This homemade Green Taco Seasoning recipe is my Chi Chi’s taco seasoning copycat, and it’s so easy to make. It’s super flavorful and instantly boosts any recipe for tacos, nachos, or quesadillas to the next level!
Easy Green Taco Seasoning
My family prefers this flavorful Green Taco Seasoning recipe over any other red taco seasoning. It’s my easy copycat Chi Chi’s taco seasoning. (Chi-Chi’s was a Mexican restaurant chain founded here in Minnesota back in the 70’s – and boy oh boy, did I love their chimichangas. I heard they’re making a comeback – I sure hope so!) This homemade blend combines dried herbs and spices like onion and garlic powders, cumin, green bell pepper flakes, jalapeño, and more. It’s great for tacos, enchiladas, and nachos – and to stir into pots of chili and soup. We make this seasoning in bulk, to always have on hand – my family wouldn’t have it any other way!
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Chi Chi’s Taco Seasoning
Growing up on a rural South Dakota farm, it was always a treat to eat at Chi-Chi’s restaurant in Fargo, about 75 miles north on I-90. This green taco seasoning is my nod to those Mexican meal memories, and a recipe that my family has fully embraced. Here’s why we think you’ll love it too:
- Adjustable. Homemade spice mixes are infinitely adaptable, which is a top reason to make them yourself. For example, our family really likes cumin and black pepper – so I often add more of those two ingredients.
- Awesome chili powder alternative. When our daughters were younger, they would only eat Mexican dishes made without chili powder (red taco seasoning mixes). And they LOVED anything I made with this green taco seasoning. My seasoning mix does include very small amounts of dried jalapeno, cayenne, and chili flakes – but if you’d like a taco seasoning recipe without chili powder (for dietary reasons or you don’t like the flavor), simply eliminate them. The seasoning mix will still be very good and flavorful!
- Versatile. Of course, this seasoning blend is perfect for any Mexican meals – it’s easy to season ground and shredded meats perfectly. It also gives great flavor to soups, stews, and roasts.
- Money-saving. I’m guessing you have nearly all the dried seasonings for this recipe already in your spice drawer, and probably only need to grab one or two from the store or online. This method saves money in the end (versus purchasing pre-made spice packets).
- Keeps well. Once you have all the individual dried seasonings, it’s easy to make this green taco seasoning mix in bulk whenever you’re running low. When stored properly, in a cool, dark place, it’ll keep very well for at least 6 months!
“This is the only taco seasoning recipe we use at our house. Excellent!!!! Thank you for taking the time and interest in figuring out the ingredients and quantities and for sharing your recipe with others.”
Teresa
Recipe Ingredients
To make this seasoning mix, grab these dried herbs and spices. Find the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Dried green bell pepper flakes – This is the main ingredient. It adds sweet bell pepper flavor, no heat at all!
- Dried minced white onion – This is different from onion powder – look for “minced onions” in the spice aisle.
- Garlic & onion powder – For delicious, earthy flavor notes.
- Cumin – One of my family’s spice drawer favorites!! This adds a ton of flavor, without heat.
- Dried cilantro – Or substitute dried parsley.
- Salt & pepper
- Mexican oregano – Or use regular oregano.
- Dried jalapeño pepper – Use dried, crushed jalapeño pepper.
- Cayenne pepper – Adjust the amount of cayenne to your taste.
- Dried red pepper flakes – Again, adjust to your liking.
How To Make Green Taco Seasoning
The Chi-Chi’s seasoning mix was my inspiration for my homemade green taco seasoning recip. And it’s so easy to make! Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Assemble. Add the dried herbs and spices to a bowl.
- Mix. Stir them together until well combined.
- Use or store away. You can use the seasoning mix right away or store it for a later time.
Tips & Variations
Make this recipe as-written for that familiar Chi-Chi’s flavor, or play around with some of the ingredients to tailor it more to your liking. Here are a few of my best tips and variations:
- Try different herbs & spices. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients. I already mentioned that our family likes to add more cumin and black pepper. If you like smoky flavors, think about adding some chipotle pepper (has some heat!), ancho chili pepper (little to no heat), or smoked paprika. If you can find Mexican oregano, awesome! If not, simply substitute with regular oregano.
- Make it in bulk. Go ahead and double or triple (or more!) the quantity of your spice mix to save yourself some time later.
- Use a spice grinder. Store-bought Chi Chi’s mix has dehydrated onions and green chiles left in larger flakes. There are 2 reasons you might want to think about running this blend through a spice grinder:
- If you prefer a finer-ground mix.
- If you’re making this in bulk, to keep on hand for future use. You’ll find that the smaller granules want to settle to the bottom, while the larger flakes float to the top. Grinding achieves a uniform size for all ingredients, and keeps the mix evenly incorporated. If you choose not to grind the mixture, just be sure to stir it very well before using it – it’ll still work great!
- Make it more or less spicy. There is very little heat in this mix, but feel free to omit the small amounts of dried jalapeno, cayenne, and chili flakes. Or add more!
Ways To Use This Seasoning
We use this green taco seasoning every single week, in a variety of ways:
- How to season meat. To add a punch of flavor to meats: In a skillet, brown 1 pound of ground or shredded meat, such as beef, turkey, chicken, or pork, until cooked through. Drain away any excess fat, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of green taco seasoning (a single recipe) over the cooked meat and add ⅓ cup of water to the skillet. Stir well, then simmer on medium-low until the liquid is absorbed.
- Ways to use the seasoned meat. Use the seasoned meat for tacos, nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas, breakfast burritos, and so much more! My sister’s Dorito taco salad has been a longtime favorite. You could add 1-1/2 tablespoons of green taco seasoning to taco stuffed sweet potatoes, instead of the spices listed in that recipe. Or flavor ground meat for macho nachos!
- Add to burgers. Mix some green taco seasoning into ground meat for burgers, like my mushroom and cheddar sliders recipe.
- Stir into soup. Stir into any soup with Tex-Mex flavors, such as my easy slow cooker chili, this end of summer chicken chili, or chicken tortilla soup!
- Nachos. Sprinkle green taco seasoning over pulled pork nachos.
Proper Storage
Place the seasoning mix in an airtight container such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or a spice container, and store it in a cool, dark spot for up to 6 months.
More Seasoning Mixes & COndiments
Green Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried green bell pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried minced white onion
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- ¼ teaspoon dried crushed jalapeño pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into a small bowl, then stir to combine. Use immediately, or store in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark spot for up to 6 months.
I’m one of those people who dislike cilantro, so I’m going to try to sub in green chile powder for that. Should be equally tasty I assume!
Dry cilantro tastes nothing like fresh… I hate fresh cilantro but LOVE dried cilantro
Brenda, you nailed it! I have been buying ChiChi’s mix for over 20 YEARS! I googled tonight to find your recipe and “crisis averted”! I substituted canned green chilis for dried (the one ingredient I did not have) . I cannot tell you how happy I am to make this. My guys are gonna be so pleased. Thanks a bunch!
Hello Colleen – I LOVE to hear this. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Did you just use one can for the dried jalapeños or two?
Thanks for posting chi chi copycat recipe. My family and I have cut out prepackaged seasonings, mixes and gravies and anything processed and package that I can make homemade. I’ve been making my own traditional chili powder and paprika taco seasoning, but my husband wanted one similar to chi chi’s or the Mexican restaurant we dine at. This was perfect. Only change I had was the tsp of onion to a tbsp. But other then that it was perfect. Thank you!
So glad you liked this, Annie. Thank you for letting me know!
Thank you soo much!!! I loved Chi Chi’s too!! And can’t find the restaurant style green seasoning mix in stores! I will try your recipe!! Thanks again!!
Recipe sounds good. I will try it out. The thing about chi chi’s is they used monosodium glutamate in their recipes. That is what gives it that unique savory taste.
This is great! Thank You!!!
Thanks, Kelly!
Thanks for the recipe! I have been searching for Chi-Chi’s recipes for both of their versions of chili. One was a bowl of red chili, and it was cubed meat (steak? pork?) and a thick gravy/sauce that was served with a couple of warm flour tortillas. The other was a bowl of green chili with cubed meat (steak? pork?) and a thick gravy/sauce served with a couple of warm flour tortillas. The green chili was milder than the red. I don’t think either version had beans or vegetables in the chili. Both versions were available when Chi-Chi’s opened originally, much later they changed their menu and the chili recipes changed, not for the better. I would be so grateful if anyone would post those recipes. Thanks!
Just made this today and it was fantastic! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I’m so glad you like it, Paula! :)
I moved from mn to the west coast about 4 years ago and have looked in every store I go in for that chichi’s seasoning packet. Apparently, it’s not sold out here! Finally my husband suggested I look up a recipe, so glad I did! Can’t wait to make this for dinner! You’ve made my day.
I too was never as fond of the red taco seasoning packets, but Chi-Chi’s is the best! Thanks for this recipe!
You’re welcome! :)
I can’t THANK YOU enough! I’ve been using those EXACT taco seasoning packets and trying to figure out the spices. You’ve saved me the trouble! I miss Chi Chi’s. Their sopapillas and churros with chocolate sauce were AMAZING. It was my favorite restaurant as a child.
Hi…..I live in Texas….but grew up in North Dakota….Chi Chi’s was my favorite Mexican restaurant. It was an 80 mile drive, but worth it…..thanks for recipe!
Looks delicious, thank you so much for recreating this!!
You’re welcome. :)
I have never even seen a green taco mix – definitely trying this one out!!
Chi-chi’s was a huge favorite here too. My husband and I went at least once a week before we were married. I so miss their wild berry margaritas and corn cake!
I love trying new seasoning mixes (especially for south of the border kinds of meals), but as a vegan I always have to look at the list of ingredients on the back. I’m picky about what I put on our family plates! So thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Can’t wait to try it out!
I always make my own taco seasoning, but have never thought of doing a green one! I’m loving this idea. Sometimes the red chiles can be a little too assertive a flavor for me and I always ask for green sauce at Mexican restaurants instead of the typical red, so why not a green seasoning mix? Makes perfect sense.
oh yes Chi-Chi’s, loved that place! Can’t wait to try this.
This sounds delicious. So much better when it’s homemade, too.
Thanks for the great new seasoning to try. The closest Chi Chi’s to us was about an hour away and I only remember eating there a handful of times.