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Copycat Taco Bell Chalupa Supreme

Copycat Taco Bell chalupa supreme with a puffy golden fried pocket that stays crisp while you load it with seasoned beef and creamy toppings. Pan-fried chalupas are cooked at 375°F until golden on both sides, then served hot with dripping sour cream and melty cheddar.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chalupa filling and seasoning
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 taco seasoning
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 0.25 salt and pepper
Fried chalupa shells
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 1.5 cup vegetable oil for frying
Toppings
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 0.5 cup diced tomatoes
  • 0.25 cup diced jalapeños
  • 0.5 cup salsa for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook seasoned beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks for about 8 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain excess fat and keep the beef in the skillet.
  2. Stir the taco seasoning and water into the beef, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fry chalupa shells
  1. Heat the vegetable oil to 375°F in the skillet. Keep it at 375°F so the tortillas puff quickly.
  2. Carefully place one tortilla in the oil using tongs and watch for it to puff up within seconds. Gently fold it in half as it bubbles.
  3. Fry the folded chalupa for 1-2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels to reduce oil.
  4. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, keeping the oil at 375°F between batches. Drain each one thoroughly on paper towels.
Assemble and serve
  1. Fill each fried chalupa with seasoned beef, then add shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. The warmth should start to melt the cheese.
  2. Top each chalupa with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and diced jalapeños. Serve immediately with salsa on the side.

Notes

For the crispiest chalupas, keep the oil steady at 375°F and assemble right after frying so the shells stay puffy instead of softening. Store leftover beef topping mixture in the fridge up to 3 days, but fry shells fresh for best texture; freezing fried chalupas isn’t recommended. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream and reduce cheese slightly while keeping the beef-to-shell ratio the same.