El Chico Cafe Recipes

Chef Jen Power
Ranker 8,609 views 8 items 13 voters

El Chico recipes, a helpful guide to preparing your favorite dishes from the El Chico menu at home. These copycat recipes are typically not based on exactly the method used at El Chico, but are modeled closely on the flavor and texture of El Chico's food, making it easier than ever to bring these great tastes to your house for cheap.

El Chico is a chain of casual Tex-Mex restaurants with 78 locations found throughout the Southern United States. The business began in 1926 with Cuellar family near Dallas, TX, who sold their mother's chili and tamales at the county fair. Today, El Chico offers traditional Mexican-style dishes, including enchiladas, quesadillas, and, of course, margaritas.

From the cheesy biscuits at Red Lobster to the amazing sauces at Buffalo Wild Wings, it's always tempting to go out for a delicious treat at one of the numerous chain and franchise restaurants dotting the landscape. But eating out at restaurants all the time can be a costly proposition. Not to mention the fact that, at restaurants, you have no portion control, and can't alter the recipes, ingredients or style of cooking to suit your own taste.

Making El Chico Cafe menu items in your home gives you all of these options, while saving you money, and providing the same great diversity and taste that you'd find at your favorite casual dining spot. This list collections the best copycat El Chico Cafe recipes from around the Web.

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Chicken Fajita Salad

2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
1/4 cup lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup whole almonds, toasted
Shredded lettuce
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 avocado, sliced

- Combine 1 tablespoon oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and oregano.
-Toss with chicken; marinate at least 30 minutes.
- In a skillet, heat remaining oil on medium-high.
- Saute onion 2 minutes.
- Drain chicken, reserving marinade.
- Add chicken to skillet; stir-fry until it begins to brown.
- Add red pepper, chilies and marinade; cook 2 minutes.
- Stir in almonds.
- Serve immediately over shredded lettuce and top with tomatoes and avocado.
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Shrimp Enchiladas

5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, without tails
4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
2 cups fresh salsa

- In a mixing bowl, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and shrimp.
- Coat shrimp well with mixture, and marinate 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Grease a 9 inch glass pie dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Fill flour tortillas with marinated shrimp, cheese blend and salsa.
- Fold tortillas into a roll and place in the greased pie dish.
- Spread a thin layer of salsa on top of the tortillas.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
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Chicken and Mushroom Fajitas

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil, divided
1 Cup Red, Green, and Yellow Pepper Strips
1/2 Cup Celery, sliced
1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
4 Cups Ontario Mushrooms, sliced
1 Pound Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into strips
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Cumin
8 Large Soft Flour Tortillas, heated
Grated Cheese, your choice

- In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the oil.
- Saute peppers, celery and onion 3 minutes or until soft.
- Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently; set aside; keep warm.
- Add remaining oil to skillet.
- Coat chicken with seasonings; saute, stirring 6 minutes, or until no longer pink.
- Return mushroom mixture to skillet; toss gently with chicken to mix.
- Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until heated through.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mushroom, chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.
- Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.