If you're cooking for a party or just a big family gathering, finding dishes that scale up easily can be hard. But instead of tossing up your hands and ordering a caterer, try one of these simple, Mexican dishes! They're easy to make, work with all kinds of diets, and they're kid-friendly as well. Whether you're celebrating Cinco de Mayo, enjoying a special occasion, or just prepping a weeknight meal, these Mexican dishes are easy recipes to try.

Skillet Chicken Fajitas With Avocado

Nothing beats Mexican chicken fajitas when it comes to classic Tex-Mex dishes and this one-pot wonder is incredibly easy to prepare. Chicken is topped with sautéed onions, bell peppers, garlic, and spices, with jalapeños for extra heat. Pair it with corn tortillas, top with sliced avocados, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and serve with beans and rice to complete the meal.

Skillet Chicken Fajitas With Avocado by Serious Eats

Chicken & Poblano Chilaquiles

This traditional Mexican breakfast dish consists of crispy corn tortillas covered in a hearty sauce made with shredded chicken, tomato sauce and a Mexican spice blend. Think of it as a deconstructed chicken taco — in this recipe, you'll coat the tortillas in the sauce at the last minute to maintain some texture. Top it all off with crumbled queso fresco, avocado, and fresh cilantro. Serve with an escarole salad to complete the meal — it's perfect for a savory brunch, or those nights when you're craving breakfast for dinner.

Chicken & Poblano Chilaquiles by Blue Apron

Arepas Filled With Carnitas And Guasacaca

Arepas are native to South America and amazing on their own, but add in guasacaca (similar to guacamole) and you've got a truly delicious meal on your hands. The recipe starts with small white corncakes that are light and crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They're then split open like a pita and stuffed with shredded carnitas and guasacaca. The guasacaca is made with serrano chili peppers, vinegar, and lime juice to give the meat and bread a little kick. This dish is great for a laid-back gathering where guests can assemble their own arepas.

Arepas Filled With Carnitas And Guasacaca by Spoon, Fork, Bacon

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

This quick and easy recipe makes a great backyard summer meal for the family, or you can double the recipe for a crowd. Crispy tostadas are topped with refried beans, homemade guacamole, and shrimp seasoned with salsa verde and crushed garlic. Cook the shrimp on the grill for a charred flavor, or cook indoors all year long using a grill pan. This is a healthy option if you're watching your calorie intake and still want a protein-packed meal.

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas by Skinnytaste

Guacamole Chicken Enchiladas

It's hard to beat enchiladas when it comes to crowd-pleasing, family-style Mexican meals. These are full of flavor — they're stuffed with guacamole, tomatoes, green chilies, green onion, cilantro, and chicken. Top them off with red enchilada sauce and cheese for a dinner ready in just 15 minutes. Feel free to swap the corn tortillas for flour tortillas if you'd prefer — unless you're opting for a gluten-free meal. Top with sour cream, Greek yogurt, or a dash of hot sauce for extra heat.

Guacamole Chicken Enchiladas by Real Mom Kitchen

Pork Carnitas

Pork Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish of pork braised with herbs, spices, and lemon or lime juice. It takes a bit of time to cook, but the rich, intense flavor is worth it. The result is tender, juicy meat that makes a perfect burrito or taco filling, or it can be used in a sandwich or over salad.

Pork Carnitas by Jo Cooks

BBQ Chicken, Apple, Bacon, Cheddar Quesadillas

This sweet and savory chicken recipe is a fun twist on traditional quesadillas. The sharp, smoky flavors complement each other well, and the crunchy, chewy textures come together to create one delicious bite. Serve quesadillas as an appetizer at a party or serve it with a side salad or chips and salsa for an easy weeknight meal when you need to come up with something on the fly.

BBQ Chicken, Apple, Bacon, Cheddar Quesadillas by Iowa Girl Eats

Salt And Pepper Ceviche

Fresh fish shines in this ceviche made with freshly squeezed limes, red onion, chopped avocado, cilantro, and salt and pepper. This recipe calls for halibut, but you can also use marlin, snapper, or albacore tuna — any firm, white fish that is sashimi-grade quality will work. Eat it with a fork or use tortilla chips as scoopers. You can prepare this dish a day ahead of serving time, but be sure to keep well-chilled.

Salt And Pepper Ceviche by Recipe Girl

Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles make an ideal low-key brunch dish in our book! Top with an egg or serve with a side of beans, and you're ready to eat in about 15 minutes. This dish calls for stale corn tortillas or speed things up and leave the tortillas uncovered overnight to dry out a bit. Feel free to use store-bought red chili sauce or salsa verde to cut down on prep time.

Chilaquiles by Simply Recipes

Shrimp Tacos With Grilled Poblano Salsa

The secret to these tasty tacos is in the homemade salsa — fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, and poblano pepper are grilled for smoky notes then tossed with creamy diced avocado, cilantro, and lime juice. If you prefer a different protein than shrimp, try using ground beef or ground turkey, but be sure to make that salsa! If you're cooking for a crowd, setting up a taco bar lets guests mix and match taco accoutrements like pico de gallo, shredded cheese, diced jalapeños, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and lettuce.

Shrimp Tacos With Grilled Poblano Salsa by Two Peas & Their Pod

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