My most recent Mexican food obsession, mulitas, are so delicious and easy to make, I bet they become your next food obsession too!

A favorite Mexican street food in the northern states of Mexico, mulitas are most often found on taco trucks, not in Mexican restaurants.

I hate to admit that I visited Mexico many times before I had my first mulita. I also studied and immersed myself in the cuisine of Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Mexico City, and then years later had my first mulita. So, don’t worry if you’ve never had one or are just learning about them now!

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What is a Mulita?

Meaning of Mulita

“Mulitas” literally translates to “little mules.” But I can assure you, they are not made from mule.

Tortilla Sandwiches

Mulitas are often called “tortilla sandwiches.” That’s because they are made from two tortillas that form the top and bottom of these delicious handhelds that are filled with meat and cheese and cooked on a hot skillet.

Similar to Quesadillas

They are similar to quesadillas. The main difference between a quesadilla and a mulita is the tortillas. Quesadillas typically use one large flour tortilla, whereas mulitas are made with two corn tortillas.

Mulitas Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions

This is one of the most flexible Mexican recipes. Below are some tips to help you make the best mulita for you!

Meat of Choice, or no meat at all

Mulitas are a great way to use up leftover proteins, so use whatever you have on hand or whatever you like best. Just be sure to store your leftover meat in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make your mulita.

This recipe uses grilled chicken, but you can use any kind of cooked steak, like skirt steak, flank steak, birria, or carne asada. You can also use pork, especially carnitas or al pastor. Feel free to opt for ground meats, fish, shrimp, or no meat at all. Black beans, pinto beans, refried beans, and eggs all make great vegetarian alternatives.

Seasonings

You can use your favorite Mexican seasoning blend instead of the cumin, salt, and pepper that I use, but I would recommend you still keep the lime.

Tortillas

I prefer traditional corn tortillas for mulitas, but the recipe works and is still delicious with flour tortillas.

If you really want to kick things up a notch, homemade corn tortillas are an amazing upgrade!

Cheese

In Mexico, queso Chihuahua is the most common cheese for mulitas. If you have a Mexican market nearby, you can also try Mexican cheeses like queso fresco, queso Oaxaca, and cojita.

In the States, however, I buy packages of shredded Mexican cheese mix at the grocery store.

Alternatively, sliced cheese like cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, pepper jack, and/or mozzarella will also taste great. Just make sure the slices are not too thick so that they melt during the preparation of your mulitas.

Cilantro, Red Onion, & Jalapeños

These are my favorite toppings. If you don’t like any of these ingredients, just omit them. Or substitute any of them with corn, chopped tomatoes, or bell peppers.

Mulitas Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

½ lime 
⅛ teaspoon cumin 
⅛ teaspoon black pepper 
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cooked chopped chicken
4 small corn tortillas 
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese 
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
1½ tablespoons chopped red onion
1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced thin
Optional garnishes: sour cream, salsa verde, pico de gallo, guacamole

Instructions

1. Squeeze the juice of the lime into a small bowl. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper to the lime juice and stir. Then add the cooked chicken and stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Place 2 of the tortillas on a large skillet, frying pan, or griddle over medium heat.

3. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the 2 tortillas.

4. Split the chicken and distribute it evenly over the 2 tortillas.

5. Sprinkle the cilantro, red onions, and jalapeño over the chicken.

6. Top the chicken with the remaining cheese and then the last 2 tortillas.

7. Using a large spatula, flip each mulita and turn your heat up to medium-high.

8. When the bottom layer of cheese is melted on all of your mulitas, they are done.

How to Serve Mulitas

Garnish

The majority of mulitas are served from food trucks, so they don’t really need a garnish. But, if you love extra flavor or want to make your meal a little more impressive, serve with any or all of the optional garnishes listed above. You can add a dollop of sour cream, salsas, pico de gallo, and/or guacamole on top of your mulitas, or on the side.

For a special topping, try this Mango Salsa Recipe!

Serving

On the streets of Mexico, mulitas are usually consumed by hand like a taco. At home, I use a knife and fork.

Cut a mulita or two like a pie to make a fun appetizer to share. Or leave your mulitas whole and serve one mulita per person as a main course.

Side Dishes

Like quesadillas, mulitas can be served as a stand-alone dish, with a green salad, or with any Mexican-style side dish like rice, beans, hominy, or zucchini & corn.