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish or sheet pan.
7. Fill the pan with water until it reaches about half way up the ramekins.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tip of a knife when inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the flans to cool.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
11. To demold the flan, cut around the edges with a small knife to loosen it from the ramekin, and flip it onto a serving plate. Tap the bottom of the ramekin until you hear the flan slide out.

***These recipes and more are in Lina Chang’s Tex-Mex Takeout Cookbook: Favorite Tex-Mex Recipes to Make at Home. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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