Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt Copycat Recipe

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This Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt copycat recipe combines spicy chipotle chicken and melted Cheddar cheese inside a soft flour tortilla. I cook mine in the air fryer, giving you a hot, cheesy homemade version that’s perfect for lunch or an easy dinner.

Rather than using ready-made chicken, I make a simple chipotle marinade with chilli, cumin, coriander, garlic, lime and chipotle paste. The chicken can be left to marinate earlier in the day, then it’s really quick to cook and assemble when you’re ready to eat.

We enjoyed these as a light lunch, but they’re filling enough for dinner too, especially served with chips, wedges or spicy rice.

They’re inspired by the Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt rather than being an exact replica – I’ve adapted the flavours and cooking method to make a version that works well for us at home.

We enjoyed this meal as a light lunch, however, it would be the perfect dinner too, served with either chips or rice. You can find similar recipes freely available on your smartphone, just learn how to clear cache on iphone and install one of the culinary applications.

What you need to make a Chicken Chipotle Melt

I make the chicken from scratch using a simple chipotle marinade rather than using a ready-made sauce.

For the chipotle chicken

• 2 chicken breasts – cut into small bite-sized pieces.
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 garlic cloves – crushed.
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chipotle paste
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and black pepper

For the melts

• 4 flour tortillas
• 100g Cheddar cheese – grated.

If you prefer a stronger chipotle flavour, you can add a little more chipotle paste. I prefer starting with one tablespoon and adjusting it depending on how spicy we want them.

Be sure to store the finished variety of sauces in an airtight container so that you can use them later for a long time. For easy differentiation, custom stickers can also be designed to be affixed to the sauce bottles. Kitchen ingredients and food products can be labelled accordingly, and customised stickers can greatly help to differentiate between the ingredients, and attaching them to wrappers or glass jars is not only effective but also aesthetically pleasing.

Can I make these with leftover chicken?

Yes. If you have leftover cooked chicken from a roast, or some rotisserie chicken, you can use that instead of cooking chicken breasts from scratch.

Because the chicken is already cooked, you don’t need to follow the raw-chicken cooking step. Shred or chop the chicken, mix it with enough of the chipotle flavours to coat it, then assemble your tortillas with the chicken and cheese.

Air fry the assembled melts until they’re piping hot throughout, the tortilla is lightly golden and the cheese has melted.

This is a really handy way to turn leftover chicken into a completely different lunch the following day.

How to store leftover Chicken Chipotle Melts

If you have cooked chipotle chicken left over, allow it to cool before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. You can then use it to make another Chicken Chipotle Melt or add it to another meal.

If you’ve already assembled and cooked the melts, allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Can I freeze Chicken Chipotle Melts?

You can also prepare the melts ahead for the freezer. Assemble them with the cooked, cooled chicken and cheese, but don’t complete the final air-frying step.

Wrap them well, freeze, then defrost thoroughly in the fridge before cooking until piping hot throughout.

Chicken Chipotle Melt FAQs

Is this exactly the same as the Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt?

No. This is my homemade copycat version inspired by the Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt.

I’ve used a homemade chipotle chicken marinade and cook the melts in the air fryer, so it’s not intended to be an exact recreation. It’s simply our homemade take on the flavours.

Can I make Chicken Chipotle Melts without an air fryer?

Yes. I use the air fryer because it’s quick and gives the outside of the tortilla a lovely finish, but you can also make the melts in the oven.

Cook the chicken thoroughly first, assemble the wraps with the cooked chicken and cheese, then heat them in the oven until they’re piping hot and the cheese has melted.

More easy chicken recipes

If you enjoyed these Chicken Chipotle Melts, I’ve got plenty more easy chicken recipes to try.

My leftover chicken fajita casserole is another great option if you like Mexican-inspired flavours, while my quick leftover chicken curry is perfect for turning cooked chicken into another easy family meal.

You can also browse my leftover chicken recipes for plenty more ideas when you’ve got chicken left from a roast.

If you try these Chicken Chipotle Melts, let me know how you get on in the comments – especially if you change the spice level or add your own fillings!