Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Cups [Video]
These Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Cups are everything you love about comfort food — crispy on the outside, creamy and flavour-packed inside. Made with leftover chicken, sweetcorn, spinach, mozzarella, and a tangy salsa twist, they’re baked to golden perfection in just 25 minutes. This recipe is super easy to make and requires minimal effort — perfect for when you want something tasty without spending much time in the kitchen. Serve them as a quick dinner, appetizer, or movie-night snack, and enjoy every cheesy, zesty bite.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 mini tortillas 16 cm / 6 inch diameter
- Water for brushing
Filling
- ~2 cup (60g) spinach
- 14 oz (400g) cooked chicken cubed or shredded, leftovers work perfectly
- ~½ cup (100g) sweetcorn
- 2 cups (100g) Mozzarella cheese grated, plus extra for topping
- 6 Tbsp tomato salsa
- 2 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Generous pinch salt and pepper
- 4 Tbsp fresh chopped coriander plus extra for garnish
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Prepare tortillas: Place one tortilla (16 cm / 6 inch) on your work surface and position a small 9 cm / 3.5 inch round object in the centre — a ramekin or cookie cutter works well. Use a sharp knife to make four small cuts opposite each other, leaving the centre untouched. Remove the object.Lift the two edges created by each cut, overlap one edge over the other, and press firmly so they stick together. Repeat with the remaining cuts until you form a sturdy cup shape that holds on its own, like a small bowl. Set the prepared tortilla cups aside.
- Prepare the Filling: To prepare the spinach, place the leaves in a sieve and pour boiling water over to wilt them. Rinse under cold water, squeeze out as much moisture as possible, and chop finely. In a bowl, mix the chopped spinach with the chicken, sweetcorn, mozzarella, salsa, shallot, cumin, salt, pepper, chopped coriander, and lime juice.Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tortilla cups. Transfer them to the lined baking tray, then sprinkle each with a little extra mozzarella on top.Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbling.
- Serve: Once baked, garnish with extra fresh coriander and serve warm. They’re delicious on their own or with a spoonful of sour cream, guacamole, or extra salsa on the side.
Notes
Use leftover chicken: This recipe is perfect for using up cooked or roasted chicken — it saves time and adds extra flavour. Shredded rotisserie chicken works beautifully too.
Spinach: Make sure to squeeze the spinach well after wilting. Any excess moisture can make the filling soggy and prevent the tortillas from crisping properly.
Folding: When shaping the tortillas, press each overlap firmly so it sticks — this helps the cups keep their structure while baking.
Customise the filling: Feel free to swap the chicken for shredded beef, turkey, or even black beans for a vegetarian version. Add chopped jalapeños for a little heat or a spoonful of sour cream for creaminess.
Perfect bake: The tortillas should turn lightly golden and crisp at the edges while the cheese bubbles on top. For extra crunch, bake for 2–3 minutes longer.
Serving tip: These are best served warm, straight from the oven. Pair them with a simple green salad, a squeeze of lime juice, or an extra spoonful of salsa for dipping.