Potato tacos with green chilies start with a skillet of browned potatoes, sweet onion, and roasted poblano peppers. A handful of crumbly queso fresco goes in at the end, then the filling is tucked into warm corn tortillas. The potatoes have tender centers and golden edges, while the peppers bring a little heat and a roasted flavor.
My advice is to give the potatoes time in the pan. Once they are boiled, drained, and diced, let them sit against the hot skillet between turns. That browning makes a bigger difference here than piling on extra toppings.
Potatoes, poblanos, and the right cheese
Small boiling potatoes: Red or yellow potatoes hold their shape well in this filling. Choose potatoes close in size so they finish boiling together. They should be tender enough for a knife to slide in, but still firm enough to dice. Large baking potatoes are more likely to break apart as you stir.
Fresh poblano peppers: This version uses roasted poblanos rather than a spoonful of canned diced chiles. Blistering the skins gives them a deeper flavor, and peeling removes the tough outer layer. Poblanos are often fairly mild, but their heat varies. Taste a small piece after roasting before deciding whether to put hot sauce on the table.
White onion: Slice it thinly so it softens alongside the potatoes. Some strands will brown more than others. Stir gently enough to keep the potato pieces mostly intact.
Queso fresco: Crumble it before you start. This fresh white cheese softens in the warm filling and stays in little pieces. It does not turn into long melted strands. Add it after taking the pan off the heat so you can fold it through without cooking it into the skillet.
Olive oil and corn tortillas: The filling needs a little oil to brown, and a separate light coating helps warm the tortillas. Use small tortillas that you can fold around a modest amount of filling. Older, dry tortillas need extra care when warming.
Make the filling in stages
Start the potatoes in salted water and bring them to a gentle boil. While they cook, put the poblanos under the broiler and turn them until the skins blister. Cover the roasted peppers in a bowl for about ten minutes, then peel and remove the stems and seeds once they are cool enough to handle.
Drain the potatoes well. Let the surface moisture evaporate before peeling and dicing them. Wet potatoes tend to steam when they reach the skillet, and they are more likely to stick or fall apart when you try to turn them.
Cook the potatoes and sliced onion in a wide skillet. Spread them out, leave them alone briefly, then turn sections with a spatula. You are looking for golden patches on the potato surfaces and softened onion. If the pan is packed too tightly for the potatoes to touch the bottom, work in two batches.
Stir in the chopped roasted peppers and the optional epazote, if using. Once everything is hot, take the skillet off the burner and fold in the cheese. Taste the filling before adding the last pinch of salt, since the cheese adds some of its own.
Warm the tortillas just before filling
Cold corn tortillas can split along the fold. Warm them in a skillet with a thin film of oil until they are hot and flexible. A few brown spots are fine, but do not leave them in the pan until they become stiff.
Keep the warmed tortillas under a clean towel while you finish the batch. Fill and fold them while they are still warm. A small amount of filling is easier to manage than a mound that pushes out both ends.
A few easy changes
If queso fresco is unavailable, mild feta is a useful substitute. It tastes saltier and tangier, so season the potatoes lightly and taste again after adding it. Soft goat cheese also works, though it will coat the potatoes more than queso fresco does.
Epazote is optional. If you do not have it, leave it out; the roasted peppers and onion give the filling plenty of flavor. For a version without dairy, omit the cheese or use a plant-based crumble you enjoy. Check the tortillas and any packaged toppings as well if that matters for your meal.
Serving and saving the filling
Serve the tacos as soon as they are folded. Hot sauce or salsa can go on the side so everyone can add as much as they want. Rice, beans, or a simple cabbage salad make good sides without covering up the roasted peppers.
For advance prep, roast and peel the poblanos the day before and refrigerate them in a covered container. You can also boil the potatoes ahead, cool them promptly, and refrigerate them separately. Dry them well before frying.
Keep leftover filling covered in the refrigerator and use it within three days. Reheat it in a skillet until hot throughout, stirring gently, then fill freshly warmed tortillas. Store the filling separately whenever possible; assembled tacos soften as they sit.
Questions before you start
Can I use canned green chiles?
Yes, as a shortcut. Start with two drained four-ounce cans and add more to taste. The flavor and amount of pepper will differ from six fresh poblanos, but it saves the roasting and peeling step. Keep the chiles well drained so the filling does not turn watery.
Are the tortillas supposed to be crunchy?
They should have a few toasted spots and still bend easily. These are filled, folded tacos rather than hard taco shells. Frying the tortillas until completely crisp makes them difficult to fold without breaking.
Why are my potatoes not browning?
Check for moisture and crowding first. Let drained potatoes dry, use a wide skillet, and give them time against the pan before turning. If the onion darkens too quickly, lower the heat a little while the potatoes catch up.
More for the table
For another potato side, try Fried Potatoes and Onions. If you are planning a different taco-night dinner, Easy Mexican Taco Lasagna is a baked option for sharing.
Adapted from Anne Assassi’s potato tacos with green chilies and queso fresco, with expanded roasting and tortilla-warming directions.
Potato Tacos with Green Chilies
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Rimmed baking sheet
- 1 Bowl with cover
- 1 12-inch heavy skillet
- 1 Small skillet for tortillas
- 1 Tongs and spatula
Ingredients
Potato and poblano filling
- 1 1/2 pounds small red or yellow potatoes scrubbed and halved
- 6 medium fresh poblano peppers
- 3 tablespoons olive oil for the filling
- 1 small white onion thinly sliced
- 8 ounces queso fresco crumbled
- 16 fresh epazote leaves chopped; optional
- salt to taste, plus more for the potato cooking water
Tortillas and serving
- 12 small corn tortillas about 6 inches across
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for warming the tortillas; more if needed
- hot sauce or salsa optional, for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Put the halved potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about an inch. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides into the centers easily but the potatoes still hold together. Roast the peppers while the potatoes cook.
- Heat the broiler to high. Put the whole poblanos on a rimmed baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat. Broil, turning with tongs and watching closely, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches, about 10–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let stand for about 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, rub off the loose skins, remove the stems and seeds, and roughly chop the peppers.
- Drain the potatoes well and let them cool just enough to handle. Peel and cut into roughly 1/4-inch dice. Allow any remaining surface moisture to evaporate before frying.
- Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and sliced onion. Cook for about 12–15 minutes, gently turning sections with a spatula, until the potatoes have golden-brown patches and the onion is soft. Give the potatoes time against the pan between turns. Lower the heat if the onion starts to darken too quickly; use two batches if needed.
- Stir in the chopped poblanos and optional epazote. Cook for about 2 minutes, until hot throughout. Take the skillet off the heat and gently fold in the crumbled queso fresco. Taste, then add salt as needed. The cheese should stay in soft crumbles.
- Use the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil as needed to keep a separate skillet lightly coated over medium heat. Warm each tortilla briefly on both sides until hot, flexible, and lightly spotted. Keep the warmed tortillas under a clean towel. Do not fry them until stiff.
- Divide the warm potato filling among the tortillas and fold them in half. Serve right away, with hot sauce or salsa on the side if you like. Makes about 12 tacos, or 4 servings of 3 tacos.
