The Old El Paso Taco Kit Hack You Need For Cheesy Chile Tacos

Those classic Mexican taco styles from your favorite taco spot can't always be quickly recreated at home. Thankfully, there are easy-to-use kits that make taco night achievable in no time. Next time a craving hits, pick up an Old El Paso Breakfast Taco Kit — but don't use it for breakfast tacos. Instead, swap just one main ingredient to create cheesy, green chile tacos that are ready in minutes.

The taco kit comes with six soft flour tortillas, plus one packet of queso and one packet of creamy green chile sauce. When you're ready to make a low-effort dinner, pull out the kit but skip the eggs that the instructions on the box call for. Instead, grab a pound of ground beef. Cook the beef with a packet of taco seasoning plus that creamy queso, and stuff the tacos with the seasoned, cheesy beef, plus the green chile sauce.

The type of beef you use will impact the tacos' flavor and texture. For juicy, rich chile tacos, grab something as low as 73% lean — that higher fat content will add more flavor to the meal. If you want to keep it leaner, choose a ground beef that's 85% lean, or even as high as more than 90%. Keep in mind that leaner beef tends to dry out due to the lack of fat, so if you go this route, add a little oil as it cooks and take care not to overcook it.

All you need for this meal is taco-seasoned beef, and the kit does the rest of the work for you. But if you're looking for bigger flavor and texture, don't be afraid to add even more ingredients. For a little crunch along with an extra spicy boost, slice some jalapeños to add into the tacos. While the queso covers the cheese requirement, you can also add some Cotija cheese, which is a mild Mexican cheese that can easily be crumbled over the beef. For a pop of green and a peppery bite, garnish with cilantro. Other toppings like chopped bell peppers, sweet onions, and garlic are welcome additions, too.

The flour tortillas only need to be microwaved, but if you have the time, you can level them up by adding a little oil to the pan where you cooked the beef and toasting the tortillas on one side. They'll pick up the remaining beef fat and spicy taco seasoning. Then, stuff the tacos on the soft side, and when you close them up, you'll have a cheesy, crunchy, extra flavorful taco. While the taco kit acts as a base — and is perfectly fine for a quick, easy dinner — there's no shortage of ways to customize this meal.