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If you’ve got a pellet grill, think beyond barbecue and smoked meats – these Mexican and Tex Mex-inspired recipes combine your favorite South of the border flavors with the smoky goodness of the grill. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or your next Mexican fiesta!
Cinco de Mayo in our backyard looks a little different than most. There are no store-bought taco kits, no sad ground beef, and definitely no boring chips and salsa from a jar.
What there IS is a pellet grill running hot, and a spread of smoky, bold, Tex-Mex flavors that my wife Amy and I have been perfecting for years.
I’ve always believed that the smoker makes everything better – and Mexican food is no exception. There’s something magical that happens when you combine wood-fired smokiness with the vibrant spices of Mexico.
Whether it’s a whole chicken rubbed down with homemade Mexican seasoning, a brisket tossed in a rich chile sauce, or a bubbling skillet of black bean chorizo dip, every single one of these recipes is a certified crowd-pleaser. So if you’re planning a Cinco de Mayo cookout and want to bring something seriously impressive to the table, you’ve come to the right place. Fire up the pit – let’s make this one a fiesta worth remembering!
Table of Contents
- 1. Mexican Smoked Chicken (with Easy Injectable Marinade)
- 2. Mexican Chopped Brisket
- 3. Smoked Street Corn Dip with Cream Cheese
- 4. Smoked Black Bean and Chorizo Dip
- 5. Smoked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
- 6. Chile Colorado Smoked Chuck Roast
- 7. Burnt End Tacos
- 8. Smoked Chuck Roast Tacos
- 9. Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos
- 10. Grilled Tomatillo Salsa Verde
1. Mexican Smoked Chicken (with Easy Injectable Marinade)
This whole smoked chicken might be the most flavorful bird I’ve ever pulled off the pellet grill. A jalapeño juice injectable marinade keeps it incredibly juicy, while a bold Mexican seasoning rub builds a gorgeous crust on the outside. Shred it up and pile it into tacos, enchiladas, or nachos for the ultimate Cinco de Mayo centerpiece.
2. Mexican Chopped Brisket
Brisket is already one of the most beloved meats in the BBQ world, but when you season it with Mexican spices and finish it in a homemade chile-based sauce, it becomes something truly special. This is the protein that feeds a crowd and makes everyone at the party ask for the recipe. Load it into warm tortillas with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro, and you’ve got brisket tacos that will absolutely steal the show.
3. Smoked Street Corn Dip with Cream Cheese
All the flavors you love about Mexican street corn — the creamy sauce, the cotija, the Tajín, the fresh herbs — packed into one warm, smoky dip that disappears faster than anything else on the table. We start the corn and bacon on the griddle, then let the smoker do the rest of the heavy lifting. Serve it up with chips and watch it vanish.
4. Smoked Black Bean and Chorizo Dip
This smoked dip recipe is warm and hearty with just the right amount of heat. With black beans, smoky chorizo, and bubbly cheese this Tex Mex-inspired dip delivers big flavor and savory goodness – sure to be the hit at your next party!
5. Smoked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
These Smoked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde are a clever, flavor-packed way to give leftover smoked chicken new life. A creamy filling of shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, quesadilla cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese gets rolled into warm tortillas, topped with a bright homemade grilled tomatillo salsa verde and more cheese, then cooked on a pellet grill or smoker. The whole dish comes together in just 35 minutes, making it an easy weeknight dinner that still delivers that distinctive wood-fired smokiness you can’t get from a conventional oven.
6. Chile Colorado Smoked Chuck Roast
Chile Colorado Smoked Chuck Roast is not a weeknight shortcut recipe – and that’s exactly why it earns a spot on the Cinco de Mayo menu. You smoke the chuck roast first to build that deep, wood-fired flavor, then braise it low and slow in a rich blend of beef stock, Mexican spices, and dried chiles until it becomes the most complex, fall-apart stewed beef you’ve ever tasted. Fair warning: once you make this, every Mexican restaurant in town is going to feel like a serious step down.
7. Burnt End Tacos
Burnt End Tacos are what happen when classic BBQ meets Mexican street food, and the result is nothing short of legendary. We’re talking brisket point cooked down into rich, caramelized burnt ends and finished in a birria-style sauce that takes the whole thing to another level entirely. Load them into warm tortillas and you’ve got a Cinco de Mayo taco that’ll have everyone at the party convinced you’ve been cooking all week — and honestly, they’re not wrong.
8. Smoked Chuck Roast Tacos
Chuck roast doesn’t get nearly enough credit – people sleep on it, but I’ve always known it punches way above its weight class. These Smoked Chuck Roast Tacos take that humble cut, hit it with classic Mexican seasoning, run it through the smoker, then finish it in a braise until it’s fall-apart tender and packed with flavor. Shred it up, pile it into tortillas, and add your favorite toppings.
9. Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos
These easy pulled pork tacos are made with leftover smoked pork butt, a homemade Mexican street corn, and grilled tomatillo salsa – some of the best tacos you will ever eat, and they taste like they came off your favorite taco truck!
10. Grilled Tomatillo Salsa Verde
This Grilled Tomatillo Salsa Verde recipe takes a classic green salsa to the next level by charring tomatillos, jalapeños, quartered onion, and garlic directly on the grill or smoker before blending them with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt. The open-flame cooking softens the tomatillos’ natural tartness and adds a subtle smokiness that you simply can’t get from store-bought salsa verde. The whole process takes just 30 minutes, and the heat level is easy to customize. Serve it with tortilla chips, spoon it over enchiladas or tacos, or use it as a vibrant sauce for any Tex-Mex meal.
