Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt Recipe (2024)

Chicken Chipotle Melt from Taco Bell 一 just a few simple words, but they could evoke so many emotions and make your mouth instantly water.

If you’ve never been a huge fan of sandwiches or homemade melts, this Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt will definitely change your mind.

It is a decent rival to the shredded chicken burrito which makes up a perfect weeknight meal or a holiday party snack.

How to Make Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt

It might seem like making melts at home is common sense since they usually feature last night’s leftovers.

Still, that’s not the case with the Chicken Chipotle Melt Taco Bell.

Here, you really have to go the extra mile to create that simple, yet flavorsome chicken melt.

We will take you all the way from making a homemade taco bell chipotle sauce, marinating the chicken, and finally assembling your melt.

Ingredients:

(4-6 servings)

For melt:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4-6 large flour tortillas

For marinade:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the chipotle sauce:

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo

Instructions:

Taco Bell Chipotle Chicken Melt features only 4 ingredients, yet the flavors are so complex they can take you right to the saucy melt heaven after the first bite.

It is a roll-up consisting of tortillas, a gritty amount of chipotle sauce, grilled chicken, and a lot of cheese.

It is a melt after all, isn’t it? There is no such thing as too much cheese.

Step 1:

Prepare the chicken. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a zip lock bag and mix it up.

Add the chicken, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade.

Since chicken is the main ingredient of our Chicken Chipotle Melt from Taco Bell, give it some time to sit.

Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or, even better, leave overnight.

Step 2:

Prepare the chipotle sauce.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, mix, and leave for 1 hour.

Step 3:

Time to grill. Grease the grates of your outdoor grill and heat it up to medium-high heat.

Place your chicken breasts onto the grates and grill for about 7-8 minutes per side until it is well browned and saucy.

Note: Pay attention to the temperature, as the chicken’s internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.

Once cooked, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Then slice it into thin strips.

Though the original recipe mentions a grilled chicken, not everyone has an outdoor grill.

But it doesn’t mean you won’t have a chance to taste a perfectly flavored Chicken Chipotle Melt.

Instead, heat up a large skillet at medium heat, add your chicken breasts, and cook until lightly brown for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Pro tip: if you have some bacon, cook it up before adding the chicken breasts.

The bacon fat will give the chicken some smokiness or a “grilled effect”.

Step 4:

Assemble your perfect chicken chipotle melt.

Place one tortilla in a large skillet over low heat and spread a thin layer of chipotle sauce on top.

Top it off with ¼ of cheese and ¼ of chicken.

Once the cheese has melted, remove it from the skillet and let the bottom cool.

Roll up your chicken melt and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Prepare to be wowed!

Ingredient Substitution

Tortillas and chipotle sauce are used in the original Chicken Chipotle Melt Taco Bell.

However, if you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand you can also make chicken chipotle melt with a few substitutions.

Tortillas

If you’re out of tortillas, you can use the good old bread for this chicken chipotle melt recipe.

However, as in any sandwich, bread is very important to stand up to the slippery fillings.

Go with sturdy white bread or opt for ciabatta or focaccia.

Just slide the bread up into ½ inches-thick slices and spread a generous coating of chipotle sauce on each of the pieces.

Then top each of them with cheese, add the chicken, and assemble the sandwich.

For an extra crunch, place the sandwich on a griddle or a press and press it down until the bread gets rich golden brown.

Chipotle Sauce

If you think there is nothing that could replace the chipotle sauce, you probably haven’t tried to use mayo. Yes, I said mayo.

You just have to mix it up with some chipotle peppers and adobo sauce to get the smoky flavor.

You won’t even know the difference. Try it.

What to Serve with Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt

Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt is a headliner of every meal. It goes without saying.

However, it can still be served in so many different ways you can’t even count them.

So here are a few of our favorite things to serve with the Chicken Chipotle Melt.

Chips and Grilled Queso

While the chicken chipotle roll might seem like a snack, you will be pretty full after eating it.

So, to get the ultimate experience you can serve it with light chips and grilled queso.

It is a light, crispy snack that will balance the bulky chicken melt filling.

It is a wonderful spin on a classic cheese dip with 3 different cheese combinations.

Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a versatile side that goes well with any meal.

It is sweet, tangy, and fresh.

Just about exactly what you need after the rich chicken chipotle melt.

Don’t say no to it just yet.

It takes no time to cook and consists of only fresh vegetables, selected to your taste.

It is a breath of fresh air after a saucy chicken melt.

How to Reheat Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt

The main problem with reheating chipotle melts is the cold ingredients.

While you can reheat meat or rice, warming guacamole or lettuce isn’t the best idea.

Luckily, Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt has none of these, allowing you to reheat it without unwrapping the roll.

How to Reheat Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt in a Microwave

The quickest and easiest way to reheat chicken chipotle melt is in a microwave.

You can control the temperature by allowing the heat to spread thoroughly, so you don’t end up burning your tongue in the tortilla while the filling is still cold.

Pro tip: Sprinkle some water on top of the chicken melt to prevent it from drying out in the microwave.

How to Reheat Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt in an Oven

To heat the melt in the oven, just pre-heat it at a low temperature and wrap your chicken chipotle melt in aluminum foil.

It will help to reheat your chicken to melt slowly and thoroughly. And you will get a soft tortilla.

If you prefer it crispy, lay your melt flat on the foil so it heats up from the bottom.

How to Store Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt

If you want to be able to enjoy your favorite Chicken Chipotle Melt from Taco Bell in the next few days or even months, you have to store it correctly.

The key here is to wrap it tightly so it is not too exposed to the air.

Store Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt in the Fridge

Let the Chicken Chipotle Melt reach room temperature within 2 hours of cooking, and wrap it tightly in a plastic wrap or aluminum foil, letting all the air out.

This will keep the melted fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Store Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt in the Freezer

In case you want to enjoy the chicken melt after 2-3 weeks, you just have to freeze it.

The process is the same 一 wrap it up in a plastic wrap or aluminum foil pressing out all the air.

Then lay the melt in a sheet pan and freeze.

Once they’re frozen you can put them in a sealed bag for long-term storage and enjoy the perfectly delicious Taco Bell Chicken Chipotle Melt in the upcoming weeks.

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