Open Face Tacos is a family-favorite Mexican dinner recipe that allows each person to customize their taco salad with the toppings that they enjoy. We’re starting with a bed of tortilla chips then layers of chili, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and any other toppings that you like.
My daughter, Emily, loves this easy dinner recipe.
And for the record, I don’t serve this meal in a pie pan. I only put it in there for the photos.
We call this meal Open Face Tacos, but you can call it a nacho salad or a taco salad.
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Key to Success #1 – Start with a Base of Tortilla Chips
One of the things that sets this recipe apart is the fact that the tacos are built on a base of tortilla chips and not a fried tortilla.
You can slightly crush the chips or leave them whole.
I often get the Tostitos Bite Sized chips because they are easier to eat with a fork.
You can also substitute Fritos corn chips for the tortilla chips.
Key to Success #2 – Chili and Rice
The hearty portion of this recipe is the chili and the rice.
I prefer Hormel Chili No Beans but you can use any variety of chili that you prefer.
Homemade chili would even work in this easy and versatile recipe.
We have a great homemade chili recipe for the Instant Pot that you have got to try!
Simply heat the chili in the microwave for 3-5 minutes until it is warmed through.
For the rice, I use Instant white rice because it is quick and easy.
In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
Add the instant rice and then give it a little shake to make sure the rice is completely covered with the water.
For perfect instant rice, give the saucepan a little shake to ensure that the rice is completely covered with water.
Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes or more.
Finally, fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Key to Success #3 – Top It Your Way
The beauty of this easy recipe is that it’s completely customized to the toppings that each person likes.
I like to top my open face taco with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream, but the options are endless.
We also make a bowl of queso with Velveeta, a can of Ro-tel tomatoes with green chiles, and a little bit of milk.
Queso is great drizzled over the top of the open face taco.
You can also add salsa, hot sauce, olives, onions, green onions, or a little bit of lime juice, just to name a few options.
Serve all the toppings family-style and allow your family or guests to create their own open face taco with the toppings that are available.
Save this Open Face Tacos recipe to your favorite Mexican Food board or your Taco Tuesday board.
Open Face Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 2 cans 15 oz Hormel Chili No Beans
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups instant rice
- shredded lettuce
- tomatoes diced
- 1 lb Velveeta Cheese
- 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes with green chiles
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 8 oz sour cream
- 16 oz salsa or picante sauce
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add instant rice. Place a lid on the saucepan and remove it from heat. Allow it to sit covered for at least 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.
- Cut the Velveeta into squares and place it into a microwave-safe bowl. Add a can of Ro-tel tomatoes and 1/2 cup milk. Microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Stir well. Continue heating in 1-minute intervals then stir until the cheese sauce is melted and smooth.
- In a separate microwave-safe bowl, add in both cans of chili no beans. Microwave on high power 3-5 minutes until the chili is hot.
- Serve this meal family-style where everyone can design their own open-face taco with the ingredients that they like.
- Suggested stacking order: 8-10 tortilla chips slightly crushed, chili, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, cheese sauce, sour cream, salsa.
Notes
- refried beans
- olives
- fresh-squeezed lime juice
- guacamole
- pico de gallo
- scallions
- hot sauce
- jalapenos
Equipment
Nutrition
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